BCBS..should be shut down

Since receiving a cancer diagnosis in 1999 through a stem cell transplant in 2003, BCBS has done nothing but create mounds of paperwork and stress in my life. Unfortunately, I do not have the space or time to give you all the details. However, I will give you a sampling. My husband and I have carried an individual policy since 1992 because we have been self-employed and/or our employers did not provide health insurance because of the outrageous cost.

Because we are not part of a "group" policy, we pay the highest rates possible. We are middle class, hard working individuals who ALWAYS........

Sorry, I hit the wrong key and the window closed on me. Anyway, I was saying that my husband and I ALWAYS pay our bills on time, have never filed bankruptcy and give to charitable organizations whenever possible. My point here is that we are the average middle class American.

During my battle with cancer, BCBS created so much stress in my life that I was sure the cancer would return--it did. I agree with the last posting, BCBS has extremely poor customer service. Example: I received a letter yesterday indicating that our rates were going up nearly $150/person/month. It's bad enough that we are already paying $552.00/month now they want $792.00--OUTRAGEOUS!! There was a customer service number on the letter to call with questions. I called the number to have someone tell me if I was reading this wrong. The customer service person, whose name I kept, told me she could not find the information she needed to answer that question. I was livid! It seems to me that if you issue a letter to your members, you had better be more than prepared to answer questions. Believe me this is only a minor customer service complaint that I have with them.

Their policy is to deny, deny, deny. You, as a member, must audit every single EOB you receive or I guarantee, you WILL be ripped off. Following my stem cell transplant, I went back and reviewed every EOB I had received--about 4 inches of paper--and discovered that BCBS owed me over $5,000. Over several months, I remained persistent and annoying to them--they finally paid me back.

My advice, if you have BCBS for your provider, remember that their customer service people are basically uninformed, they will deny every claim at least once, and no matter how sick you are, you will be the one who has to do the paperwork and make the phone calls to receive the benefits that you are entitled to. When you need BCBS, they make it VERY difficult on you.

I suggest you find another provider--I am as soon as I hit my 5-year cancer-free mark!!!