WSVN — We are all forgetful, whether it’s to pick up something at the grocery store or pay a bill. But when a 97-year-old forgot to pay a bill, he lost his insurance and can’t get it back, which is why his son called Help me Howard with Patrick Fraser. And they were able to do what they do, fix the problem.
97. Think about that, 97-years-old.
Sol Reischer: "My father is the most amazing man I know. He is generous, smart and honorable man."
Not just that, Harry is a very independent 97-year-old man.
Sol Reischer: "My father takes care of everything. He takes care of my mom until the day she passed away. He is taking care of himself ever since."
But the bottom line, no matter how independent Harry is, 97 is still 97.
Sol Reischer: "He recently got old in that he had to move from walking and getting around everywhere to he needed a walker and in the last two years, he just can’t hear anymore."
Sol lives in New York and when he started showing his age, he and his brothers hired a nurse to stop in to help Harry and relay messages to their father. And it turns out, Harry had gotten a little forgetful.
Sol Reischer: "He did not get to his mail and not only did he not get to his mail, he started throwing mail away."
Among the bills Harry forgot to pay, for two months, he didn’t send a check for his prescription plan through Medicare. And it expired.
Sol Reischer: "By the time I found out this news, he had paid the bill, he had recently paid the bill, but they had already canceled him. When they canceled him, they canceled him as of 90 days earlier."
Harry had sent in a check to renew the plan, but Medicare said since he was 90 days late, he could not be re-instated.
Sol Reischer: "And immediately said, ‘I’m sorry Mr. Reischer, there is absolutely nothing we can do."
But no way can this proud, independent man afford to pay for his prescriptions without his insurance through Medicare.
Sol Reischer: "It went from $150 to $1,200."
Medicare did say Harry could be re-instated in January, but Sol says the law that blocks him from being re-instated immediately is ridiculous.
Sol Reischer: "It’s a shameful rule. It’s clearly a mistake and it should be fixed."
Well Howard, hopefully we will all be 97 one day and if we forget to pay for prescription plan, can the Federal Government stop you from being re-instated?
Howard Finkelstein: "Yes, they can. If you drop out or forget to pay for a Medicare prescription plan for 63 days, you will not be allowed back on the plan ’till January of the following year. But the Federal Government can have a heart if you can show good cause for why you did what you did, you can be reinstated immediately. And being 97 and a little forgetful, is a good cause to most of us."
If you are a cynic, you just don’t trust the government to do the right thing. But the centers for Medicare and Medicaid services was great. We contacted them, two hours later, Sol got a call that his father’s prescription plan had been reinstated. Things can now return to normal for Harry.
Sol Reischer: "We feel that way that we are taking care of my father. But my father still feels he is taking care of us. He does not feel we are taking care of him at all."
Harry is a very independent man, but Sol says despite that he and his brother are going to keep a closer eye on him.
Sol Reischer: "This is an issue that happened in our family that we don’t want it to happen in any other family. So, if you can check on your parents to make sure that their bill are being paid."
97-years-old. Think of all the things Harry has seen in his life. Got a problem that is aging you? Want to insure you get a prescription for a solution? Contact us. We don’t have 97 years of wisdom, but we try hard. With this Help me Howard, I’m Patrick Fraser, 7News.
CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
E-mail: helpmeHoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
Miami-Dade: 305-953-WSVN
Broward: 954-761-WSVN
On Twitter: @helpmehoward7
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Medicare help
-If you have questions or issues with medicare, the first place to go for assistance is 1-800-Medicare.
-If they have a Medicare Advantage plan, the first place to go for assistance is the Medicare Advantage plan.