WSHIP Cancels My Coverage (Can You Hear Me Screaming?)

It has not been a good week on the health insurance/medical billing front. Sometimes I think these folks are trying to get me to stroke out, which would end their financial responsibilities then and there!

I received a letter from WSHIP, the Washington state plan for uninsurable folks, now my secondary health insurance plan (Medicare is primary), telling me that they have canceled my coverage because I didn't send in some forms they requested, which included a copy of my Medicare card. 

The punch line is that I DID send in these forms, with a copy of my Medicare card—TWICE.

The reason I remember--in among all the medical paperwork that I fill out--is that I had to go to Kinko's to copy the Medicare card. Having to go a second time, when WSHIP sent back my original paperwork saying the Medicare card info was missing, was annoying. It may not always look like it, but I have cancer here. My energy is low. 

What I didn't do was keep a copy of the forms. And I didn't send them registered mail. Didn't even think of it. 

Now WSHIP is telling me that I have to file an appeal. 

A patient advocate I know tells me that this is distressingly common: The insurance company version of "The dog ate my homework," except it's "You never turned in the paperwork we requested."

So before I file my appeal, I'm going to send a letter to the head of WSHIP and also to the state insurance commissioner telling them about this. Personally, I don't see why I can't give them my Medicare info over the phone and be done with it.

Of course, it's going to screw up my medical bills for months, because WSHIP is going to be kicking back bills right left and center. They will all have to be resubmitted once my insurance is reinstated, and I'll have to keep folks like Northwest Hospital at bay until it in reinstated--since they like to send cancer patients to collections.  

Stay tuned. This one could get messy--bureaucrats are involved. Was in Ronald Regan who said the  nine most terrifying words in the English language are: "I'm from the government and I'm here to help."??

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

 

Comments

[Jeanne Sather]

A quick update: My coverage has been reinstated, and I am told that none of my medical bills have been bounced back. We'll see--I don't quite believe that one.

I'll post a longer update tomorrow, too tired now, but the real story here is how many people lost their insurance coverage because they didn't get these make-work forms back in on time, or, as in my case, because WSHIP lost them?

Don't forget, WSHIP insures the sickest of the sick.

[Anna]

Ohh Jeanne. My finace and I go through this endlessly at the Dept. of Veterans Affairs. One thing that goes a long way and can ultimately save you time and money is certified mail. Be sure to get the supplies in advance and indicated the article number on whatever you are sending. It's extra work that no one should have to do, much less a cancer patient or disabled veteran, but nothing saves you time in the long run like saying this person signed for this letter on this date and I can prove it. All of a sudden missing paperwork is found or you get priority over other people. It's a horrible system, but in the meantime managing it is essential.

[Jeanne Sather]

Anna--you are absolutely right, and I should have known better. But somehow it just seemed like routine mail ... NOT.

Today I sent a letter to a collections agency that is after me, and I went to the post office and paid five or six bucks to be able to track it and get a signature at the other end.

Sigh.