I lost my job at the end of last year and decided to continue my health benefits under COBRA. Paychex, my former employer's payroll service, told me that I was enrolled and sent me payment coupons. Since February, I've paid my monthly premiums to Paychex.
It wasn't until a visit to the emergency room a few weeks ago that I learned Paychex HAD NEVER ENROLLED ME. GHP, the insurance company, is willing to start a new policy and backdate it to February 1, but not until they receive all my premium payments. Paychex claims that they have turned over all my payments to my former employer, but my former employer says they have never gotten any of my money. (I only learned all of this after over a dozen phone calls and several hours of hold time.)
Meanwhile, I am unable to make a necessary doctor because I am uninsured, even though I am STILL PAYING for health insurance. Paychex calls it an error, but to me it is insurance fraud, plain and simple. I wonder how much money they collect from COBRA payments, and how much of it they keep by not enrolling their clients. Since COBRA coverage is limited to 18 months, I'm sure it would be possible for them to pocket a lot of money without anyone ever knowing. If I hadn't gone to the emergency room, I would have never known I had no coverage.
So far, no one can tell me what happened to the $2500 I've paid for health insurance over the past seven months.
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