[X]
Write ReviewJump to 
54
Helpful
Votes
Votes
Secure Horizons/United Health Care Complaint - Secure Horizons Health Insurance Could Be Hazardous To Your Wealth - Health Insurance - Secure Horizons Senior Advantag
Health Insurance - Secure Horizons Senior Advantag - Complaint
DENVER, COLORADO -- Can Secure Horizons Insurance Be Hazardous to Your Wealth?
In the Fall of 2008, I retired and applied for Medicare with Part A and B. The school district where I worked had several plans and companies that could be used along with Medicare for medical needs. I chose Secure Horizons part of United Health Care, and their most expensive policy. I contacted my doctor for a physical exam with normal blood tests. One additional test was a Vitamin D blood test to diagnose possible future osteoporosis as it ran in the family. Later on this Spring, flu-like symptoms required that I go back to the doctor again. She ordered tests for thyroid and gall bladder.
Then, the fun began. I began receiving statements from Secure Horizons insurance denying payment for many of the blood tests. I began dialing the laboratory, the doctor’s office, and the Secure Horizons about the bills. The laboratory responded that this was the responsibility of the insurance company. The doctor’s office submitted the paperwork twice and each time it came back denied. Secure Horizons played dumb and said it wasn’t their responsibility. The doctor’s office asked me to keep waiting, but this was hard to do when I was flooded with hundreds of dollars of bills for no reason. When trying to get help, a customer representative at Secure Horizons named ” Gigi,” informed me that her supervisor was on a “conference call” when I asked who the CEO was. I wanted to send him a press release. Her manager, she replied, could not get back to me for two hours. Needless to say, I found the CEO’s name immediately on the internet. Is there a plot afoot at United Health Care/Secure Horizons to issue blanket denials on claims? (See note below regarding out of network gouging by United Healthcare). Deciding which insurance company will best meet your needs is difficult because there are so many unknowns. Even customer satisfaction surveys have their limits. However, leaving customers with more out of pocket expense is no the way to do business. Enough said.
Note:” Thanks to the New York Attorney General we now know that insurance companies were in fact, swindling members who sought out-of-network care. Several insurance companies, including United Healthcare, CIGNA and Aetna, have agreed to pay millions of dollars to settle an investigation into how they set the rates for out-of-network care. It turns out the provider rates the insurance companies were claiming to be "usual and customary" were much lower than what providers were actually charging, leaving patients to pay a much higher portion of the bill.”
Imagine what my problems would have been if I had ad a cancer diagnosis. Too scary to imagine.
In the Fall of 2008, I retired and applied for Medicare with Part A and B. The school district where I worked had several plans and companies that could be used along with Medicare for medical needs. I chose Secure Horizons part of United Health Care, and their most expensive policy. I contacted my doctor for a physical exam with normal blood tests. One additional test was a Vitamin D blood test to diagnose possible future osteoporosis as it ran in the family. Later on this Spring, flu-like symptoms required that I go back to the doctor again. She ordered tests for thyroid and gall bladder.
Then, the fun began. I began receiving statements from Secure Horizons insurance denying payment for many of the blood tests. I began dialing the laboratory, the doctor’s office, and the Secure Horizons about the bills. The laboratory responded that this was the responsibility of the insurance company. The doctor’s office submitted the paperwork twice and each time it came back denied. Secure Horizons played dumb and said it wasn’t their responsibility. The doctor’s office asked me to keep waiting, but this was hard to do when I was flooded with hundreds of dollars of bills for no reason. When trying to get help, a customer representative at Secure Horizons named ” Gigi,” informed me that her supervisor was on a “conference call” when I asked who the CEO was. I wanted to send him a press release. Her manager, she replied, could not get back to me for two hours. Needless to say, I found the CEO’s name immediately on the internet. Is there a plot afoot at United Health Care/Secure Horizons to issue blanket denials on claims? (See note below regarding out of network gouging by United Healthcare). Deciding which insurance company will best meet your needs is difficult because there are so many unknowns. Even customer satisfaction surveys have their limits. However, leaving customers with more out of pocket expense is no the way to do business. Enough said.
Note:” Thanks to the New York Attorney General we now know that insurance companies were in fact, swindling members who sought out-of-network care. Several insurance companies, including United Healthcare, CIGNA and Aetna, have agreed to pay millions of dollars to settle an investigation into how they set the rates for out-of-network care. It turns out the provider rates the insurance companies were claiming to be "usual and customary" were much lower than what providers were actually charging, leaving patients to pay a much higher portion of the bill.”
Imagine what my problems would have been if I had ad a cancer diagnosis. Too scary to imagine.
Comments:
Posted by Bosephus on 2009-06-04:
IF you think thats bad, read my review of this company
Posted by MaryBronnimann on 2009-06-05:
Thanks for the interesting story about Secure Horizons/AARP. What a pity AARP has turned from being an advocate for the elderly, into collusion with and insurance company that denies claims. I am dropping my covereage with Secure Horizons in November. Things I don't like about Secure Horizons include: Customer Service is really bad, long delays, lies, representives who seldom know anything about how claims are paid. Also Secure Horizons takes over from Medicare instead of providing supplemental insurance, which means they create a stumbling block to bonafide claims. It was fortunate that I found out about this company before I actually had a serious illness such as your mother did. I sent my press release, to the president and vice president of Secure Horizons by mail. Needless to say, I have heard nothing. They evidently just don't care.
Posted by Lifemates on 2010-10-12:
"Could Be Hazardous To Your Wealth"
This is a good line, I enjoyed it a lot.
This is a good line, I enjoyed it a lot.
Posted by MaryBronnimann on 2010-10-14:
The comments that Bosephus' post in the story regarding a family member were pretty scary. Some insurance companies have you use Medicare first and some, like United Health Caare do the reverse. It seems to be better now for me with Medicare first as my new insurance policy through Blue Cross/Blue Shield has you deal first with Medicare.One of United Health Care's other flaws is that the customer service reps don't have all the details, so their power is limited. Another problem with claims is that people in a doctor's office could be submitting claims to the wrong party, which also happened in my case, slowing down the whole process.
Posted by Heidi on 2011-07-26:
Secure Horizons/AARP Med Complete is a joke! Its difficult for the patients to understand, & frustrating to providers in order to get authorizations for procedures.
I work in healthcare
I work in healthcare
Posted by Richard Jones on 2011-08-03:
I would advise anyone to think twice before getting their insurance with secure horizens. I also have been denied test that my heart doctor needed to do after having a major heart attact. And now have been denied a prescription that I need for my health. I can go to my doctor once a month and get a shot and pay my co-pay for this medicine but I ask my doctor if he could give me a prescription so I wouldn't have to come in every month. He did so but it has been denied. This would of not only saved me money but it would have saved the insurance company money. So again, I say look else where for your insurance.
Posted by Edward Dijeau, Union City, CA on 2011-11-07:
Starting in 2012, United Health Care will no longer offer employer groups Secure Horizons HMO and will cut 60% of the Doctors and Hospitals eligable for the remaining PPO plans. Retiree families will be excluded from the HMO plans as well with non-medicare dependents following the primary Member into the PPO plan. I just received my new card with a new Doctor and new group assignment for 2012 and my family must get new PPO insurance from Blue Cross. This was after they raised our Premiums on October, 2011 by 16%. All the Insurance Companies are re-positioning them selves for the 2014 health Care Law to go into effect to maximise profits. Take Back Wall Street...Take Back the Insurance Companies.
Posted by Senior Citizen on 2011-11-28:
Secure Horizons/United Healthcare has changed their prescription drug tiers for 2012. One of the generic drugs that I have been using for a couple of years and pay $5.00 a month for a 30 day supply will increase to $44.00 a month in 2012. Thats for a GENERIC. What now costs me a total of $60.00 per year will cost me $528.00 a year in 2012 for ONE drug. I plan to find another Advantage Plan and WILL NOT be renewing with Secure Horizons/United Health.
Note: All comments are reviewed by a moderator before being published. Please be sure to read our guidelines before commenting.
Company Reps: Post your company response!
