A woman from Florida, who is fighting pancreatic cancer, found herself without medical insurance after the federal government mistakenly declared her dead. This administrative error not only postponed her treatment but also compelled her family to look for assistance during a national government shutdown.
Patti Rosher, from Pace, Florida, discovered that the Social Security Administration had mistakenly marked her as deceased following the deaths of her husband and daughter, Katina Laksamana, in May.
This error led to the immediate termination of her Social Security, Medicare, and Supplemental Insurance benefits.
It wasn’t until several months later, after Rosher, 68, was diagnosed with malignant pancreatic cancer, that the family realized the implications of this mistake. They found out that because her insurance had lapsed, she could not begin her chemotherapy treatments.
“We visited a doctor, and they informed us she wasn’t covered by insurance anymore,” Laksamana recalled.
Upon digging deeper, Laksamana discovered that as soon as her father was declared dead, the system also recorded her mother as deceased.
“I found out that my mother was also considered dead, thus not entitled to any benefits,” she noted.
With Rosher’s life-threatening cancer diagnosis, the failure to keep her health insurance active severely limited her access to critical medical care.
“This was urgent for us,” Laksamana said. “Knowing her medical condition, we went to the Social Security Administration but were told there was nothing they could do, and our trip was in vain.”
Officials at the SSA stated that due to the current government shutdown, they were lacking personnel and unable to provide any assistance.
Laksamana, who works as a physician, mentioned that her family might have to pay for her mother’s treatment out of pocket to rectify the government’s error. Given that pancreatic cancer typically demands swift and aggressive treatment, delays can significantly reduce survival rates.
Desperate for a resolution, the family reached out to their local representative, Jimmy Patronis (R-Fla.), who pledged to step in on their behalf.
“This is what we’re here for: to make calls, advocate, and push for action,” Patronis said in an interview. “It’s the first I’m hearing of this, but I want to negotiate on her behalf.”
Laksamana shared that just hours after the article aired, Patronis’ office contacted them, which raised their hopes that her mother might soon regain her benefits and begin treatment.
Grateful for the support, Laksamana remarked that her mother’s experience exposes deeper issues within the nation’s healthcare administration.
“There’s a distinct lack of empathy from people meant to help,” she expressed. “As a healthcare provider, I witness patients daily facing similar situations, lacking coverage.”
Unfortunately, Rosher’s situation is far from uncommon. Every year, nearly 10,000 Americans are incorrectly declared dead by the Social Security Administration, leading to the abrupt termination of their federal benefits and insurance.
Those affected often endure lengthy bureaucratic struggles before they are properly reinstated in the government’s records.
The ongoing government shutdown is likely to worsen these delays. With reduced staff and frozen operations, even urgent matters like Rosher’s are left unsettled.
As of this week, Rosher remains without insurance and is yet to start any cancer treatment.
“As a society, particularly in a leading country like ours, we should do better,” Laksamana concluded.
The Post has reached out to the Social Security Administration for further comments.
