Well, this has been an interesting morning.
I went to my ophthalmologist for my yearly eye exam and handed the receptionist my Blue Cross Blue Shield card and my Drivers License for ID. I sat down to wait and was idly thumbing through a magazine.
A moment later, the receptionist came up to me and said, “Your insurance company said your policy had been canceled.”
I just looked at her, shocked, and thought about the hefty check I have been sending to the conference each month to pay for my retiree coverage until I am eligible for Medicare.
The receptionist added, “You may want to call them.”
No joke.
So, after waiting on hold with BCBS for approximately 45 minutes, I was told by the chirpy BCBS rep that, yes, my health insurance had been cancelled on January 3, 2014, but, surprise!!!! she had received word from the Conference today that I was to be reinstated and that the reinstatement would be effective in 24 to 72 hours. She said this was not a BCBS issue, but a request from my employer and I should take it up with them.
I asked, “So I have had no health insurance since January 3?”
“Actually, no. We received a communication from your employer on January 3 to cancel your insurance retroactive to January 1, 2014.”
“So, if I had been in an accident or had a health emergency between January 1 and now, I would have been denied coverage?”
“Yes, that is correct,” she cheerfully replied.
“And if I have an accident on the way home before the reinstatement is complete, I will be denied coverage?” Here she thought I would probably be covered retroactively to today. What a relief!
I phoned the North Texas Conference office as soon as I finished with the eye exam and requested an explanation. I was assured that I did have coverage and that BCBS had made the mistake. According to them, I was probably the only person in the BCBS system that was affected by some computer glitch on January 3 and that the problem was all theirs, not anything on the Conference end.
Well, isn’t that nice?
This is just a suggestion: for all who have coverage (or think you have coverage) with BCBS, you might want to give them a call and confirm that some tiny little computer glitch has not also “accidentally” dropped you from the coverage for which you are paying mightily every month. Perhaps you’ll get the same rep as I did who can chirpily tell you that you would have also been denied coverage in case of an accident or emergency.
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