Today, I got to call Social Security
for the second time this week. The nursing home had received a letter
to Mom telling her she needed to contact them immediately because the
Nursing Home had sent her check back and they needed to know why.
Social Security is a rather prickly
bureaucracy with which I have had the occasion to deal with several
times over my hundreds of years of life—well, it just seems that
way when you deal with Social Security. You can hear the “sighs”
of a fellow struggler when you mention Social Security. Because this
was not my first call to Social Security this week and before that in
the last few years, I sort of thought I knew what to expect.
Right after we moved to Round Rock,
Anna and I were on our way to see Mom in San Angelo when my phone
rang. It was one of my medical device suppliers and my insurance had
been changed and failed to pay for the supplies. I reassured the
person my insurance had not changed and everything would work out.
Then I called Medicare. They informed me my insurance had changed and
was now handled by a company which did not exist and had not existed
since 2013. Needless to say, that took a bit to unravel but
eventually everything was back on track until the next year at the
same time. Same song, second verse. I pushed back harder. I asked,
“How come you don't know with whom I have my insurance when it is
with you and you deduct the payment every month?” No good answer.
When we have attempted to talk to
Social Security in behalf of our son, James, it is an ordeal. Both
the person and the (legal)representative must be in the room and
James has to verbalize Anna is helping with this issue and some
document must be on file saying the same thing.
So, when I first called with the
information about Mom's death, I expected to have to send them some
sort of identification explaining who I was. Well, you will be glad
to know they really don't care who calls to tell them one of their
policy holders is dead. It's all good. They will take that news from
anyone.
So, when the letter arrived on
Wednesday at the Nursing Home, and I am the Executor of Mom's Estate,
my sister-in-law Linda called with a hint of glee in her voice. She
and Jim did the hard work of reeling Mom in, taking her cards, and
attempting to get her affairs in order for the next stage of her
life.
So, I knew I had to call Social
Security today. I had a little conversation in my head informed by my
track record with them. I expected the person to ask to speak to Mom
directly, which of course would be impossible. I was prepared to say,
“Well, she cannot come to the phone right now.” To which I
expected a typical response(based on previous encounters with SS)
“And why can't she come to the phone right now?” At which point I
would say, “Because she is DEAD! And strangely enough is not taking
calls at this time.” Don't judge me but I was actually looking
forward to the call.
Instead I got this really sweet lady
Jennifer, who looked up her file and told me they knew she had passed
away.(So maybe the government is spying on us after all) I explained
the situation(not of her death) but she had died at the end of June
which according to the nursing home could mean the July check would
have to be returned by law but then would be dispersed to the living
heirs. However, Jennifer indicated that would not be the case
because—now wait for it, she did not live to the end of the month
which would have been Tuesday, June 30th. I am not sure if
there is a time when it is alright for the person to die on the last
day of the month because for us it was a mote point. I am guessing by
the end of the business day. But this is the government after all.
One down and several more to go.
Wash your hands, wear your mask for
others, mind the gap and be kind
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