Recent medical claims to medicare have been denied stating that the birth date does not match medicare records.
4 Answers
You cannot personally find out directly from medicare, because medicare is not allowed to share that information from you.
The only way for you to find out anything is for your mother to find out from medicare herself and for her to tell you.
Actually, there is an easy way:
Medicare and social security work from the same database of dates of birth. Look at her paperwork from social security.
If you are not power of attorney for your mother, you will have to get it, or have your mother do this.
But basically, you call the provider, see what her date of birth is in your records. Then, you call Medicare, and ask what her date of birth is THERE. Usually, that date of birth matches the one with Social Security, so you probably need to check it there, also.
Doesn’t your mother have her Medicare card? Easiest thing, is just pulling out the card, and looking at it, then calling the doctor to see if the dates match.
You do not have to contact Medicare, you must contact Social Security. Medicare gets their information from them. Do you have her birth certificate? If yes, you can have your mother call (or you if you are a POA) and verify the date SS has on file. If it is incorrect, all you need is a notarized copy of the birth certificate in order for them to change it.
I see a few possibilities:
1. The doctor screwed up and put on the wrong birthdate. This has happened to me.
2. Your mother is suffering from some dementia, and gave the wrong bithdate.
3. You filled out the forms for her, and you don’t know her birthdate. Maybe she lied about her age to you?
4. Medicare has screwed up. Good luck getting that straightened out. You’re probably better off just putting down the wrong birthdate from now on.