Government nightmare: FOX 13 resolves cancer patient’s struggle for benefits

TAMPA, Fla. - The story of one local man shows how the government can stress people out during their greatest time of need.

When Raymond Martineau first called FOX 13 in 2016, he lost his health insurance through a quirk in the Affordable Care Act. He had a job and subsidized health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Then he was diagnosed with cancer and became too sick to work.

Martineau’s mother postponed retirement to pay his premiums for him. However, with no proof of work, they would not take his mom's money, and he lost his coverage.

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"I'm stuck in a Catch 22," he said. "If the premiums are being paid, why would you take my health care?"

With no cancer treatments, Raymond’s health declined to the point the government declared him disabled. That qualified him for Medicaid. It likely cost taxpayers much more to treat him than the subsidized coverage he had before the cancer spread, but it thankfully covered the multiple surgeries Raymond needed to remove the cancer in 2017.

"If it wasn’t for the Medicaid, I’d be done," he said.

Pictured: Raymond Martineau

With the cancer removed, he met a woman named Shirley, and they married a few weeks later. However, his life took another unfortunate turn after that.

First, he was seriously injured in an accident. Then, the cancer returned (this time in his lungs).

"I lost my shoulder and I have an artificial shoulder now," he explained. "And I have a nine-millimeter mass on my right lung. It’s cancer, my third time."

And as his health collapsed, so did his marriage.

"Because I was always sick and needy. Sick and needy and poor. Our whole marriage was based on my health, which was garbage."

Court records show the marriage dissolved last November. But the Social Security Administration still counted her income in calculating his monthly benefits check.

Pictured: Raymond Martineau

That cost him around $400 a month, bringing his monthly Social Security down to $242 a month.

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"It’s maddening," he said. "You can’t even get a room in a rooming house for a week for that," he said.

After he called to try to get it fixed, instead of bumping up his payment, he received an adjustment notice nudging it down to around $200 a month.

"$194 a month as of March 1st. What am I going to do with that?"

That's when Martineau reached out to FOX 13 in distress yet again. He was divorced, his mother had passed, and he had no other family or friends to help. He was still living in his ex-wife's home because he could not afford to leave and was facing an ultimatum to get out.

FOX 13 Chief Investigator Craig Patrick reached out to the Social Security Administration, explained the issue, and requested an explanation by interview or written response.

A spokeswoman replied the next morning stating they'd reach out to Martineau and provide any necessary assistance. That afternoon, Raymond called FOX 13 to the Social Security Administration fixed the problem, and his monthly payment and life are finally back on track.

If you or someone you know is having a problem with government benefits, contact us at WTVTinvestigates@fox.com

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