insurance rant!

[jbmaine]

So, this is fun ( not really )

Some years ago my mom started to show signs of Alzheimer's. Before it got too bad she agreed to let my wife and I be her POA ( power of attorney ) in all matters financial and health related. We had our Lawyer do all the paperwork and mom and we signed it. Fast forward to today and mom's situation is about as bad as Alzheimer's can be.

 

 For the most part my wife and I have navigated all her financial issues with out much stress, However

 Mom has a small life insurance policy. We get statements every so often. Some weeks ago we got a statement and saw they had her middle initial wrong. Previous statements listed it correctly. I called to have it corrected. I was told my POA was not valid. I said it's been valid up until now, what's the problem? I was told I would get a letter from their legal dept. A few days later I did. It said the POA was missing needed information. I looked at our copy and it showed that everything they said was missing was there. I called again stating what I found, and was told their legal dept. would review it again.

 

 A few days after that I got another letter from them in which they said they were sorry, they had made a mistake and the POA was fine and that they accepted it. 

 

 So I called to have her middle initial corrected and asked for a copy of value, beneficiary, everything they have, to make sure it's all correct. I was told I would be mailed copies of everything.

 

 Well today I get another letter from them. It says they cannot complete my request because my POA is not valid in regard's to insurance matters. I call again and ask how can I get a letter from an insurance company accepting my POA in regard's to her life insurance policy, and then turn around and send me another letter saying the POA was invalid in regard's to pertaining to insurance matters, when insurance is all they do!

 

By this time my BP is thru the roof, and I'm trying my best to be civil, but when I was told the best they can do is refer it to their legal dept. again for further review, I lost it. I told them if they did not formally accept my POA in regards' to all matters, and send me everything I asked for within ten days I was putting this in the hands of my lawyer and asking for compensation for all legal fee's and for my time and trouble. then I hung up the phone.

 

Sorry for the long post, had to vent.

 

OK, rant over, 

to heck with it, I'm going fishing tomorrow

                          Jim

[Tim Kelly]

Nothing like banks and insurance companies to get the blood pressure pumping. Hope you get it sorted OK, and your Mom is as well as she can be.

[PNW LipRipper]

I feel your pain think insurance companies are the biggest racket since book making 

[haggard]

Infuriating. And I thought arguing with Comcast on the phone was annoying. This takes it to a new level.

 

1. Their written letter stating they were sorry and they made a mistake? That's gold. Keep that one up your sleeve. Remind them that your Mom's well being is dependent on you as POA and in turn on the insurance company fixing its own mistakes which they've already admitted to, and that time is critical. Not just on the phone, but in a written letter AND email. I've noticed that sometimes putting things in writing and email puts the fear of Dog in the higher-ups... they know that stuff is now sitting out there on a server somewhere for eternity, ready to be recalled when needed 

 

2. Fishing.

 

Thanks for all your doing for your Mom. They're worth it.

 

 

[slonezp]

Too much corporate bureaucracy.

[N Florida Mike]

Went through that with my mom, although our trouble was with the bank, not her insurance.

We called one day to let them know we needed some legal papers involving mom notarized.My wife and me  already had p.o.a. for several years and had never had any trouble getting things done there before with p.o.a.. We were told all of a sudden that they had no record of us having power of attorney and we would have to bring mom in for her to sign as well. She had dementia pretty far along at that point and didnt remember what she said 5 minutes ago, and would say anything that came to her mind. We go in the bank and the new ( foriegn ) bank   manager wants a private consultation with mom. ( who could tell her nothing , thats why we had gotten p.o.a !) When we protested about moms condition she grabbed my moms arm and began pulling her ( too fast for mom ) into her office. My wife lost it and told her off in front of everyone. She was then banned from that bank !

The managers smug response was that the old  manager must have TAKEN the p.o.a. papers with him !!!.

We switched banks ?

 

 

[Shane Y]

I know your pain.......Did they at least speak good clear english? 

[Boomstick]

I feel your pain and also understand it from personal experience. Earlier this year, I was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer and Lynch syndrome. My insurance initially denied my surgery to remove the tumor as well as generic testing, telling me that they needed a cologuard (take home budget colonoscopy) and some other stuff before they'd cover it, which not only is there no point doing yet as I just had colon cancer plus it might upset some of the scar tissue as well. Also all of my dad's siblings had colon and ovarian cancer -- also related to Lynch syndrome, so it's no surprise I tested positive! The website now says they approved it but the explanation of benefits was only changed to not say they denied it but still shows them paying zero dollars, although they told me that the decision was closed and I would have to appeal it when it was still marked as denied.

 

Since then, I've had other appointments that have been denied with the reason they already paid for them -- they didn't.

 

Additionally, because I have Lynch syndrome, I need an annual colonoscopy and biannual ct scans. My insurance is telling me that because I have Lynch syndrome, they won't ever cover a colonoscopy. According to the website, they will cover one in full annually (which is overkill for most people) as far as I can tell, and when I called to clear up something, they told me they will only cover it once I turn 50. Either way, at least I get some financial relief once I turn 50! So much for ever getting a bass boat.

 

/end rant