You have got to be &%$@ing kidding me!!!!! (Long)

As Im sure you all know I have been going through the needed criteria to qualify for surgery. I got my 6 months diet letter done, consult done, then I had the evaluations (Phsych/Exersice/Diet) scheduled for June 3rd and there I wouls weigh in. I needed to be at 252 to be at a BMI of 40 to so I had been stuffing my face trying to gain the weight. On Wednesday of last week, as I was getting ready for work I thought to myself "wow this process has gone rather smoothly...hmmm maybe too smoothly...oh well maybe something is just going to work out this time!" I WILL NEVER UTTER THOSE WORDS AGAIN.

During that day at work my husband gives me a call and leaves me a voicemail and says "Uhhhhh Lee, we have a HUGE problem. They (his company) has removed you from my insurance. You have no coverage as of yesterday." I stood in the back room not knowing whether to cry, scream, panic or what the hell do all three. Here is what happened:

When we first enrolled for benefits we were told that we needed to provide proof that we are married. Duh. I have done this many times. So we gathered the documents and we sent them off to HR. HR says that they cannot do anything with the documents because they go through a third party verification company. This company would send us a verification letter through the mail and we were to fill it out THEN send all the paperwork off to HR.

A month passed and we had not received the verification letter. My husband calls and he gets passed from person  to person and they said just wait it will come. Another month passes. He calls again. Same thing, gets passed around but this time they tell him to wait until May and if we did not receive it by then to give them a call.

On May 26th this verification company left a voicemail on my husbands phone that said if we did not provide the needed documents that my benefits would be terminated. HERE IS THE CLINCHER: The lady leaving the message says "The deadline to get the documents to us is...Oh wait that cant be right....The deadline was May 13th." Oh yes. We got that call almost 2 weeks after the deadline.

My husband is furious and calls and apparently no one even HR cant help us. All we can do is write an appeal and wait "up to 60 days" to see if they accept the appeal. And if we do not hear anything after those 60 days "just consider your appeal as denied."

We have submitted the appeal and now we are just waiting. I am so furious that I just cant stand it. Not to mention a week ago I got diagnosed with Thyroid Disease and need medication and lab work to keep track of it. And now I cant. All my dental work? Cancelled.

I was told by the insurance specialist at my surgeons office to go ahead and do the evaluations and get that over with so that when they reinstate the coverage they have everything ready to submit. So I did and they all went well. I made my BMI of 40, which is great but instead of leaping for joy and excitment, I just sat there crushed and dissapointed. At this point I am at a loss, but I WILL fight this to the death. And I will not lose.

Sorry this is so long but I am just shocked and needed to vent. Thanks so much for listening guys! Wish me the best!

--Lee

Lee!!!!  that freakin' sucks!!!!  i'd be so angry and crushed too.  just jerks, jerks, jerks all the way around.  wth?!?!?!  i know it doesn't help, but i'm sending you ((((((((hugs)))))))) and keep us up to date on the latest.  i KNOW you can do it.  i can tell what a determined woman you are!!!!!

Thank you so much! And yes the e-hugs do help! I am a big fighter when it comes too stuff like this! I will keep you up to date! :)

Sounds like their verification department is very inept!    Keep fighting and you will prevail!!!!!
Keep aksing for a supervisor.   If that supervisor does not help, go to their supervisor, on up the chain until someone will fix your problem.   They should fix it retroactive to May 13 so there is no lapse of coverage I would think!    Not your fault they can't get it right!  

Did you send the documents with delivery confirmation or registered mail?  What is the name of the 3rd party verification company?  What state are you in?

The first and second time we sent them to HR it was by fax. But they are asking for the appeal (which is going to the benefits administrator) either by fax, email or mail. Im doing all three. Of course when I tried the fax, the number didnt work and when we asked for another fax number they said they didnt have one. I will be sending the documents through cert. mail. My husband contacted his local HR Manager (since NO ONE in the corporate HR departments will help and seem to have no knowledge whatsoever on this issue) and said she would try and get the appeal into the right hands by email. But I am to send this stuff to the benefits admin and hr said there is no phone number to contact them and they cant even contact them and there is no one higher to speak to because they wont and cant help us. I personally think its bs!

The third party company is called BudCo and I am in Ohio.

I can only imagine how disappointed you are. My only suggestion is that your DH company's HR should be helping you. I hope it all works out, but the worst case scenario would be to add you at Open enrollment so you are covered in January. I hope you get this straightened out soon.

Whats sad in local HR has been more helpful than corporate hr. But yeah open enrollment is in october or november >.< still so frustrating!

Every time you or your husband talks with anyone on this alsays get their name and the name of their supervisor.  Write down the date and time of the call.  This will help you as you go up the chain. Document everything.

Those people are awful.  I am pulling for you, girl.

Lee, 

I'm so sorry this happened to you.  I can't imagine how disappointed and angry you are.  Sometimes there a just no words.

Jeanne