ATLANTA — She’s not over 65 and she’s not disabled, but the federal government says a metro Atlanta woman has actively been enrolled in Medicare for years.
“I should not be on Medicare. This is a systematic failure across several agencies,” Kristen Rose of Roswell told Channel 2 consumer investigator Justin Gray.
But last fall, she was told her Affordable Care Act health insurance for both her and her teenage son was canceled.
The notice of cancellation calls it “voluntary withdrawal.”
“It said that I voluntarily withdrew, which was false. I never would have done that. Then, come to find out it was healthcare.gov that voluntarily withdrew me, and my insurance was immediately stopped,” Rose said.
Rose has had health insurance through the Obamacare ACA exchange for years with no problems, until suddenly she was told in October that she is not eligible because she is already enrolled in Medicare Part A.
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“I felt hopeless. I have no health insurance,” Rose said.
More than a decade ago, Rose was interviewed on Channel 2 Action News about the serious injuries she suffered because of a crash in a vehicle with recalled tires.
She went on Social Security disability at the time and was placed on Medicare.
But in 2018, she submitted a form as instructed saying she wished to discontinue disability and Medicare coverage.
For years, she thought that had happened.
“I didn’t know I had Medicare. I had a premium. Never received a bill. Never received a card. I had no idea,” she said.
For months now, Rose has tried to work out the bureaucratic mix-up.
She was given a copy by Social Security of that same form she filled out back in 2018 to show Medicare. But her appeals were still denied.
Rose’s credit score has dropped because Medicare has reported her for years of unpaid premiums and she’s been unable for months to get expensive treatments for her rheumatoid arthritis.
“I need these medications. This is life sustaining. This has altered my life dramatically, not only physically, but mentally and emotionally,” Rose said.
The Social Security Administration told Channel 2 Action News that due to privacy rules they cannot discuss specific cases. But they did confirm they have reached out to Rose, after hearing from Gray.
Rose said that SSA now acknowledges a “human error.
She was told they did in fact “cancel” her Medicare back in 2018, however, they failed to “terminate” it off her record.
Rose was told the termination has now been initiated and is being expedited.
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