Ombudsman helps restore woman’s Qualified Medicare benefit

A building on West Monument Avenue that houses the Dayton-Montgomery County ombudsman's offices. CORNELIUS FROLIK / STAFF

A building on West Monument Avenue that houses the Dayton-Montgomery County ombudsman's offices. CORNELIUS FROLIK / STAFF

Editor’s note: The Dayton Ombudsman Office provides weekly columns to the Dayton Daily News to bring awareness to issues it sees in the community.

Several months ago, a woman contacted the Ombudsman for assistance with her benefits from the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Program. Through this program low-income individuals may receive assistance to have their Social Security Part B premium paid by the Ohio Medicaid Program. Participation requires approval and processing time from both the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and the Social Security Administration. When individuals are working with two systems, processing can take months.

The woman had moved from Kentucky to Montgomery County last November, and she had applied for the benefit she received while in Kentucky to continue in Ohio. The premiums continued to be deducted from her Social Security retirement, and she wanted to know if something could be done to help her obtain the benefit. Each time she contacted staff at the Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services she was told that the delay was because Ohio was waiting on documentation from Kentucky.

The Ombudsman contacted the Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services to inquire about the woman’s benefit. The supervisor responded that the woman’s Qualified Medicare Beneficiary benefit had been approved, and the approval has been sent to the Social Security Administration.

However, the Social Security Administration had not yet activated the benefit. The supervisor reported that it can take 60 days or more for the Social Security Administration to process the benefit. The Ombudsman then contacted the Social Security Administration on the woman’s behalf. One month later, the woman’s benefit was reinstated by the state and the Social Security Administration.

The Ombudsman Column, a production of the Joint Office of Citizens’ Complaints, summarizes selected problems that citizens have had with government services, schools and nursing homes in the Dayton area. Contact the Ombudsman by writing to us at 11 W. Monument Ave., Suite 606, Dayton 45402, call 937-223- 4613, or by electronic mail at ombudsman@dayton-ombudsman.org.

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