- Report: #14177
Complaint Review: HIP of New York - New York New York
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Author Not Confirmed
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HIP of New York
134 34th St New York, 10010 New York, U.S.A.
Phone:
1800HIPTALK
Web:
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HIP of New York Ripoff (Health Insurance Plan) KEEPING MY PAYMENTS WHILE I'M NOT COVERED!
I had been a member of HIP Meidcare Plan for the past two years. During this time, HIP continually raised co-pays, deleted drugs and changed doctors on an almost monthly basis. After I received a notice that the premium would more than double, I cancelled my enrollment. I sent a fax, received a confirmation of the fax, emailed (3 times) and made four phone calls. Everyone with whom I spoke assured me that my membership was cancelled. However, I am continuing to be charged the premium through automatic deduction from my checking account. My bank informs me that I will need to place a stop-payment on this charge MONTHLY! at a cost of $20.00 for each. It will be less expensive to close the account and start over.
While I had tried being polite and listening to what had been said, absolutely NOTHING happened. In fact, after my last call, I was told a check would be mailed to me to reimburse me for the charges to my checking account. Today (9 weeks later), I again called HIP to be told that just yesterday they began processing my request to cancel this insurance plan! They couldn't tell me when a check might be sent, or when I might be covered by Medicare; leaving me uninsured for the past month and a half, and for the uncertain future.
All the people with whom I spoke repeated the script they had in front of them and were uninterested in a person on Social Security as sole means of support being out of money!
Alicia
New York, New York
While I had tried being polite and listening to what had been said, absolutely NOTHING happened. In fact, after my last call, I was told a check would be mailed to me to reimburse me for the charges to my checking account. Today (9 weeks later), I again called HIP to be told that just yesterday they began processing my request to cancel this insurance plan! They couldn't tell me when a check might be sent, or when I might be covered by Medicare; leaving me uninsured for the past month and a half, and for the uncertain future.
All the people with whom I spoke repeated the script they had in front of them and were uninterested in a person on Social Security as sole means of support being out of money!
Alicia
New York, New York
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Jay
Phoenix,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Alicia's problem is endemic to this industry
#2Consumer Suggestion
Thu, May 22, 2003
Alicia's problem is endemic to this industry, and to a lot of companies on debit billing. Once you get it started, it is tough to stop. Alicia needs to file a complaint with the insurance commissioner. If she has all the documentation she says she has, she has a solid case. Insurance companies are at great risk when they (1) violate their policies, or (2) screw around with customers money. This WILL sort itself out but it will take time. In Arizona, most banks will place a stop payment on an electronic funds transfer for only a few dollars. Here, your stop stays in effect for 6 months, so the problem will have gone away by then. Note that you can't "cancel" this electronic transfer. It must be done by the insurance company. That's a very big weakness in "the system". You can blame that one on the banking lobby and Congress.
