And So It Begins

the sad effects of our HIPAA laws.

Here is the conversation I had on Friday with an insurance lady, trying to change my deceased mother's name as beneficiary on one of my dad's accounts.

First Call -

Me: Hi, I am calling to remove my deceased mother as beneficiary from my father's account.

Her: Is he with you?

Me: No

Her: I cannot help you unless he speaks with me.

Second Call -

Me: Hi, I am calling to remove my deceased mother as beneficiary from my father's account and my father is in my presence.

Her: May I speak with him.

Dad: Hello

Her: Please state your name as listed on the account.

He does so.

Her: What is your account number?

Now here is where it gets complicated because my dad can't read the account number. So I start to read it aloud to him.

Her: MA'AM, MA'AM. You cannot read it to him. He must tell me.

Me: He can't read it.

Her: MA'AM. THIS IS BEING RECORDED. YOU CANNOT READ IT TO HIM. Sir, what is your account number?

The whole time my dad has been straining to locate and read the number I am pointing to. (She can't see that I am pointing, this is probably illegal too.)

He is slowly locating the numbers and she says,

SIR, I NEED YOU TO READ THE NUMBERS TO ME.

Dad:, Just a minute GDit. I am trying to do this. Expletive, expletive, YOU PEOPLE!

He does get the numbers read.

Her: Sir, may I have your birthdate?

He does that fine.

Her: Now what do you want sir?

He requests the beneficiary form.

Her: And to what address should that be sent?

He states the correct street, city, state and zip, but gives his old house number 113.

Her: I'm sorry sir, we do not have that address in our records. It is not 113.

Dad: What?

She repeats.

At this point I'm not sure if I can help him, but he finally understands what she wants and gives the correct number. My dad does not have memory loss, but he does have a hearing problem. (Remember he doesn't need a hearing aid?)

So finally we are granted the right to the form.

Now, I understand that there are some rather conniving and evil souls out there who have taken advantage of the elderly, thus HIPAA. Shame on them; we are all now suffering. However, how does she know that that male was my dad speaking? Couldn't it have been any male with the correct information? And when we go to fill it out, how does she know it is my dad's signature? I know sometimes you have to have a notary signature, but still.....

And that is just the problem with these laws. Lots and lots of paperwork of very little benefit and still plenty of ways to circumvent the truth.

But for now, Just this very moment. We are safe and secure under our HIPAA protection.

Whew, I can sleep tonight.