Legal Assistance for Seniors' HICAP staffers and volunteers gather for a training meeting in early December. The group helps elderly residents of Alameda County, including Michael Titus, resolve healthcare issues. (Courtesy of Legal Assistance for Seniors)

Address error cost an ailing Oakland man his health insurance; nonprofit helped him get it back

By

Bay Area News Group

OAKLAND — All his son did was fill out a change-of-address form. But it could have killed Michael Titus.

The 69-year-old Oakland resident has end-stage renal disease and needs kidney dialysis three times a week to stay alive. For years, the East Bay native had gotten that through his Kaiser Medicare Advantage plan at the Satellite Healthcare clinic in Oakland.

But last year, Titus’ son, also named Michael but with a different middle name, moved out of his dad’s house and alerted the U.S. Postal Service to have his mail forwarded to his new home in Antioch. But the post office started forwarding the elder Michael’s mail instead.

After receiving a change-of-address notice and thinking that its patient had moved out of the area, Kaiser discontinued his coverage, Titus said.

Read more at East Bay Times…

How to help

Note: This story was fulfilled, but you can still donate to the general fund, which will be distributed to local charities throughout the year.

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