Filled out the birth certificate info form and checked "NO" on the box where it asks if you want your child assigned a SSN at birth. Also left the signature section blank so there couldn't be any mistaking the intention. Hospital submitted paperwork requesting that a SSN be assigned and says that they're automatically assigned even if you don't request it or get a card. The folks in the medical records say they're trying to "reverse" the process and that we'll hear back from them later. I do have an attorney but I'm really not interested in pursuing anything further than not being issued a SSN. Leads me to a couple questions.
Is everyone assigned a SSN (or other numerical identifier) at birth regardless of consent or knowledge thereof?
Aside from the hospital doing what they can to correct it, is there anything I should do on my end?
EDIT: I would like for my children to make an educated decision as to if they want one or not. Since I can't ask now and it's generally not reversible, we decided to not have one issued to him. While it may be inconvenient I think I'd rather he make the decision himself when he's able to understand it. From my research, many forms can just be left blank when asking for a SSN or filled with 000-00-0001 or the like.
adriarchetypa on October 12nd, 2018 at 16:21 UTC »
When my twins were born the hospital filled out the stuff incorrectly and only one of my children was assigned a social security number. This delayed my ability to get state provided insurance benefits for my infant, and I had to do so much to work to get it fixed. And by the time I got his social security number, we were elligible for my husband's insurance through work.
narwhalsATTACK on October 12nd, 2018 at 15:35 UTC »
No one in the original thread addressed what I noticed: that LAOP said he checked the "no" box for the SSN and then didn't sign the form "so there couldn't be any mistaking the intention." To me, I think an unsigned form would have the opposite effect. When you sign a form you've filled out, you're endorsing the information you put down and agreeing that you mean what you wrote. So if he didn't sign the form, maybe the hospital could say it was a poorly filled out form and their default is to issue an SSN.
I am 99% percent sure his signature or lack thereof on that form is legally irrelevant, but I thought it was interesting.
Edit: quotation phrasing
abnruby on October 12nd, 2018 at 15:32 UTC »
I didn't think you had a choice? I have three children who were born at home (FL, GA) and our midwives had a very limited window within which they had to submit the birth certificates, and we've gotten social security cards within a few weeks after everything was filed. Not having one issued was never an option offered to us, (not that we wanted it) and we never signed anything indicating that we wanted them.
(Also; enumerate your kids. God forbid you're ever in an accident and your children need medical care under your insurance (this happened to us recently) or you need to travel out of the country quickly, you're not going to want to have to deal with going to social security.)