VA Mail Asked Veteran to Send His Own Death Certificate, Bills Widow for 59 Cents

There is not enough room to put all that went wrong for this widow in the headline,,,,,it gets worse. He didn't cancel him appointment either.

After death, VA persists to collect 59 cents
The News Journal
William H. McMichael
September 29, 2014

AVONDALE, Pa. – The first letter addressed to the late David Perry arrived five weeks after he died at home June 5.

Sent from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the envelope was to be opened "by addressee only." Perry's wife Helena opened it anyway.

"You remain eligible to receive (VA) health benefits," it read. A handwritten yellow sticky note added, "Please provide copy of death certificate."

Helena thought she'd notified VA. Regardless, she said, "It's kind of hard for him to open it when he's not here – and even harder for him to send the death certificate."

Several days later, a VA billing statement addressed to David Perry arrived. Helena opened that one too.

Her late husband, it seemed, owes the government 59 cents.

"So if it's not paid by October the 11th, I'm going to have additional – or he will have additional charges on his 59 cents," she said. "So I did call and talk to them, and informed them again that he was dead, and I just didn't think he would be able to pay it."
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