United Healthcare--one of the worst

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had the same issue with every BCBS plan I’ve ever had. I’ve had a much better experience with Cigna.

Really?! BCBS has plenty of flaws but they are accepted nearly everywhere in this area

I’m a new poster but I agree with the above. We switched to Carefirst this year. They have been a pain to deal with and their reimbursement rates OON are really low compared to my old Cigna plan.

[Anonymous]

I have United and it’s been a nightmare. I’m thinking about just getting my own insurance outside of my employer just so I can keep my specialists. Is there an insurance company people recommend?

[Anonymous]

Cigna is one of the better ones. when I had UHG I would just pay out of pocket to keep my doctors. Some of them would also give me a $ discount

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Listen, there is a reason Luigi has become a folk hero. Murder is bad, but it’s hard to say what he did is worse than United systemically denying health saving care to people for profit.

+1

It’s only a matter of time before there’s a Mario

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had the same issue with every BCBS plan I’ve ever had. I’ve had a much better experience with Cigna.

Really?! BCBS has plenty of flaws but they are accepted nearly everywhere in this area

The problem with this area is that there are so many providers who don't accept insurance at all (i.e., in-network with no one). It's nice that BCBS is in-network with every hospital system, but that doesn't solve my issue of getting payment for regular psychiatry and psychology appointments, among other things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cigna is one of the better ones. when I had UHG I would just pay out of pocket to keep my doctors. Some of them would also give me a $ discount

This is what I’ve been doing but need surgery so not sure how that will work out of network. I have young kids so also worry about needing to go to the ER. I’d normally use suburban or sibley but that’s Hopkins

[Anonymous]

Luigi has a point.

[Anonymous]

I've had BCBS, United, and Cigna in the last ten or so years and United was definitely the worst. We had to leave several doctors when my office switched, because they didn't take United, but took everything else. Every year I had some kind of fight with them. I've actually been pretty happy with my other coverage, but they were the worst.

The folk hero thing around Luigi is very relatable.

[Anonymous]

Y’all need to move to the burbs. Most practices in Loudoun take all of the above (United, Cigna, CareFirst, BCBS, etc.)

[Anonymous]

Another terrible experience with United. They are OK for reimbursing small things, but rates are still low - and terrible for paperwork, admin, denying bigger stuff, denying if the smallest thing is wrong on their very confusing paperwork. They torture you so that you stop submitting claims because they can outlast you.

[Anonymous]

Same issue with United Dental. I swear they deny everything the first time, even routine cleanings. My dentist can't deal with it anymore and doesn't want me to be a patient any longer. So I guess I just won't get a cleaning until next January when I can switch. Wish I could cancel my plan and get a refund since I'm basically unable to use it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They're terrible. But we are having major issues with BCBS right now paying claims out. Medical in the us is a total mess right now its feeling very third world.

it really is every insurance company (but I concur UHC is the worst). Their goal is to deny everything they can, and make it take a lot of time and effort for the customer to change the denial to a payment. They figure people will just give up (and many do).

Years ago had BCBS, and this was when doctors had to file claims via mail (so 20+ years). They would constantly say they hadn't gotten a claim for Speech therapy (which my kid went to weekly for years). So I'd get all the details and physically mail it to them. Then they would claim they didn't get the claim for date X, but got the rest. I was like "I mailed them all to you. The fact you didn't take them all out of the envelope and tossed some of it really shouldnt' be my fault. The doctor sent them, I sent them, and you got part of it but not the rest? " It would take 2-3 hours of my efforts sometimes to get them to pay a claim. I suspect many people don't have that time (I was a SAHP so had a little more time than a house with 2 working parents).

The goal is to deny and hope the customer accepts it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had the same issue with every BCBS plan I’ve ever had. I’ve had a much better experience with Cigna.

Really?! BCBS has plenty of flaws but they are accepted nearly everywhere in this area

The problem with this area is that there are so many providers who don't accept insurance at all (i.e., in-network with no one). It's nice that BCBS is in-network with every hospital system, but that doesn't solve my issue of getting payment for regular psychiatry and psychology appointments, among other things.

It's been that way for years, especially with specialists who have 6-12 month waitlists for services. They don't need to be in-network or bill insurance for you. If you won't deal with it and pay OON, they just take the next person (same for many PT/OT/SpeechTherapy as well)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Luigi has a point.

I think a lot of people have a soft spot for Luigi.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Luigi has a point.

I think a lot of people have a soft spot for Luigi.

True, we've all been through the stress of dealing with health insurance and it just fills me with frustration just remembering the worst of it. Its so personal to all of us.