Atlanta woman says she lost all benefits, bank account frozen after Social Security Administration mistakenly declared her dead

ATLANTA — An Atlanta woman is fighting to regain her identity, and her lifeline, after the Social Security Administration mistakenly declared her dead, cutting off every benefit she relies on to survive.

Atlanta Woman Loses Benefits After Being Mistakenly Declared Dead

Adrienne Wells‑Chapman, who has endured a heart attack, sepsis, a stroke, congestive heart failure and multiple major surgeries over the past two years, says the error has pushed her into a dangerous medical and financial freefall.

Wells‑Chapman learned she had been listed as deceased in September 2025 when she tried to handle business. The mistake immediately shut down her Medicaid coverage, froze her only bank account, wiped her credit history and left her facing tens of thousands of dollars in medical debt. She told WSB‑TV she received a $48,000 bill from Emory Hospital. She received another $52,000 bill from Piedmont, all while losing access to SNAP benefits and critical medications.

“I’ve been fighting to stay alive,” she said. “For someone to clerically list me as deceased, it took a toll on me.”

A Bureaucratic Error With Life‑Threatening Consequences

Wells‑Chapman applied for disability benefits in early 2025 after her health forced her out of work. She moved from North Carolina to Atlanta that summer and secured Medicaid coverage in Georgia. But when she attempted to refill a prescription, a pharmacist told her she had no insurance on file, because Social Security had marked her dead.

The error left her unable to afford appointments, medications or follow‑up care. Doctors recently found a mass on her chest, but she says she has had to cancel the appointment three times because she cannot pay out‑of‑pocket.

“My health is going in a downward spiral,” she said. “I need the benefits to go to the doctor, to get my medication, to have the care that has been snatched from under my feet.”

A Daily Fight to Prove She’s Alive

Correcting the mistake has become a full‑time job. Wells‑Chapman says she calls Social Security every morning, often receiving promises of follow‑up calls or virtual meetings that never happen. She waited more than a month for an in‑person appointment.

This week, she finally received a notice confirming the agency made an error. However, Social Security told her she must fix the fallout herself by sending the letter to banks, benefit agencies and creditors.

“They’re putting the stress on me to figure out who pulled my Social, who did this, and who I need to give this piece of paper to,” she said. “I could have typed this up in my own room.”

“They are terminating people’s financial lives,” O’Malley said. “Imagine that happening, and then you can’t open up a new account.”

GoFundMe and a Plea for Accountability

Wells‑Chapman has launched a GoFundMe to help cover her mounting medical bills while she fights to restore her benefits. She says she is determined to survive for her 16‑year‑old son but she needs the system to work.

“I want to still be here,” she said. “I’ve got a child to live for. Being sick and not being able to get the care I need just doesn’t work for me.”