Received: from B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU by K.CS.CMU.EDU; 9 Jan 87 15:44:26 EST Date: Friday, 9 January 1987 15:36:59 EST From: Ralf.Brown@b.gp.cs.cmu.edu To: bovik@k.cs.cmu.edu Subject: Health America complaints and Praises (from BBoard) Message-ID: <1987.1.9.20.35.1.Ralf.Brown@b.gp.cs.cmu.edu> 08-Jan-87 13:46 Dennis.Royse@k.cs.cmu.edu Don't Chose Health America!!! It's open enrollment for your health care provider until the 15th. If you are considering enrolling in Health America, or considering leaving the Health America system I have some information for you. They don't pay their bills!!! We had some work done in @b@i(JULY) that we are still getting invoices from collection agencies for!! This is for authorized lab work, referrals to specialists, and @u(emergency treatment)!! The losers haven't paid these bills even though we have had to call them up 5 or 6 time every month to complain! I think these are the guys that coined the phrase 'the check is in the mail'. Unless you take some perverse pleasure in receiving bills from collection agencies and potentially having your credit rating damaged, I would advise you to abandon ship if you are a current subscriber and to keep your distance otherwise. If you read their brochure, you will see that they talk a good line about the range of services and coverage they offer. They don't tell you that they take 6 to 8 months to pay for the services and that you have to pull teeth to get them to pay even then. You can tell from this post that I am more than a little perturbed at these jokers. It's just that I am extremely tired of being lied to and of having to call them up over and over again. I ask you, are you willing to take this kind of crap? I don't think so. After all, you have alternatives. ---------- 08-Jan-87 17:47 Takeo.Kanade@n.sp.cs.cmu.edu Re: Health America In connection to Dennis' post on health America, I have had three similar experiences about bills with varying degrees of complications, but I found that when I WRITE to them (rather than calling) explaining the situation (how the treatment was authorized), the bill/invoice stopped coming. Also, they once reimbursed me even the cost for the treatment that was needed while my family was in Japan, for which I was grateful. So, overall I am satisfied with them, but of course, I will keep being alert. ---------- 09-Jan-87 11:21 Robert.Weide RE: Health America From: Robert.Weide@speech1.cs.cmu.edu In defense of Health America, they have paid the vast majority of bills incurred by my family; only once did they fail to pay a bill for a long enough period of time that the old 'collection agency' threat was used, and that was eventually cleared up, without undo effort on my part. Mistakes happen, and I do not think that it is the policy of Health America to lie to its customers. I have been thoroughly satisified with my association with Health America, and prefer the philosophy of reasonable rates for preventive care over waiting until Blue Cross has to pay through the nose for perhaps unnecessary treatment suggested by some guy who needs a new Mercedes. ---------- 09-Jan-87 11:58 Nizwer.Husain Health America From: Nizwer.Husain@isl1.ri.cmu.edu Health America lost my daughter's file 6 MONTHS AGO. In order to be admitted to child daycare, immunization records are essential. We had a copy of her records with us and her doctor issued a certificate on the basis of those records. So if you have a baby take that extra step and keep track of all immunizations yourself. Regarding claims: if you do need to see an outside doctor for any reason whatsoever make sure to call and get permission from Health America. If they can skip paying those bills, they will. I like to think they didnt pay mine because of my neglect in reading the fine print. I take the view that Health America is no different from any other similar organization, so do what you must. [sometimes I wish; if only we had easy access to Medical Expert systems and prescription drugs, coin operated XRay machines and also the Right to cure oneself and neighbor!!] ----------