Starting Medicare? A Tip on BC/BS North Carolina... (medical, plan, supplement)

[motordavid]

Long Rant...
I turned 65 in late August, so I am signed up and on Medicare now, effective August 1st.
My wife and I have been on BC/BS North Carolina since we moved to NC in 2001. We have had a Major Medical Policy with them for eleven years.

In late July I got a notice/form from NC BC/BS advising me that that company was aware that "I was eligible for/going onto Medicare"; the form had spaces for me to fill out, acknowledge my move to Medicare, etc. I dutifully filled the form, noted I wanted to retain my spouse on 'our plan', and mailed it back to NC BC/BS.

I got my usual bill from BC/BS in August, (auto paid from our checking acct.), and the current bill for Sept in today's email, also auto paid from our checking. It was the same cost as if nothing had changed and both me and my wife had the continuing coverage.

This morning I spent some time on the BC/BS site, and finally called NC BC/BS. The conversation was equivalent to calling the Politburo circa 1957, or trying to call my senator.

Besides the form I filled out, NC BC/BS told me I needed to 'suspend' or 'deactivate' my name on our policy and that the form I returned was not the proper way to do that. After talking with the phone person, (who read me 'company policy' and couldn't have cared less about my wonderment or their iron clad procedures, or the form I filled out, or the lack of any additional notification from them to 'deactivate' my participation in my BC/BS policy), I got the same boiler plate from a 'supervisor'. The super was even less comforting or caring about my situ.

After half an hour of phone conversation/verbal arm wrestling, the super finally agreed to credit part of the September billing money they had 'in hand', and remove me from the BC/BS policy. I hope they are keeping my spouse on, as requested, but I suspect some retribution from them.

So, if one is currently on BC/BS, at least the NC version, and about to go on Medicare, make certain that you make the change with that co. to remove yourself from their 'coverage', or you will be billed ad nausea for that continuing dual/overlapping coverage.

It isn't the money for me, it is the principle: any of us as consumers, have had overlapping, double charges, etc. on items. BC/BS would offer no consideration for my 'dual coverage' for that month and change, as their 'select' and difficult to discover method of 'notification' was not followed by me.
Thanks for reading,
GL, mD

[suzy_q2010]

First, no more telephone calls.

Try writing a letter to the insurance company, certified, return receipt requested, addressed to the CEO.


J. Bradley Wilson
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
P.O. Box 2291
Durham, NC 27702


Explain that you feel you should not be penalized for the company sending you the wrong forms to fill out, when the company initiated the contact. Politely ask them to refund the premium overcharge for continuing your coverage when BCBS had clear reason to believe you did not wish to do so.

Include a paragraph that explains your disappointment with customer service and the inability to get the problem resolved professionally and quickly.

Then wait. Give them about two weeks or so to respond.

If you do not get the refund, write to your state insurance commissioner. Include a copy of the letter to BCBS and explain that you feel their sending you the wrong forms was a deceptive practice and request the assistance of the state office in resolving the problem. Note in the letter that you are probably not the only person that this has happened to, and if thousands of seniors are affected, then the company is raking in thousands of dollars in a shady fashion.

Also note that the commissioner might want to investigate whether anyone who filed a claim during the period of unintentional double coverage had those claims denied because BCBS discovered that the patient had intended to cancel the coverage. BCBS might try to return the premium rather than pay the claim.

Send a copy of the letter to the state insurance commissioner to Mr. Wilson.

Insurance companies do not like having policyholders complain to the state insurance commissioner. In your initial letter to Mr. Wilson, by the way, do not threaten to contact the insurance commissioner. Just keep the language polite and non-confrontational.

[Robyn55]

FWIW - I just went on Medicare. My insurance company required me to write them and tell them specifically that I wanted to cancel my policy effective on X date - and that I also wanted to cancel the monthly auto-debit from my checking account. I think they were just being careful - knowing that if I lost my coverage with them - and had any problems with my Medicare coverage - I wouldn't have been able to get my old coverage back. Robyn

[veuvegirl]

Did you sign up for Medicare Parts A and B? You said you were eligible, but did you enroll?

[Ariadne22]

Also, do you now have a Medigap to take the place of the major medical policy you just removed yourself from? Original Medicare can leave a lot exposure without a supplemental Medigap.

There are threads ad nauseum on this board on the value of a good Medigap.

[motordavid]

Thank you all for your comments...
-veuvegirl: Yes, I am enrolled in MC since Aug 1st, and have Plan F, with a deductible, to fill the 'gap'. Barring calamity, and not being a go to the doc for a sore throat type, it is adequate imo.
-Ariadne22: covered with Plan F, and agree with the good Medicare threads on this forum. I read most, start to finish as I neared that 65.
-Robyn55: I should have deduced that, or 'known' that, or guessed that; I did none. I thought that form letter from NC BCBS was my official reply. I learned.
-suzy_q2010: I thought of that, but I am sort of fed up with having to arm wrestle most/all of these quasi-governmental joints we bump into every day. I did spend some time on the phone again with the very obtuse, officious, gum snapping 'health care professionals' of NC BCBS. After much cajoling, negotiating, arm wrestling, being bumped up to more 'manager' types, etc. I was just recently 'awarded' a 'consideration', (their words), and the double billing is being credited toward my wife's part of the remaining coverage. It has taken effect, so they did not 'lose me/her/us' in their system as retribution.

Their site has a 'Comment-Feedback Section' where I wrote a carefully composed, thorough recap of the situ, including my concern with their disdainful 'health care pros', and how I felt dragged over and tossed by their Ministry of Truth attitude.

Won't change a freakin thing I realize, but my wife's MajMed coverage continues with them, I am now a Medicare Geezer, and I feel better for banging on their desks, in their crummy little cubbyholes.
Thanks, and Good Luck...
mD