Wwyd?

[CaliMommie]

When I was pg with DS2 we paid $62.64/month for state sponsered insurance for middle-income families that covered the pg & then DS2 until he turned one w/no co-pay, etc. April 2004 was our last payment & the check was cashed by them April 22, 2004. Fast forward to November 12, 2004 (at this point I am once again on the same insurance for my current pg) I get a letter that it is now on my credit report that I failed to make my last payment. No late notice, nothing~ and I made the payment last April. So I call up & they had no record of the payment I made (even though it cleared the bank) & it had never been credited to my account.

So November 15, 2004 I fax a copy of the canceled check with a letter explaining the situation. They have it in their system that it was recieved on November 24, 2004. They tell me it will take 30 business days for it to be reviewed & thenthe payment will be credited to my account, they will correct my credit report & they will send a written explanation of their decision. I wait the 30 business days~ nothing. So I call again & they file a "work request" saying that I will get a response in 15 busines days~ nothing. I am still getting letters threatening to report me AGAIN to the credit reporting agencies. (I am also still making my monthly payments for this cueent pg).

Fast forward to April 8, 2005 I get yet another letter saying my account is past due & they are going to report me to the credit collections agencies. I call & tell them the while story & that if they report me again it is fraud as I made the payment almost a year ago & filed an appeal nearly 5 months ago, and that if they report me I am going to file a lawsuit. They file yet another "work request" after I throw a huge fit. Finally today someone who can actually DO something about it called & I wasn't home! They are supposed to call back tomorrow. At least they have continued to pay all of our medical bills during this whole ordeal. Any advice on how to handle this is appreciated!

[opally]

Sounds like you're doing everything right - you were able to provide proof of payment, and you've been following up when they haven't responded. The one thing I would recommend is to call and see if you can meet with someone in person - the higher up the better - take your file of info (including a copy of the cancelled check, and any letters that you have received) and review the situation with them. A more personal contact might get you better results.

And you're probably doing this, but it's really important to keep really thorough records of anything you do regarding this, even if it's just a quick follow-up call - keep a log of when you called, who you talked to, what they said, etc. When I've been in similar situations, I've found it's really helpful to be able to rattle off that kind of info - it really highlights that you're on top of it and they are failing at their follow through.

This sort of thing can be such a drag, but it sounds like it will be resolved soon in your favor. Hang in there, mama, and good luck !

[CaliMommie]

Thanks for your reply! I can't complain to the state dept of insurance b/c they have no authority over this insurance company as it is state-sponsered (I know makes no sense, but I tried that!). I am waiting for a call back from the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board (apparently similar authority to the state sept of insurance). Also, when you call you only get a rep & there is no way to meet with anyone in person. I did contact the credit reporting companies, but when they looked into it the darned insurance company hadn't fixed my file & confirmed that it was past due : I am getting really tired of being patient with these people!

[kerc]

can you go in person? an angry pregnant mom with paperwork in hand can go a long way toward clearing this stuff up.

[opally]

If there's no way to get a face to face meeting, I would call and patiently explain that you're having a significant situation and would like to discuss it with the highest person in authority - get the person's name & title, and see if it's someone with a decent amount of authority/responsibility, and hopefully they'll be a lot more responsive.

[Greaseball]

What about an ombudsman?

When I got medicaid the last time, I was so tired of dealing with them that I called the ombudsman. Get this - he answers the phone himself, on the first ring! No menu, no secretary, no voice mail, no busy signal! He is nice and polite! He congratulated me on my pregnancy!

The only problem was of course medicaid is not going to willingly give out this number, so I had to wade through several websites over a period of weeks to find it. But if there's a chance your insurance has anything like this, I think you should look into it.

[EmsMom]

I have two suggestions. you might try your local state senator's office to try to get them to intervene. Also, I believe that you can add a file to your own credit report explaining what is going on and the steps you have taken to resolve the erroneous credit reporting. Then, if someone does check your credit rating, they have to read your letter. It may help. Good luck. These types of problems can be so difficult to resolve.