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Wayne County Woman Mistakenly Listed As Dead

BROWNSTOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP/WWJ) - A southeastern Michigan woman had to prove she is still alive after a government mix-up listed her as dead.

The Monroe News reports the Social Security Administration marked Carol Tilley as deceased after her husband died of cancer in January.

Tilley, 67, said she lost her Medicare coverage and couldn't vote in the August primary because the government thought she died. She still received her husband's benefits and pensions.

When she went to the dentist in March, her insurance didn't go through.
"I jokingly said that was because I was dead, but that's actually the truth," she told the Monroe News.

Tilley said she carried her birth certificate, marriage license and husband's death certificate to prove she was officially living.

An administration spokeswoman says mistakes do happen as it processes 2.5 million deaths a year. She said it notifies agencies of a mistake with the person's consent.

Tilley said the error was corrected but she worries she will sometimes be considered dead.

"My life isn't normal anymore," she said. "Every time I turn around, I'm dead, she told the newspaper.

"My friends told me not to worry about paying taxes … or that I can get away with anything," Tilley said. "But there are no benefits to being dead."

TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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