October 2013Volume 5Number 1PDF icon PDF version (for best printing)

Social security safari—Day 2

I recently had cataract surgery which was a complete success. However, when the doctor’s office sent the bill to Medicare, Medicare advised that my wife’s health insurance policy was primary and Medicare was secondary. I called my wife’s health insurance company at the request of my doctor to tell them that I have Medicare Part A and B. I did. However, that was not enough. Soooooo... I put on my trusty pith helmet and safaried back into the local social security office. A very nice lady helped me immediately. She said that the records should have been changed to provide that Medicare A and B was now the primary insurer and that my wife’s insurance was now secondary because she had retired. The social security lady prepared the papers to change their computer to read that Medicare was now primary and the private company was now secondary. She said that the change in the social security computer will take a month, but it was taken care of. I’ve come to learn that the social security safari will probably be a lifelong event, but that’s ok, if you get my drift. I suggest that you sleep with your pith helmet on your night table-just in case. Happy hunting everyone. ■

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