ELIMINATING ELDER ABUSE

FROM SOCIAL SECURITY

   The book "Good-bye, America?" included a couple of pointed examples out of hundreds that are available --- pointed examples of just how painfully irresponsible the Social Security Administration becomes from time to time.  And yes, it has become a matter of government sponsored elder abuse by an agency of our government that was established to help us all when we get old and gray.  It was never intended to become our worst nightmare.

   And you have heard of some of the many difficulties, I'm sure.  There are the cases where the Social Security people seem to be convinced that someone has died who is still alive and Heaven and Earth almost had to be moved to get the problem cleared up, and sometimes not even then.

   And it has been equally difficult at times when they were convinced that someone was alive who had actually died.  Have they got a secret we don't know about?  Can they return people from the grave?  Sometimes it would seem so.

   As one of the examples, the book showed a report by the American Consumers' Association that told the story of a man who had just turned 65.  "He dutifully went into his local Social Security office for advice.  He would rather have full private hospital health insurance (not just the limited medigap form), and not the government hospital insurance, if it was at all possible.  He was told that he could go for private insurance if he wished to.  So he did.

   "His search was a dilligent and extensive effort that yielded the uncomfortable fact that there was no such insurance of that nature out there.  It just doesn't exist.  So, he returned to his Social Security office only to be told that now it was too late.  He would have to pay extensive penalties, fines and such to get the only primary hospital medical coverage that was available --- avaliable under the government.

   "He found it hard to believe that he would be set up like that.  He was angry and determined to fight the system with all his strength.  So, he went through the extensive dispute resolution process with regard to hospitalization coverage, while continuing to pay for his regular medical coverage under Medicare.

   "The process dragged on and on and eventually he was warned that, as things continued, his regular medical coverage could be yanked out from under him as well, even though he was paying for it on a regular basis.  This, of course, is what happened.

   "Now he had nothing.  But he kept on fighting and finally had the opportunity to go before Administrative Judge Larry B. Parker (from the Office of Hearings and Appeals).  He represented himself and presented his case.  Fortunately, he was able to obtain documents from the Social Security files that fully substantiated his claim and he won his case completely, in every respect."

   Then, after over six months of stalling, "...he was told that his health insurance would be reinstated."  But they 'invented' a sizable figure of unpaid premiums that they insisted must be paid in full in order to start him out with Medicare.

   Because serious and potentially fatal health problems were developing, he was forced to pay this transfer of penalties that the court had denied.  Even full, double-sided photo copies of all of his payment checks had absolutely no meaning whatsoever to these people.  Even the decision of the court didn't matter to them.  They evidently feel that since they are the government, they are above the law.

   And the examples can go on and on and on.  There seems to be an almost endless number of them.  So, what do we do about all of this?

   Perhaps we should consider turning the Social Security Administration upside down and really cleaning it out.  What do you think?