Dealing with United Healthcare Made me want to shoot myself
@BelleStarr (61463)
United States
December 15, 2015 7:03am CST
I recently changed my Medicare Advantage Program. It will go into effect on January 1. I requested that payment be taken out of my Social Security payment. Yesterday I got a paper bill.
I called United Healthcare. On the bill it says if you want to have payment taken from your Social Security you should just call. I talked to Heidi. They are sorry, I need to fill out paper work to have it taken out. Why? They just do. It can take up to 3 months to go into effect and when it does Social Security can take up to 3 months payment.
Okay says I and in the meantime I will be paying you directly every month. Yes mam you will and then SS will take 3 months, yes mam, doesn't that mean I will be paying twice, yes mam, you will have a credit,
That is crazy I don't want a credit. I am sorry, that is how it is done. Well dang it is stupid. I also did not receive a bill for my husband who also now will have United Healthcare.
Is it just me or is this just plain dumb!! Heidi said I am sorry at least 50 times during our conversation. I don't care if she is sorry, sorry isn't cutting it for me. I think their whole system is sorry.
Oh if I want them to take the payment directly from my bank I can put the bank account number on my payment slip and mail it in. Have they lost their mind? I am not going to write down my bank account number on a piece of paper and stick it in the mail, that is lunacy.
Right now I just want to shoot myself. Why make a simple process so complicated? Because they can!!!!
19 people like this
17 responses
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
15 Dec 15
I have Kaiser and changed the way Medicare pays them (from group to individual payer). Much easier than your experience so far, fingers crossed.
3 people like this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
15 Dec 15
When I originally got my advnatage program with Connecticare it was no where near as frustrating as dealing with United Healthcare.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
16 Dec 15
@ElizabethWallace no I had a long talk with my agent today, he is very nice and he thought he was saving me stress by having me billed, he says everyone likes it better because SS is slow to make the changes and can double bill. lol Of course mine would have worked out fine.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
15 Dec 15
@BelleStarr Hope this is not an indication of things to come. 
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
15 Dec 15
The insurance itself will probably be fine I hope but this hassle with the payment is ludicrous. I wanted United healthcare because they
are the easiest for us to use in both Connecticut and Florida but now I wonder what the trade off was for that ease.
3 people like this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
15 Dec 15
@Juliaacv And if these are the same companies the fun will begin lol
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (56456)
• Canada
15 Dec 15
@BelleStarr Our system is easy, but for those who travel out of province they do need to buy separate insurance. And because I take so many prescribed medications when we retire, we will most likely purchase our own insurance.
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
15 Dec 15
@BelleStarr I have had similar experiences and it becomes difficult to argue with such absurd systems.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
15 Dec 15
lol Yes I did but only because I was practically speechless at how ridiculous the whole thing is.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
16 Dec 15
Yes I was stunned at that one. Why don't I just write it on the outside of the envelope to save you time? Crazy!!
1 person likes this
@simone10 (54180)
• Louisville, Kentucky
22 Dec 15
@BelleStarr Lol...exactly! I wonder if that is their protocol or the person you were talking to, if it was their idea. Either way, it is just plain stupid and I don't like using that word.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
16 Dec 15
In our area, United Health care has been overwhelmed with people changing from Connecticare. The price difference for the same coverage was hundreds different. A major hospital is now included in their network so everyone moved and it is creating havoc. Got to love insurance companies.
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
15 Dec 15
Okay, can I ask you some simple blunt questions? First - How old are you? Second - how long have you been on Medicare? That should be answered with the age question.
The reason I'm asking is because I was an insurance agent for two years and the one thing I learned was NEVER take Medicare Advantage for any reason. Sooner or later it will shoot you in the foot.
Now if you are new to Medicare Advantage you can get out of it. You have only one opportunity to do that besides the standard three day change your mind window, and that is on the first anniversary of choosing your Medicare plan. You can go back to regular Medicare at that point, but only at that point. If you choose to stay with Medicare Advantage it's yours for life. Your ONLY out from an advantage program is if it is no longer offered in your area. Then you can go back to regular Medicare.
Now why is Medicare Advantage such a bad plan. 1. It offers great incentives, but when you need it, it's not there any longer to help you. 2. When, not if, when you go into a nursing home you will end up paying the facility and then also end up losing everything you've saved for your legacy. You will be forced to spend down until you are on state assistance to cover any nursing home expenses.
My parents are in an advantage plan. They went into assisted living two years ago. They had to take Mom off the policy and get her spent down to take care of her care. She also had to give up her marital rights. We had to sell my parents home so Dad can afford to live in the home. There isn't much left of any kind of legacy for us kids, and all because of the kind of insurance plan he chose.
I know this is long, but bear with me.
Now Medicare is something that automatically comes out of your Social Security. Medicare pays 80% so you do need a supplimental plan. There are plans out there that will protect your legacy and pay nursing home costs so you will not have any worries when that happens. You are protected, your investments are protected, and everybody is happy.
I hope you're in a position to still back out of Medicare Advantage and save you a lifetime of headaches.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
16 Dec 15
I am afraid I have to disagree with you, I can leave the advantage plan from now until the end of February and next year during the 6 week window I can choose to go back to traditional with a supplemental policy. I went to a special Medicare agent to do this. It is much more advantagious for me to be on an advantage program. It is only costing me $29 a month and it includes two dental visits a year. Supplemental policies would cost me many times what I am now paying and since we have no major illnesses we don't need to spend the additional amount. If and when we do we can opt for a change. We can change that I know for a fact any year during the change time.
I managed for my mother so I am very familiar with both options.
Nursing homes are never covered by medicare except for after a hospital stay like rehab. I would have to have a long term care policy which is massively expensive here in Connecticut I mean $500 or more a month. We plan to turn our homes over to our children to protect them or create a trust.
We also get Silver Sneakers with our Advantage program. We do have small co-pays but they are manageable.
I am not sorry about having an advantage program I am angry that it I am not able to pay it the way I prefer. However, I will get over that and I am going to have about $200 extra in my ban every month from the change in carrier.
Thank you so much for trying to help me, I think in this case I have made the right choice and my agent feels that supplemental policies are a waste of money for most people without chronic illness.
2 people like this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
17 Dec 15
@BelleStarr I hope your policy is working for you the way it should. The first insurance agency I worked for pushed the Advantage Plan. They never talked about regular Medicare. They trained us to upsell the advantage plan and tell people it was so much better than regular Medicare. The second agency I worked for focused on Medicare - not the advantage plan and I found out what the first agency didn't tell me. So I really hope your agent isn't selling you something and telling your something that will eventually hurt you. I'm glad you have a plan for your homes.
I do agree with you. Those advantage plans sound good and cost little. But just think about this - You paid into Medicare your whole working life. It's already paid for. The only part you would still need to pay anything on is Part B and all policy's regardless of regular or advantage - you are responsible for 20% of hospital.
I'm glad you did get it sorted out with your insurance company. I would never go with United Healthcare even if I didn't know the difference.
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
17 Dec 15
I just saw your bio info. and yes, you are correct in what they told you. You just turned 65 so you have that time period to change your mind, and you can go back to Medicare next year if you want out of the advantage program. But after that you won't be able to make any more changes to your Medicare/Medicare Advantage program.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16676)
• Boston, Massachusetts
15 Dec 15
Sounds more like you should shoot them. Shooting yourself is no solution. Nothing involving the government goes smoothly. It's the SSA that will take three months to process the paperwork, and then take three months payments from your check. But you're not allowed to advocate the use of any kind of forceful expression of anger when it comes to the gubmint. I hate to say it, but we all take our lumps when it comes to bureaucracy.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
15 Dec 15
I just heard from the agent, he didn't put for auto payment to save me stress, that's rich. Why didn't he do what I asked? So suggestions, just pay them 3 months in advance. Oh great, but I have not gotten a bill for my husband.
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
15 Dec 15
I don't either and it has raised my frustration level considerably.
@Shellyann36 (11383)
• United States
17 Dec 15
It seems that anything dealing with insurance and money and any government agency is a bit old PIA!!!
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
17 Dec 15
It certainly is but now I am not going to think about it until mid March.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
16 Dec 15
sounds like a red tape nightmare - hope you get it sorted out ok soon - check online for how any others have got round the obstacles if possible
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
16 Dec 15
@BelleStarr hopefully less frustrating or distressing things
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
16 Dec 15
I am much calmer today, other things much more important have happened to take my mind off of them.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
16 Dec 15
lol Yes it is but it is so typical of insurance companies and I do have to say that Heidi sure does know how to apologize!!
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (54744)
• United States
16 Dec 15
I know how frustrating conversations like that can be.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
16 Dec 15
lol and yes today I called Prudential retirement to ask that they change the address on my mother's pension account so I would get her statement. They want to talk to my mother. They need to see my power of attorney to change the address. Ok she is 100 and has dementia. I didn't want to change anything but the address to send the statement.Nothing is ever easy.
@Missmwngi (12915)
• Nairobi, Kenya
16 Dec 15
I just hate it when i have to go through such an issue. Something we think it is easy but all of a sudden it ends up being complicated
Sorry though
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
16 Dec 15
So true, nothing is ever just simple and straight forward anymore.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
15 Dec 15
Yup because they can. Boggles the mind doesn't it.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
15 Dec 15
I was just stunned, her answer to everything was I'm sorry. I am sirry too, sorry I chose your company. But as my daughter said, all insurance companies are pretty much the same when it comes to service. BAD
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
15 Dec 15
@BelleStarr Yup glad I don't have to deal with that. My husband worked for the State of Illinois for 37 years, because of that we have insurance for life with an affordable premium.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
15 Dec 15
Exactly and it left me so frustrated that I was practically incoherent.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
15 Dec 15
I was very tired of every other word nbeing sorry I have to say!!
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
15 Dec 15
No but we do have more choices about our bank than we do have with Medicare Advantage programs.
1 person likes this
