Rumors of death were greatly exaggerated
William E. Yeagley says he is not dead, no matter what Social Security says.
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
SEBRING -- William E. Yeagley found out he died Dec. 14, 2005, at least as far as Social Security was concerned, when Medicare refused to pay one of his medical bills.
All Social Security and Medicare payments stopped in December, said Yeagley, 72, of 136 E. Indiana Ave., who is very much alive, and very frustrated with the Social Security Administration's bureaucracy.
His demise, caused by a "computer glitch," he was told by a faceless voice at the other end of SS's 800 number, makes even Yeagley, angry as he is, chuckle. However, the situation is far from funny.
He has been dunned by the bank for insufficient funds. Two applications for the new Medicare Part D drug prescription plan have been denied. And twice he has had to go to the Youngstown Social Security office, the last on Tuesday, for emergency funds.
Here is how it worked for Yeagley before the "glitch" occurred.
His SS check was electronically deposited directly to his bank, which in turn automatically paid his bills.
However, when the bank paid his bills in December, and the SS check did not arrive -- because he was dead -- Yeagley was dunned for insufficient funds.
His first hint
It all started for Yeagley just before Christmas 2005, when a doctor's office employee called his home about an unpaid bill. She was surprised when he answered because the office had received a letter from SS denying payment because "the date of death precedes the date of service."
When he learned SS thought he was dead, he went to the Youngstown Social Security office to "prove I was alive."
He was required to show his driver's license with a photo and sign a document certifying he is alive. He was able to persuade local SS representatives, whom Yeagley said have been very helpful, that he was indeed still among the living.
With Yeagley as a witness, local SS personnel filed the necessary paperwork to bring him back to life and back onto the SS roles. That occurred in January, and he thought all would be well.
But, he still did not receive payments in a timely manner, and money was running low. He again contacted Social Security's 800 number and was told everything was being processed.
"The 800 number said if I needed money to go to the local office. But they were only able to give me $800 of what was owed for December," he said.
Finally, Social Security, apparently convinced that he was alive, said he would get his check on the second Wednesday of each month beginning in February. But, it didn't come until the third week. By that time, the bank had paid his bills and Yeagley once again had to pay a penalty for insufficient funds.
Check's never in the mail
Finally, Yeagley received a letter earlier this month from Social Security, saying the problem was straightened out and his check would get to him on the second Wednesday of the month, beginning with March 8.
You guessed it.
"The check isn't here yet," Yeagley said Wednesday. The Social Security 800 number says the computer shows it has been sent, but the bank says it isn't there, he said.
It has been frustration on top of frustration for Yeagley.
In late December, Social Security told him it would send that month's check in January. But, when the check arrived, it was only about 10 percent of his regular monthly payment.
"I had to go through the whole routine again. I've been on the phone for hours and hours, and still no response," he said.
"I called [U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, D-6th, of Lisbon] and was turned over to a woman in his office. Two weeks later, she told me everything I already knew, but nothing was resolved," he said.
"We wrote a bad check March 8 because they were going to shut off our gas," he said.
"I had an eye appointment. The nurse called and said, 'You know, you are dead.' She called Social Security and the three of us got on the phone. The guy wouldn't even talk to her," Yeagley said.
"This is stressful. We are used to paying our bills on time. Bills are going unpaid. We need this money," he said.
More frustrations
Yeagley, who saw action as a rifleman with the Marine Corps' 1st Division in the Korean War in 1952 and 1953, retired at age 70 from Homer Laughlin China in Newell, W.Va., where he was a production supervisor. His wife, Diane, works as a medical assistant for a doctor.
"We're losing sleep over this thing because we don't know what is going to happen next. They tell us one thing, and you plan on it, and it doesn't happen. I've talked to supervisors on the 800 number. They say it's all fine, and then it isn't. I've had three or four hang-ups on the 800 numbers, and the 800-number people won't give me a number for anybody else. I have written some nasty e-mails to Social Security out of frustration," Yeagley admitted.
He was again promised a check by March 8, the second Wednesday of the month, but it didn't arrive. Additionally, last Saturday he was notified by AARP that his supplemental insurance bill had not been paid.
Once again, he had to spend several hours at the Youngstown SS office applying for emergency money. Even then, it was only $999, less than the amount of his monthly check, and not enough to cover all of his bills.
"All I want is to get undead and get my money when they say they are going to send it," said Yeagley.
alcorn@vindy.com