I turn 65 next month. I have been accumulating all sorts of advertising from insurance companies selling Medicare supplement and Advantage plans but very few of them have any substance, rather they want you to call so they can set up an appointment with one of their salespeople, no doubt to try to get you to sign up on the spot.
Anyway, not knowing exactly when my company sponsored retiree medical plan ends, I've read anywhere from the first of the month I turn 65 to the first of the month two months after I turn 65, I went on my secure (password required) benefits page to find the answer. I didn't find the answer but I did find a video that stated that before enrolling in a supplement, prescription drug or Advantage plan that retirees should check out those types of plans offered under company sponsorship as they may offer better benefits and/or lower costs.
Well, try as I could I could find no other information on this fairly large website so I called the company benefits hot line where I eventually was connected to a Health and Insurance representative. After repeating my password and other identifying information (which she should have had since I had to enter them with the initial call) she stated I had no company benefits after going on Medicare. I specifically asked about the video and she had no idea of the existence of the video. I asked who would be covered by such plans and she said she didn't know, that would be a question for the retirement people so I asked to be transferred to retirement benefits. The woman that answered stated flatly that I was asking an insurance question and wanted to transfer me to that department and when I told her that insurance had transferred me to retirements she said she would get an insurance rep on the line in a three-way so we could find the answer. I asked if this applied to only a select group such as executives, management or salaried employees and she couldn't say. I asked why did they have this video so visible on the home page of the benefits section if it only applied to a select group and she didn't have an answer. Finally she got a new insurance rep on the line but this new person's voice was so weak I could not understand but one out of every several words. I asked her to please speak up and she retorted that she WAS speaking up and got quite huffy. I'd about had it with the run-around then so I slammed the phone back in the cradle.
Next I searched the website looking for a way to complain. I found a survey and answered the questions in the most negative way possible but I knew that was nothing more than a release of anger on my part and would do no good whatsoever. Finally I found a "Contact Us" button and proceeded to vent my spleen. This is what I wrote:
Why do you have that video entitled "Learn More About Medicare Enrollment" giving all that erroneous information about [company] sponsored Medicare Part D plans and Medicare Advantage plans? It gives the impression that all [company] retirees have [company] sponsored options to consider when applying for Medicare coverage. Nowhere on the [company] Benefits website are these options stated. Calling only puts me in a run-around between retirement benefits and health insurance benefits. They simply tell me that such options do not exist but have nothing to tell me as to WHY the video exists. Further, the voice quality from the representatives is so quiet that I cannot understand what they are even trying to say. If these Medicare plans DO exist, but only for a select few, then why is THAT information not made clear? The video makes no mention of the fact that it may not apply to everyone and the video is ONLY available to someone that logs in with their complete [company] ID and password.
This is the reply I received.
Hello from the [company] Service Center for Health and Insurance,Thank you for providing feedback and sharing your concerns related to the Your Benefits Resource website. Your concerns will be researched and analyzed for consideration of future enhancements.We appreciate you taking the time to communicate your thoughts with us. This information gives us an opportunity to achieve our goal of providing you the best service you deserve.Thank you for submitting your questions to the [company] Service Center for Health and Insurance. Please have a wonderful day!
Now isn't that just dandy! Not one single question of mine was answered. What a colossal waste of time and resources. :wall::madhell::wall::madhell::madhell:
Anyway, not knowing exactly when my company sponsored retiree medical plan ends, I've read anywhere from the first of the month I turn 65 to the first of the month two months after I turn 65, I went on my secure (password required) benefits page to find the answer. I didn't find the answer but I did find a video that stated that before enrolling in a supplement, prescription drug or Advantage plan that retirees should check out those types of plans offered under company sponsorship as they may offer better benefits and/or lower costs.
Well, try as I could I could find no other information on this fairly large website so I called the company benefits hot line where I eventually was connected to a Health and Insurance representative. After repeating my password and other identifying information (which she should have had since I had to enter them with the initial call) she stated I had no company benefits after going on Medicare. I specifically asked about the video and she had no idea of the existence of the video. I asked who would be covered by such plans and she said she didn't know, that would be a question for the retirement people so I asked to be transferred to retirement benefits. The woman that answered stated flatly that I was asking an insurance question and wanted to transfer me to that department and when I told her that insurance had transferred me to retirements she said she would get an insurance rep on the line in a three-way so we could find the answer. I asked if this applied to only a select group such as executives, management or salaried employees and she couldn't say. I asked why did they have this video so visible on the home page of the benefits section if it only applied to a select group and she didn't have an answer. Finally she got a new insurance rep on the line but this new person's voice was so weak I could not understand but one out of every several words. I asked her to please speak up and she retorted that she WAS speaking up and got quite huffy. I'd about had it with the run-around then so I slammed the phone back in the cradle.
Next I searched the website looking for a way to complain. I found a survey and answered the questions in the most negative way possible but I knew that was nothing more than a release of anger on my part and would do no good whatsoever. Finally I found a "Contact Us" button and proceeded to vent my spleen. This is what I wrote:
Quote:
Why do you have that video entitled "Learn More About Medicare Enrollment" giving all that erroneous information about [company] sponsored Medicare Part D plans and Medicare Advantage plans? It gives the impression that all [company] retirees have [company] sponsored options to consider when applying for Medicare coverage. Nowhere on the [company] Benefits website are these options stated. Calling only puts me in a run-around between retirement benefits and health insurance benefits. They simply tell me that such options do not exist but have nothing to tell me as to WHY the video exists. Further, the voice quality from the representatives is so quiet that I cannot understand what they are even trying to say. If these Medicare plans DO exist, but only for a select few, then why is THAT information not made clear? The video makes no mention of the fact that it may not apply to everyone and the video is ONLY available to someone that logs in with their complete [company] ID and password.
Quote:
Hello from the [company] Service Center for Health and Insurance,Thank you for providing feedback and sharing your concerns related to the Your Benefits Resource website. Your concerns will be researched and analyzed for consideration of future enhancements.We appreciate you taking the time to communicate your thoughts with us. This information gives us an opportunity to achieve our goal of providing you the best service you deserve.Thank you for submitting your questions to the [company] Service Center for Health and Insurance. Please have a wonderful day!
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