Community Impact Story: An SSI Obstacle Overcome

At EligibilityAdvocates, our Patient Advocates are committed to going the extra mile for every person they assist. Patient Advocacy is their passion, and we believe it is important to acknowledge their exceptional efforts at making a difference in the lives of the patients they help and support.

This month we are recognizing Marianne Sampson as Outstanding Patient Advocate!

Below we share the story of how she went above and beyond for her patient at White Rock Medical Center.

Impacting Communities, One Patient at a Time: An SSI

Obstacle Overcome

Outstanding Patient Advocate Marianne Sampson went the extra mile to ensure her patient’s SSI benefits remained in place.

Our Patient Advocate Marianne Sampson has helped numerous patients apply for and attain Social Security Disability benefits, including many homeless patients who may not own a phone and cannot be easily contacted.

One patient in particular was especially grateful for Marianne’s Social Security expertise when the patient encountered an obstacle to her eligibility.

Sometime after Marianne initially assisted this patient with obtaining her SSI benefits, the patient contacted Marianne with some upsetting news. She had received a letter stating that her SSI benefits would be cut off because the balance in her bank account was too high and she was now deemed ineligible to receive these benefits.

The patient was understandably confused and worried. She depended on her SSI benefits – why was she suddenly losing them?

After speaking with the patient, Marianne learned that she had been saving her SSI checks to buy a portable oxygen tank. However, the patient didn’t realize that saving her SSI payments would put her over the resource limit.

Marianne clarified the issue with the patient and helped her write a letter to the Social Security Administration office explaining the reason for the amount of money in her account and requesting that her SSI benefits remain in place due to her medical needs.

As a result, the patient was able to continue to receive the SSI benefits for which she qualified.

Marianne’s sincere commitment to her patient’s well-being went much further than the initial SSI application. Marianne had gained the patient’s trust and confidence when helping her the first time around and the patient knew she could count on Marianne when facing this new challenge as well. With dedication and perseverance, Marianne was quick to guide the patient through what may otherwise have been a very frustrating and distressing experience.

Thank you, Marianne, for following through for your patient to ensure she received the SSI benefits and medical treatment she needed.

You are truly an Outstanding Patient Advocate!