Conference 7.286::digital

    I remember something about this, but I don't remember if I got via
    Reader's Choice, or how it got to me.
    
    Bob

    
    	Amy -
    
    	It just part of a new Digital plan to get all you "left coast"
    folks to move back to MA ;-)
    
    		the Greyhawk

    Amy,
    
    Please see note 4295.  If I hadn't been a reader of this notes
    file I would not have noticed.  A week or so after I read the
    note, I did receive a message and believe it was sent "company-wide".
    
    Colleen

Ahh, well topic 4295 discusses people who were part of the system
prior to open enrollment.  This in no way applied to my situation
since my family status change occurred at the end of November
and the paperwork went into HR about the 20th of December.  I did
note specifically that that situation was not germane.  Perhaps 
the BE representative was not paying particular attention to the
matter at hand and mistakenly told me there was something on this
or wanted to mollify me in some fashion.  It was very clear I was
not a happy camper.  Certainly the last thing I wanted to hear was,
"trust us, everything will work out fine.  Bother us later if you have
problems."  

thanks, anyway, for the response

-Amy

(I don't want to even know what John Hancock may screw up regarding this).

    RE:.0
    
    Amy,
    
    I had a similar problem.  We changed from HMO to HMO-Elect during the
    enrollment period.  The confirmation from Benefits Express was correct.
    My payroll stub was correct.  Every indicator said things were as they
    were supposed to be.
    
    WRONG!  My wife goes to the HMO for treatment February 1st and is
    told by the HMO that "your employer has terminated your eligibilty
    for the HMO health plan."  Turns out that on January 1, instead of
    changing our health plan from HMO to HMO-Elect, they just told the
    HMO to remove us from the HMO plan.  No notice from Benefits Express
    and no notice from the HMO.  The HMO told us that they never notify
    plan members of cancellations, because people routinely cancel their
    health plans for legitimate reasons.
    
    So Benefits Express goofed by sending the HMO the wrong instructions.
    The HMO did what Benefits Express told them to do.  Neither party
    thinks it is necessary to inform the ***CUSTOMER*** of this status
    change.  I am not impressed with outsourced benefit management!
    
    The good news is that Benefits Express discovered the error at their
    end, FAXed the info to the HMO, and our coverage was made retroactive
    back to 1/1/96.  They were very helpful and apologetic, but an
    error with your medical benefits is very aggrevating.  My wife was
    NOT a happy camper when she called me. {:-o
    
    Seems like I have seen a lot of problems with this process in this
    notesfile.
    
    Paul B.

    The same happen to my family we change from HMO elect to HMO, me wife
    goes to the pharmacy to get the meds, the pharmacy calls Pacificare,
    they say that we are terminated. We call Pacificare, they fix the
    problem, a week later the problem happens again when I have to get meds
    for myself!!! Finally we get it fixed, three weeks later when my wife
    takes my son in to see the doctor, the doctor's office informs my wife
    that our coverage has been terminated by Pacificare. Payroll deductions
    and Benefits Express documentation is correct!!! I hope who ever can
    fix this read this becuase it has made my life miserable these last 3
    weeks!!!!

    Does anyone else find it totally "exciting" that this same bunch of
    bozos are going to be handling our retirement monies?  :-(
    
    Harry