I'm writing to you to let you know how your company, Healthfirst, has failed this loyal customer. I have been enrolled in the Platinum Leaf Premier Plan via the ACA since January of 2017, & enrolled in AutoPay the entire time. I began to notice that Healthfirst's records seemed to not be accurate when I received notices about not having paid my premium. I called Member Services to find out why this was so when I was enrolled in AutoPay & had been charged accordingly each month. They didn't quite give me an answer, but promised to resolve the issue. After that, for the remainder of 2017, I hadn't had any further issue, so I let bygones be bygones.
Cut to March of 2018, my credit card (the one I used to pay my premiums) had been stolen, & so when I received my new card, I immediately called Member Services to update my payment information. The representative was helpful, & the problem was solved. (This may not seem relevant, but you will see why it is when you continue reading.)
Cut to June of 2018, I had to go to CityMD for a blood clot in my right eyelid, when I discovered that my insurance had been terminated at the end of April. I looked at my credit card statement, & I see that there are charges from Healthfirst through June each month. I called Member Services to solve the problem, & I was told that my account had been terminated due to non-payment. I asked how that was possible if I had been enrolled in AutoPay, & I was told that I was paying the incorrect amount, & that my premium had increased from 2017. So, Healthfirst hadn't been charging the correct amount, & therefore saw that as me not paying & chose to terminate my account, instead of correcting their mistake. I complained about this, as I don't see how a clerical mistake on the part of Healthfirst would somehow be my fault, but the decision was made that my insurance could not be reinstated due to some expiration of a grace period that I know nothing of, despite my willingness to pay the difference for up to & including June, & pay the correct amount thereafter. Instead, I am being told that I must wait until November to enroll for a new account, leaving me uninsured for more than half a year. Furthermore, when I had called to change my payment information, there was no mention of my paying the incorrect amount at all.
In addition to all this, if in fact this is the final decision & nothing more can be done, I am owed by Healthfirst $768.74, as that is overpayment for insurance that was terminated on 4/30/18.
Healthfirst is a company that is clearly unable to admit their own errors. Healthfirst is a company that has stolen $768.74 from me. If Healthfirst cannot solve the problem it created in the first place, Healthfirst will be hearing from my lawyer.
UPDATE: After sending an email to Healthfirst CEO Pat Wang, a representative from the Acceleration Team called me to let me know that my message had been received & that an investigation into my account would occur. Just this morning, that same representative called me to let me know that my account would be reinstated "as a one time courtesy (wording I resent as it implies this was my fault)" pending payment of the balance due, which I paid right then. I would implore Healthfirst to seriously revamp their customer service policies, as customers should not have their issues resolved only after emailing the CEO. Also, it's 2018, & all insurance companies should be paperless by now. Nonetheless, I owe a massive thank you to Ms. Wang for facilitating this resolution. read more
