Complaint Review: Adova Health/Consumers Alliance USA

My employer does not offer health care coverage, so I am responsible to pay for and maintain my own coverage. Due to the outrageous costs of health care, I shopped on the internet for quotes-totally unaware of health insurance scams. I was contacted by a gentleman by the name of Steve Kelly representing Adova Health. The phone # I have for Mr. Kelly is: 888-328-2551. I checked out the website @ www.adovahealth.com, & it seemed legitimate. The "insurance" was affordable, so I signed up for the preferred plan. Adova does not do billing, so the monthly payments would be deducted from my checking account. The first payment deducted was for $299.95-$199.95 for the first month + a $100 one time processing fee. Deductions would then be $199.95 per month thereafter.

I received my membership handbook and "insurance" cards in the mail. Nothing stating the name Adova Health on them-the company name on everything is Consumer Alliance USA. As it turns out, this is not "insurance", but a health care savings plan. When I went to check out the website again, it was longer there.

Mr. Kelly advised me that if my doctors were not in the network, all I had to do was call their (Consumers Alliance USA) customer service @ 866-470-4959 and "nominate" my doctors. Sounded perfect. Surprise, this was not the case. My doctors had to choose whether or not they wanted to participate in the plan. I could only use doctors/hospitals that were under the Beech St. Network or the Comprehensive Health Group-many of which weren't even located in the state of Michigan-most were in Ohio!

For my optical insurance, I was told that I was through VSP Vision. When I called VSP, they didn't even have me in their system-not by name, social security number, or member #-nothing! For my dental insurance, I was originally told that I was through Reliance Standard. When I called Reliance, same thing-I wasn't in their system. When I called Consumers Alliance USA customer service (again, @ 866-470-4959), they then told me that I did NOT have to go through Reliance Standard for my dental, & that I could go to any dentist of my choice. When I complained that I wasn't "in the system" for VSP or Reliance, they told me that I didn't need to be. Didn't need to be? How would my claims get processed if I "didn't need to be" in the system? I've never heard of such a thing. I verified with VSP, Reliance, my eye doctor, and my dentist that YES, I MUST be in the system in order for my claims to be processed. My eye doctor and dentist BOTH contact insurance companies PRIOR TO scheduled appointments to verify insurance. Otherwise, the patient is responsible for full payment the day of care.

I have spent countless hours trying to get this resolved. I have lost time on my job, not to mention much needed sleep. I have gotten nothing but the runaround from Consumer Alliance USA. Nobody there seems to know what they're talking about-different answers from every person I talk to.

I have called Mr. Kelly, and he won't answer any of my questions. Now he says he is "just a broker" & to contact customer service. When I asked him what happened to the website, he told me he was unaware that it no longer existed. I was informed by a female @ his office that Adova Health has changed their name to Consumer Alliance USA, & that their website is now www.causabenefits.com. I did go to this website, and it looks very similar to the Adova Health website that "used to be".

So far, "Adova Health" (the name used for auto deductions from my checking account) has deducted $499.90 out of my checking account. I called my bank today to put a stop payment on any further deductions from this company. This stop payment cost ME $33.00. This stop payment is good for 6 months. However, it is only good for $199.95-so if Adova Health tries to deduct a different amount (say even $199.96) from my account, it is possible that it may go through. I'm taking my chances here.

I did an internet search for possible scams on Adova Health & Consumer Alliance USA, & it landed me here. I have since then found additional complaints about them elsewhere on the internet. Unfortunately, it appears that many other people are out of a lot more money than I am.

I've got nothing but the runaround trying to cancel this "insurance" at the customer service number. So I called Mr. Kelly's office again. The female that answered put me through to another female's voice mail to cancel-which she didn't even state her name on the voice mail. I'm sure I won't get a call back. I'm sure I won't get any kind of a refund. I also find it strange that when you call the 888-328-2551 #, they answer "health companies"-no specific name.

$532.90 ($499.90 taken out of my account + $33.00 for the stop payment) is A LOT of money to me. I'm so lucky that I found out about this before going to any doctor appointments. I would've been fuming if I found out then & there that I wasn't covered. And I really would've been fuming if I had to pay out of my pocket.

Luckily today, a friend referred me to an insurance agent that deals with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, & I just applied with them for health insurance. Finally, a reputable company. Unfortunately, I'm without health coverage until I hear back from BC/BS-hopefully I'll stay healthy and safe until then. It makes me not want to even leave the house, for fear that something may happen. I guess it doesn't matter as I have been, not knowingly, without coverage for the past few months.

I've been scammed. So many other people have been scammed. These people are messing with our lives. I have written complaints elsewhere on the internet. I have sent e-mails & faxes to the Attorney General of Michigan & have filed an insurance complaint as well. We need to get this info out there, so this doesn't happen to anyone else.

Nikki
Manchester, Michigan
U.S.A.