united health insurance pays 100%

[m0t0rcade]

Hello everyone,

I am a hearing instrument dispenser. Maybe I can help. Someone said we require payment up front because we don't trust United Healthcare to pay. That is absolutely TRUE.

On January 1st, 2010 we had a law in my state that was passed (Arkansas) requiring insurance companies to pay a minimum of $1400 PER EAR every 3 years if you have hearing aid coverage. I thought, "Great! Some of my patients are going to be very pleased to have some of the coverage they need to get better hearing aids."

Wrong. This is an absolute nightmare and it is all because of UHC. I don't have many problems with BCBS, Aetna, etc. Only UHC. 6 months ago I changed my policy to requiring payment up front. As of last week I have just decided I am not going to file period with United Healthcare.

They do not follow the law, they change their story everytime I call to check on a patient's benefits, and they have their system set up for automatic denial. I cannot get someone in their customer service department that can speak English or do anything besides say, "Please resubmit you claim for review" which I do with the same results.

For each patient they do this with I am spending an average of 3-4 hours on the phone with United Healthcare. I don't have the time or energy to deal with those scam artists anymore. And I can't take the losses.

I hope that explains why we can't hand out hearing aids expecting United Healthcare to pay.

[seb]

motorcade,
Forget calling United Healthcare and just call you states insurance commissioner or your states attorney generals office and file a complaint against the insurance co.

[m0t0rcade]

Originally Posted by seb

motorcade,
Forget calling United Healthcare and just call you states insurance commissioner or your states attorney generals office and file a complaint against the insurance co.

We are trying to do that right now!

They are almost as hard to deal with as an insurance company though!

Also, when we file our claims with UHC we send in a copy of the state law with that so they are fully aware that they are violating the law.

[seb]

I didn't say it was going to be easy! Any state agency is a pain to deal with. Here in Ca, we are dealing with the state retirement system: my mom passed away in early November and they keep depositing her retirement into her bank account each month and this is after sending them the official death certificate and 3 copies, one each month after receiving notice of the deposit. We should have closed the bank accounts the week she died but we were told not to by the bank and then by the state after the second check was deposited and they told us to wait 6 months! So, on the day after the 6 months is up the accounts are going to be closed weather they have retrieved their money or not.

[jab]

What kind of policy do you have with UHC? Because I have a UHC policy (Med Sup) and the rep said they would pay $500.

[jab]

What kind of h/a does EPIC cover? Or is that the name of a manufacturer? I am new at this, having had my first interaction with a h/a specialist yesterday who gave me prices on a Siemens. She was at Miracle Ear and I told her I was UHC covered. Through this forum I learned I may have coverage and when I called them they said I had $500 coverage but when I got to store, she said I had much more than that and she had a printed out schedule of costs from $5,200 (which she said was normally $7800) to $1990 a pair. This is part of the HearUSA program and she said I was the first person to come in under this program. I am going to look at Costco on the 24th but I don't believe they take insurance. They said Rexton was made by Siemens so I was going to try looking into that. Still confused on manufacturers, providers and my own insurance coverage. Mor ework to do.

[seb]

It might be worth a phone call to the insurance Co. to see if you can be reimbursed if you buy from Costco. Someone on this Forum was able to get reimbursed for their HA's purchased at Costco but I can't remember who they were covered with.

[Big Al]

Originally Posted by jab

What kind of h/a does EPIC cover? Or is that the name of a manufacturer? I am new at this, having had my first interaction with a h/a specialist yesterday who gave me prices on a Siemens. She was at Miracle Ear and I told her I was UHC covered. Through this forum I learned I may have coverage and when I called them they said I had $500 coverage but when I got to store, she said I had much more than that and she had a printed out schedule of costs from $5,200 (which she said was normally $7800) to $1990 a pair. This is part of the HearUSA program and she said I was the first person to come in under this program. I am going to look at Costco on the 24th but I don't believe they take insurance. They said Rexton was made by Siemens so I was going to try looking into that. Still confused on manufacturers, providers and my own insurance coverage. Mor ework to do.

EPIC carries most if not all of the major brands. You have to go through one of their in network audiologists, though, and Costco is not in their network. EPIC has been great to deal with. Call them and they will give you more information. You can ask them specifically whether the aids you are seeking are offered by them, their price, and where to find a network audiologist near you. Here is their number: 1-866-956-5400.