Blue Cross cancelled policy for non-payment, but it's enrolled in Autopay (medical, plan)
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I've had BCBS medical coverage since I started my business 15 years ago. Always enrolled in Autopay thru the BCBS website, so they just debited my bank account for the premium every month. EZPZ.
Well, my wife brought our daughter to the pediatrician last week, and the front office told my wife our insurance was cancelled. Incredulous, I called BCBS, and sure enough, they cancelled our policy for non-payment last month.
I said how is that possible? Our policy is enrolled in BCBS autopay. I was told that BCBS changed to a new billing system in January, and the new system didn't make the payment. And the policy was cancelled after 15 days of non-payment.
HOW IS THIS MY FAULT!???? I asked. The rep agreed it was their system issue, but said there was nothing he could do to reinstate.
My only option is to request a grievance hearing, and that will take 30 days.
So, my family has no coverage right now, and I guess we just hope that BCBS agrees to reinstate upon reviewing our grievance claim.
This is so frustrating.
Not mention how ridiculous the premiums have gotten. Prior to Obamacare, the premiums were about $700 per month for our healthy family of 5. Since Ocare, they've risen about $300 per month every year. This year they are $1800 per month.
I've had BCBS medical coverage since I started my business 15 years ago. Always enrolled in Autopay thru the BCBS website, so they just debited my bank account for the premium every month. EZPZ.
Well, my wife brought our daughter to the pediatrician last week, and the front office told my wife our insurance was cancelled. Incredulous, I called BCBS, and sure enough, they cancelled our policy for non-payment last month.
I said how is that possible? Our policy is enrolled in BCBS autopay. I was told that BCBS changed to a new billing system in January, and the new system didn't make the payment. And the policy was cancelled after 15 days of non-payment.
HOW IS THIS MY FAULT!???? I asked. The rep agreed it was their system issue, but said there was nothing he could do to reinstate.
My only option is to request a grievance hearing, and that will take 30 days.
So, my family has no coverage right now, and I guess we just hope that BCBS agrees to reinstate upon reviewing our grievance claim.
This is so frustrating.
Not mention how ridiculous the premiums have gotten. Prior to Obamacare, the premiums were about $700 per month for our healthy family of 5. Since Ocare, they've risen about $300 per month every year. This year they are $1800 per month.
I just don't see how this is sustainable.
It's not sustainable. 15 years ago BC/BS for 1 adult (2nd wasn't insurable due to pre-existing) and 2 minors was $700, the next year $800 and the year after that $900 when we decided we couldn't afford it any longer. People ignore the fact that premiums were rising before anyone outside of Illinois heard of Barack Obama.
It's not sustainable. 15 years ago BC/BS for 1 adult (2nd wasn't insurable due to pre-existing) and 2 minors was $700, the next year $800 and the year after that $900 when we decided we couldn't afford it any longer. People ignore the fact that premiums were rising before anyone outside of Illinois heard of Barack Obama.
This is so true. I went through the same thing. In 2001 I had an individual policy (no group because I'm self-employed) that cost me $600 a month. It went up by about $100 every year. When it reached $900 a month I had to drop it because I couldn't afford it any longer, and went without insurance for a decade. The ACA was good for people like us, but I understand it wasn't good for everyone.
I have BCBS, too, OP. It's egregious that you are out in the cold because of their error. I hope you are able to get it reinstated.
That said, something has to give with healthcare in this country. We are a first world country but there are third world countries with better healthcare than we have.
This is so true. I went through the same thing. In 2001 I had an individual policy (no group because I'm self-employed) that cost me $600 a month. It went up by about $100 every year. When it reached $900 a month I had to drop it because I couldn't afford it any longer, and went without insurance for a decade. The ACA was good for people like us, but I understand it wasn't good for everyone.
I have BCBS, too, OP. It's egregious that you are out in the cold because of their error. I hope you are able to get it reinstated.
That said, something has to give with healthcare in this country. We are a first world country but there are third world countries with better healthcare than we have.
We went without for many years and I have huge medical debt because I got sick and had to be hospitalized once or twice. I'm a widow now; no chance I'll ever be able to pay off that debt.
Anyone that thinks health insurance premium increases is because of ACA is either very young or got used to their employer paying the premium for them. I'll be 58 this year; I can't wait till I'm eligible for Medicare.
I've had BCBS medical coverage since I started my business 15 years ago. Always enrolled in Autopay thru the BCBS website, so they just debited my bank account for the premium every month. EZPZ.
Well, my wife brought our daughter to the pediatrician last week, and the front office told my wife our insurance was cancelled. Incredulous, I called BCBS, and sure enough, they cancelled our policy for non-payment last month.
I said how is that possible? Our policy is enrolled in BCBS autopay. I was told that BCBS changed to a new billing system in January, and the new system didn't make the payment. And the policy was cancelled after 15 days of non-payment.
HOW IS THIS MY FAULT!???? I asked. The rep agreed it was their system issue, but said there was nothing he could do to reinstate.
My only option is to request a grievance hearing, and that will take 30 days.
So, they didn't send notices on nonpayment and possible cancellation and you didn't realize your account had not been charged? Every insurer I've ever had mails a notice of late payment, grace period and possible cancellation within a week of the missed payment. Did you ask to speak to a supervisor? Customer service rep's have varying degrees of knowledge - and the person you spoke with could have been wrong. Fwiw, everything I can put on autopay is on autopay. I do, however, monitor my bank account several times a week and make a point of looking for the autopays - especially the credit card autopays and the mortgage - just in case something has fallen through the cracks - and for possible identity fraud.
So, they didn't send notices on nonpayment and possible cancellation and you didn't realize your account had not been charged? Every insurer I've ever had mails a notice of late payment, grace period and possible cancellation within a week of the missed payment. Did you ask to speak to a supervisor? Customer service rep's have varying degrees of knowledge - and the person you spoke with could have been wrong. Fwiw, everything I can put on autopay is on autopay. I do, however, monitor my bank account several times a week and make a point of looking for the autopays - especially the credit card autopays and the mortgage - just in case something has fallen through the cracks - and for possible identity fraud.
No, Aetna did the same thing to us. The account was an autopay, had been for 13 months without problems. We went to get a prescription filled and the pharmacy told us our insurance had been terminated. I went home and immediately called Aetna and they said it was for non-payment. I told them it was on autopay. They said they did not know what happened and to call back during regular business hours. I asked if I could pay the policy right then (this was like on the 5th day of the month, so 5 days late). The agent said the system would not let him accept the payment because out policy had been "transitioned."
I actually had to demand that they let me pay them and I got transferred to someone else who was able to complete the transaction. They told me that transitioned meant that a bunch of policies had been moved to another service area to better serve the customer! For several more weeks, providers calling to verify benefits were still told we had no insurance.
In the course of trying to straighten it out, I found out that they do mail paper notices on the 20th of the month - that's when it was post-marked. But, you figure a few days in the mail and a person maybe not collecting or opening it right way and it would be easy to not discover the issue until the policy lapsed outside of the grace period.
I was furious. They inundate you with advertising for other products via the email address they have on file for you. They send your EOB via email. Yet, for something as critical as a policy lapse, snail mail?
You are right, though, no other type of insurance policy that I have (personal or commercial) would let this go without trying to call you, send an email and promptly mail a notice in a prominently marked envelope.
At the end of the year, Aetna stopped offering the policy. The following year they pulled out of Florida entirely. I am convinced that the transitioning nonsense and the whoops! we forgot to collect your payment was a way to ditch policies earlier and try to save them some money.
^^Thanks for reporting that experience. Still the wild wild west with the health insurers, apparently. Indeed, what you experienced was a tactic to ditch the policy. Such crooks.
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