Obamacare’s had a pretty darn good week according to Chuck Todd. We’d love him to explain that to tweeter Mia Marshall, then, who’s been fighting a losing battle with Anthem Blue Cross in California:
If no one at @CoveredCA or Anthem will take my premium payment or answer the phone, how am I supposed to be covered as of Jan 1?
— Mia Marshall (@bymiamarshall) January 13, 2014
No one has defended the ACA louder than I have, but this is insane. I pay online, but the money isn’t charged to my credit card.
— Mia Marshall (@bymiamarshall) January 13, 2014
I phone Anthem Blue Cross and @CoveredCA, hear a recorded message, then get dropped. I have no idea if I’m covered or not at this point.
— Mia Marshall (@bymiamarshall) January 13, 2014
@countmystars I’ve paid TWICE. Online, and I receive a confirmation email. Then I get another reminder to pay them.
— Mia Marshall (@bymiamarshall) January 13, 2014
@countmystars But they don’t charge my credit card, and I can’t get hold of an actual person to answer questions.
— Mia Marshall (@bymiamarshall) January 13, 2014
@countmystars At this point, I think it’s provider specific. Anthem just wasn’t prepared. Despite having YEARS to get ready for the ACA.
— Mia Marshall (@bymiamarshall) January 13, 2014
@countmystars Yes, the recorded message keeps blaming the ACA for the delays. It’s all Obama’s fault!
— Mia Marshall (@bymiamarshall) January 13, 2014
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@JanLNye Right now, I’m still trying to reach a human who can tell me where to forward my confirmation email.
— Mia Marshall (@bymiamarshall) January 13, 2014
@JanLNye Half the time, I get the “all circuits are busy” message. The rest of the time, the phone system hangs up on me.
— Mia Marshall (@bymiamarshall) January 13, 2014
@countmystars I’m technically in a rural area, so I only had the one choice of insurer. At least it’s a PPO.
— Mia Marshall (@bymiamarshall) January 13, 2014
@JanLNye I’m hearing horror stories of people who’ve been trying for weeks to reach an actual person, on hold for 10 hours, etc.
— Mia Marshall (@bymiamarshall) January 13, 2014
@JanLNye I’m too broken to not have insurance!
— Mia Marshall (@bymiamarshall) January 13, 2014
@JanLNye Sadly, I think Anthem’s strategy is to just never answer calls and hope we all go away.
— Mia Marshall (@bymiamarshall) January 13, 2014
@JanLNye I should be writing now, damn it! Not spending my morning on hold.
— Mia Marshall (@bymiamarshall) January 13, 2014
@JanLNye I’m trying. At least they’re playing classical music instead of smooth jazz. Small favors while I wait for them to hang up on me.
— Mia Marshall (@bymiamarshall) January 13, 2014
Very small favors. Meanwhile, Covered California took notice of Marshall’s complaints — and was about as helpful as you’d expect:
@AnthemPR_CART Can you help her? MT @miamarshalled: I have no idea if I’m covered or not at this point.
— Covered California (@CoveredCA) January 13, 2014
Yeah, there’s no @AnthemPR_CART account. Covered California was probably going for @anthemPR_CA. But really, what difference does it make? Unfortunately, Mia’s likely screwed no matter what.
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Related:
Covered California has interesting advice for enrollees who haven’t been invoiced
California Obamacare provider inundated with complaints
‘Your system is broken’; Californians have had it with Blue Shield
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