I first came to know Mega Health when I tried to obtain insurance after a job change. Their first agent was such a rude S.O.B. That I asked him to leave - He insisted on telling me all about how he grew up and went as far as to ask if a friend of mine - over to let our dogs play in the back yard together was my lesbian lover. He gave me info, and then demanded a check. I explained I was shopping around and he advised me that that was too bad - he either got the money that day or I would have to "find him" later because he didn't make second house calls. He did however claim he had this coverage for years - including when he was involved in a near death farm accident - it covered everything!
So out he went and another agent, whom I did not know was from the same company came over - she presented much better. We discussed coverage - she assured me that the policy was great - that she and her children were on it and I would be so happy - the premiums never go up, etc. So... I gave her a check for the first months premium and off she went. I expected to be insured within the week - or so she said.
I contacted her after a week - no news - Week 2 - no news - Week 3 - they cashed my check - am I covered? At that point the agent stopped returning my calls. Fell off the face of the earth. I called Mega Health and they explained that they needed to obtain a copy of all of my medical records for the past five years! My agent, whom I thought must have fallen off the earth after getting my premium - did text message about two weeks after that to tell me that they needed my med records - how astute of her - eh?
So I waited and waited and took out a temp policy from another company... And waited somemore. I called the agent a few times - checking on status - no response.
So anyway I got a letter from Mega Health - It said my doctor was too slow and could I help them get the medical records. Dutifully I called my Dr. And asked him to comply. I hear nothing, nothing, nothing. You would think - by the way - that with all this concern about my medical records, that I have significant and serious medical problems? NOPE! I was on one medication that I had been on for about five years for anxiety - after almost being killed in a major transportation accident. Um gee - don't know why I would have developed anxiety? But anyway I digress. So no major health problems...
So eventually - about a month and a half later I get a package. It contained a book (war and peace) about what they cover and don't cover - mostly emphasis on the DON'T part of that - So I called my agent - am I covered? When did I become covered? Can I cancel the temp policy now?
She texted back that she didn't know a thing - maybe I should call Mega directly. I did - and low and behold - I was covered! So I happily went upon my way believing all was well. Then...
I had to renew my prescription - its on their formulary list - my agent was shady on what was covered but said it would be at least 75 percent of the medication cost. I knew the prescription was $67 because I had to pay cash for it in the in between. Imagine my shock when I was charged $53.00 for it - after they ran my insurance. So I ran through the math in my head - That's not 75 percent - in fact that's not even 25 percent??? So thinking I better get a better calculator I went home and texted the non-responsive agent - to my suprise - I got no response...
So - ok - the insurance isn't gonna pay for my medication - even though it was on thier formulary... Sigh - just gonna have to buck it up on that one. Then I went to balance my checkbook... Hmmm there's $70 dollars missing - check online banking - Mega Health took another $70 on top of my first month's premium.
Sigh - text messages to disappearing agent. RESPONSE! No problem - just need to take a look at your policy - they must be charging you for something we didn't mean to have on there. I'll come over - Wednesday. No, wait I mean Thurs? No - Friday? Nope - so finally on Sunday she answered my text message trying to set up a meeting - she wanted to meet one of the two nights I won't be home. I explained that I can't do that because I won't be home. So I asked her what I needed to sign - could I just pick it up - sign it and then she get the premium fixed.
She texts saying - What form? I thought you had a question about your policy. So I called her - on her cell phone from which she had JUST been texting me - of course she didn't answer.
So two weeks go by - no response - Finally I called her and left a message letting her know that she could either answer me or my next calls would be to the Better Business Bureau, the Department of Insurance and the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. Of course - she called back immediately and said she of course wasn't dodging me - she didn't know that I needed anything!
So here we go with the appointments again. Wednesday evening - ok - um no - no Wednesday - Thursday or Friday is better for her. So I text back - Friday 5:15 P.M. She responds OK! So were on right? Its gonna get fixed?! So this morning - I get a text - Um tonight - no I can't do tonight - Like I just sprung it on her! So we text back and forth - basically she is going to make herself unavailable anytime I am available. So I suggested she just call them - find out the problem and call me back - no meeting - easy as pie. NOPE - she's out of town all day in a meeting... I should call them myself.
At least now I have a number - A real number that will get me to the underwriting department. So I call them... Well its not that simple - you can't just call them - you have to give all of your information to five people before you can talk to someone as important as underwriting - and by god don't you dare try to call without your member ID number.
So I get a completely unpleasant underwriter who spoke to me like I was two and she was my mother and just caught me coloring on the table... She advised me that I received a 50 percent markup because I wasn't tall enough for my weight - that I received a 25 percent markup because of my severe depression and 25 percent because of my severe migraines. That all seemed to make sense except for the agent knew my height and weight when she was here and said I was within range - I don't suffer from depression - I have a mild anxiety disorder which is managed with no complications my medication and I don't suffer from migraines. I had a headache two or three years ago that they thought might be a migraine - they wrote me a prescription for one medication and said if it happened again to return. Never happened again. So. The result of this - the $184 policy they sold me is now going to be $250 per month - and not cover my medication. I also anticipate that it won't cover anything else, although that is merely speculation as I have not filed my first claim. Sigh - Wish I had found this site before I purchased Mega Health.
UPDATE - I have cancelled my policy now - that also was not an easy task. I basically after making several attempts to cancel the policy told them I closed my checking account (i lied) and would get back to them with a new account when I got one. They tried to draft again from the account, but I had told my bank I wanted to refuse any requests from them. So I am still getting mail from them - they first sent me a bill for almost $800 for a "quarter" of insurance coverage. Then they sent me a letter telling me I must have forgotten how valuable my coverage with them was. Then I got a letter threatening that if I didn't get them a new account number NOW that my coverage would be cancelled.
The good news though is that after threatening to pull my coverage they did send me a letter to advise that after further review of my medical records they are going to stop charging me the 25% markup for the migraines that I DON'T have. I was, needless to say, greatly relieved at their decision.
It is now February. I just received a denial letter for the one and only claim I had with Mega - a doctor's office visit for a cold, which they have deemed a "pre-existing condition". I will happily pay the doctor directly to avoid having any further contact with Mega.
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