Thread by @eliotter

I'll be trying to avoid @UHC for the rest of my life, or until we get single payer. Here's a brief description of a terrible experience that really isn't that bad in the grand scheme of things.

I was on UHC, had no problems, then got a new job and extended it for one month with COBRA. Hurt my knee (I was on crutches for two months) and paid out of pocket to cover an MRI, bc doc's office didn't have my new card, couldn't run it. I paid knowing I was in-network.

They sent a claim denial to my doctor (not me, as they should have, since I filed the claim). They needed diagnosis codes. I went in person to the doc, got them, and called them in. They refused to accept them from me.

Over the next 8 months, I was in a Kafka-esque nightmare trying to get reimbursed. The main problem: every time I called, the person who answered the phone had no record of the problem, and no idea how to solve it.
I spent 15+ hours on the phone, calling a couple dozen times..

Finally after 8 months of calls and immense frustration / blood pressure spikes in every repetitive exchange, someone helped me, took the codes over the phone, as they apparently could have done the whole time.

Ultimately they denied my biggest claim on a technicality, saying my in-network doc should have called for prior approval before the MRI. They didn't say there was any dispute over the medical necessity.

TL;DR: @UHC put me through a Kafka-esque nightmare of repeating myself in dozens of terrible customer service interactions over 8 months. Even if they'd paid me back, it wouldn't have been worth the stress toll. It's hard to imagine the system is that messed up by accident...

and my heart goes out to any @UHC customer trying to get a response from their bureaucracy in a true medical emergency or chronic disease for them or a loved one. It must be exponentially more stressful/terrible. Save yourself by avoiding @UHC. I can't wait for single payer.

For anyone considering @UHC for #healthinsurance, I recommend another provider. Here's some information on their record:
Consumer complaints united-healthcare.pissedconsumer.com/review.html
Alleged fraud publicintegrity.org/2017/07/28/210…
#MedicareForAll #SinglePayer #health