Constituent Services

A Vietnam veteran qualified for multiple awards during his time in service but never received them, including a Purple Heart. My casework team reached out to the Department of the Army to assist in securing the awards. As a result, the veteran will now be receiving the medals and honors he earned for his service to our country.

A Sayville resident contacted my office for assistance after the Social Security Administration (SSA) halted his disability payments. The constituent, who undergoes regular treatments for a chronic illness, is only able to maintain part-time employment with income well below the SSA threshold. However, the SSA miscalculated his income, leading to the suspension of his payments and causing financial hardship. My office intervened by reaching out to the SSA, clearing up the discrepancy, and ensuring that the constituent’s disability benefits were resumed.

A married couple from Lindenhurst had been fighting for a year to receive their 2021 federal tax return after falling victim to identity theft, during which a fraudulent tax filing was submitted in their name. My casework team worked with an IRS taxpayer advocate to resolve the issue. Within weeks of reaching out to my office, the couple received their long-overdue tax return check.

A West Islip constituent had her flood insurance policy canceled through no fault of her own, which would have forced her to face increased rates and penalties under a new policy. My casework team stepped in, and the insurance company reversed its decision, reinstating her original rate and terms. This saved the constituent thousands of dollars per year in additional costs.

A Center Moriches resident and retired law enforcement officer contacted my office for assistance with an amended 2018 tax return related to his disability pension, earned after 30 years of service. The IRS had owed him a tax refund amounting to thousands of dollars, which he had been fighting to receive for over four years. My casework team worked with the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate and ensured that the tax return was processed this week, finally delivering the refund he was owed.

A constituent contacted my office for assistance with her 99-year-old mother, who suffers from congestive heart failure. Medicare had informed her that her mother needed to be recertified to continue using the oxygen machine she relies on at home. Since her mother is housebound and unable to walk or leave the house, the constituent requested an in-home recertification visit but was denied. With her oxygen supply set to expire at the end of the month, the situation was urgent. My casework team reached out to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and determined that the oxygen supplier was mistaken about the need for recertification. As a result, her mother will continue receiving the oxygen she needs without interruption.