Thursday, January 7

A Question to Humana: WHY?






On 11-25-09 we spoke to Felicia.

On 12-3-09 we spoke with Dawn.

On 12-14-09 we spoke to Michelle.

On 12-21-09 we talked to Chastity. (Addendum below!!)

And today, I spoke with Francisco, who assured me that contrary to all the evidence, the payment coupons for my health care provider (Humana) will arrive within 10-14 days!!

You see, we have now ordered the coupon book five, count 'em, five times - to no avail!! Each time we call, we have to trudge through a voice mail hell like none other - and after punching many, many buttons, you get a prompt to press #4 for a real, live person who may be able to help you. Yeah, right. I'm not reassured.


They know I am a subscriber. They sent me the new card for 2010 back in November (I think) and each time I call and give my personal info, it pops up on their computer screen - so there's no issue with my information not being in the system.

So, knowing that, why has it taken almost two months and a minimum of five phone calls - and yet there are NO coupons in my possession!!!???

When I first started this post, I used an asterisk in the name Humana, but I have decided that it is good for the name of the company to be intact. Perhaps someone from there who might be surfing the net looking for references to the company will happen on this one and solve my problem, plus keep that from happening to others. That is my motive. That, plus obtaining the coupons.


Addendum: as of 10:40 this morning, I heard from the Operations Manager at Humana, who promised to look into the problem immediately.My deepest thanks to the "very nice person" who passed on the information to the Operations Manager!!! Stay tuned, and I will update as needed.

16 comments:

Tabor said...

Good luck. I am so afraid that we all will be facing this issue as time goes on and they keep messing with the health care bill.

Gilly said...

Automated voices - press 1, press 2 and so on drive me crazy! And then I usually get through to a call centre somewhere on the Indian sub-continent, and have difficulty understanding their liquid tones! (Having said that, though, one of the most helpful people I found was a lovely Indian lady who obligingly spoke slowly for me, and managed to cure my problem)


But I hope you get your coupons, Judy - makes me thankful for our NHS system, creaky though it might be!!

Pat said...

What is it with coupons? When I bought my scanner - as an incentive to insure it - I was promised coupons for a free health check on my computer. They never arrived and I was fobbed off and gave up. Now the insurance has ended and I'm promised similar incentives and my dilemma is do I just ignore the whole thing and trust to luck or do I get out all the old paper work and start creating? I think maybe life's too short to bother.

bobbie said...

Oh, Judy, this is such a familiar problem to me! Not with Humana, but aren't all these companies alike? Back in June I made a complaint, and my doctor sent them a form. This has been repeated several times. Only this week, I received a letter from them (I am no longer with this company) telling me the same thing they said in June, as if I had just made the complaint.

Granny Annie said...

Felicia said, "Oh it's just her first call." TRASH
Dawn says, "This gal as only called twice." TRASH
Michelle, "Three calls are nothing" TRASH
Chastity, "Only four calls in almost five weeks? This gal's a weenie." TRASH
Francisco,"Well, it's time to stop screwing with her. I'll order the coupons today -- maybe:)"

Arkansas Patti said...

God bless you, I do hope a company rep is surfing. One reason I have stayed with Medicare. More expensive in the long run but at least no run arounds (so far).
A lady working at Radio Shack taught me the following. As soon as the automatic menu starts, speak slowly, loudly and distinctly into the phone "I want
to speak to a person." It works every time.

robin andrea said...

Good luck with it, Judy. I don't know anything about Humana, but their customer service department sounds all too familiar, staffed by incompetents. Sometimes, after we've been transferred around and talked to enough people who know nothing, we start asking to talk to their supervisors. It works.

Peggy Payne said...

Oh, how I sympathize. I've published similar posts about difficulties with Blue Cross.

Congratulations to you and kudos to Humana on getting a response.

Darlene said...

I feel your pain,Judy. I just went through the same problem with Cox Cable. While this is not an insurance company the frustration is the same.

After talking to A and becoming angry with the lack of help, I called back and got B. I was disconnected so I called again and finally heard on the menu that it was costing me $5 per call with a representative to complain about misleading advertising. I then wrote an e-mail and got a form letter back ignoring my issues and giving me a NON-TOLL FREE number to call. Arrgh!

rosemary said...

Oh Judy....I have just finished traveling the maze that is Medicare and choosing an Advantage plan. We tried to do it ourselves with Steve using this as a tutorial for what he will have to go thru in 2 years. In the end we went to an agent and I am having the premium just taken out of my bank account on the 24th. What a mess. I hate calling my plan for anything and to be truthful I am nervous about even making an appointment to see my doctor for a headache I have had for a week...I'm not sure if they will pay for the visit and reading the book is like learning Greek. I empathize totally.

Evil Twin's Wife said...

Oh, the automated phone maze. It's enough to make my blood pressure go way up!

The Dish said...

Hi! I figured since we have exchanged Christmas cards, I should mosey on over.

Nothing frustrates me more than the phone menu. I usually just keep pressing 0 until they finally put a real, live person on the line!

tiff said...

Oh wow - did a miracle occur and someone pushed a few buttons from inside?

That would be awesome.

Tracie Nall said...

Automated Phone robots drive me crazy! I hope that you get it all worked out and your coupons arrive!

utenzi said...

I'm impressed with your "blogging in action" approach, Judy. It's always great to know someone out there is listening!

kenju said...

Guess what? The coupons arrived in the mail today! I guess Francisco knew what he was talking about.