I don’t expect to live to see a functional health care system in America
Posted Feb 09 2010 10:02pm
I’ve just been on the phone for an hour with Anthem. Six months agoI applied for a policy with a request for HIPAA coverage if they denied my application (I knew they wouldand they did). I waited for the notice that I’d been accepted under HIPAA. I knew it would take a few months. This has happened before.
Backstory: twice nowthe company that carried my COBRA went out of businesstaking my coverage with it. Instantaneously stripped of health insurance coverage.
Single mom of threesole support.
I checked in periodically until last week when I finally got someone to admit that they had made a mistake. You seethey insisted that I had not checked the box for HIPAAbut I had. They finally admitted the mistakeawarded me coverage backdated six months to the last date of COBRAand then promptly demanded that I pay all six months of premiums in 30 days or risk cancellation of the policy that had been awarded not ten minutes earlier.
“We’re sorrywe made a mistakewe’re correcting itand you owe us $3,014.00 in thirty days. Or we’ll cancel the policy we should have awarded you months ago.”
Irony: my monthly medical expenses have averaged roughly the same as my monthly premium. I would MUCH rather have been paying Anthem directly.
So I went on a campaign. For the first twenty minutes they insisted that I pay all six months or suffer consequences.
So I went over heads. One supervisor laterthey’d agreed to allow a partial payment of two monthsabout $1,000.00.
Two supervisors laterI’d gotten them down to one monthor $504.00. BUT! I must pay the remaining five months in the next billing cyclewhich I assume will have one more premium accruedso—wait for it— I’ll be facing that 6-month bill again for $3.014.00.
Christ in a breakfast nook holding a bagel in one hand and a newspaper in the other.
I had to get aggressive to get them to admit they were at faultand then was shut out. I tried to go to legalthey would not allow it. A supervisor said“This is not for Legalthis is our fault.” That is why they made an exception and allowed me to pay just one month within 30 days.
And they will not provide a way to expedite reimbursements for pharmacy and medical office charges. She’s sending me an email with a claims form.
God Bless America.
UPDATE: As of todayTuesdayFebruary 92010I have still not received the emailed forms. Looks like I will have to call in again for another go-round.
I’ve just been on the phone for an hour with Anthem. Six months agoI applied for a policy with a request for HIPAA coverage if they denied my application (I knew they wouldand they did). I waited for the notice that I’d been accepted under HIPAA. I knew it would take a few months. This has happened before.
Backstory: twice nowthe company that carried my COBRA went out of businesstaking my coverage with it. Instantaneously stripped of health insurance coverage.
Single mom of threesole support.
I checked in periodically until last week when I finally got someone to admit that they had made a mistake. You seethey insisted that I had not checked the box for HIPAAbut I had. They finally admitted the mistakeawarded me coverage backdated six months to the last date of COBRAand then promptly demanded that I pay all six months of premiums in 30 days or risk cancellation of the policy that had been awarded not ten minutes earlier.
Irony: my monthly medical expenses have averaged roughly the same as my monthly premium. I would MUCH rather have been paying Anthem directly.
So I went on a campaign. For the first twenty minutes they insisted that I pay all six months or suffer consequences.
So I went over heads. One supervisor laterthey’d agreed to allow a partial payment of two monthsabout $1,000.00.
Two supervisors laterI’d gotten them down to one monthor $504.00. BUT! I must pay the remaining five months in the next billing cyclewhich I assume will have one more premium accruedso—wait for it— I’ll be facing that 6-month bill again for $3.014.00.
Christ in a breakfast nook holding a bagel in one hand and a newspaper in the other.
I had to get aggressive to get them to admit they were at faultand then was shut out. I tried to go to legalthey would not allow it. A supervisor said“This is not for Legalthis is our fault.” That is why they made an exception and allowed me to pay just one month within 30 days.
And they will not provide a way to expedite reimbursements for pharmacy and medical office charges. She’s sending me an email with a claims form.
God Bless America.
UPDATE: As of todayTuesdayFebruary 92010I have still not received the emailed forms. Looks like I will have to call in again for another go-round.