Aetna Health Insurance

Save up to $379 on Your Auto Insurance. Compare Quotes from Top Providers Now! Find the Best Deal and Apply! - Adv.

Traci of Orem, UT September 17, 2009

Yesterday was the most frustrating day. I placed an order with my pharmacy mail order company. I got a call back, "Sorry, we can't place your order, you owe 125 that we sent to collections." Hmmm. Never knew about that one. I asked them what the charges were for. "I'm sorry maam, you'll have to call the collections department."

Called collections department. "We don't show where those charges came from. We'll have to investigate. I'll call over to the pharmacy and call you back in 15 minutes." 6 hours later, I was still waiting. Called three times in 2 and a half hours. Every time I got, "he's on break." Damn. Where can you work that you can take a two and a half hour break? Oh, my health insurance company that charges me an arm and a leg and then isn't available to take my calls.

Finally got a hold of guy I talked to in collections department. Told me, "I sent an email over there. I never got a response." (What about the CALL you said you were making??) Than had the nerve to say, "I'm doing all I can on my end maam." (ARE YOU KIDDING ME?) Then had even more nerve to tell me, "It's five o'clock out here. I really doubt I'll be able to get a hold of anyone over there." (I'm competitive, bet me!) Hung up.

Called over to mail order pharmacy company. "Yeah, I called collections like you told me too, and they can't figure out where the 125 charges are coming from. He said he sent an email over six hours ago and doubted he could get a hold of you this time of day. But yet you're still here. Maybe you can help me?" Associate laughs, mumbles something about collections than looks up my account and tells me there were three seperate prescriptions that were sent but never charged for. "How can that be? You charge my account right when you send the order. You know, like that 90 you charged me for my husband's insulin and prescriptions but won't send out because there are past prescriptions from a year to almost two years ago that you claim I didn't pay for? Why wasn't I told this earlier?"

Check out the associate's answer, it's classic! "Well, in the past we've just sent out orders without payment. With the recession we have a lot of people that owe us money and we're just doing what we can to collect money owed to us."

"So Ms. Associate, what you're telling me is, some of these unpaid prescription's are from over close to two years ago--way past the time I'll be able to track those on my personal account, and you charge me for my current prescription but fail to send it out because I owe you money from a year to two years ago that you tell me about NOW? How many prescriptions have I placed since October of 2008? Why didn't an associate EVER say, "Hey, you owe us 55. We didn't charge for it, but it's due. I would've HAPPILY have paid it. But no one EVER did. You've sent out 3 different prescriptions that you never charged me for but charge for all of the rest of them. And then you send me to collections so it's on my husband's credit on something we didn't know about!

This is yet another classic example of great customer service. Now you're withholding vital medication that my husband has to have and that we've paid for because you forgot to tell me about past charges I've had for over a YEAR?!? You've continued to send out orders to me for the PAST YEAR and never notified me I've had charges that weren't taken care of when I've called and placed orders? I'm sorry you're suffering, but I'm suffering too. I've just paid you almost 100 to NOT get my medications. Now you tell me I HAVE to pay you before I'll get my medications. You give me no time at all to pay you, but yet you take all the time you want sending me out medications my husband has to have in order to survive? We leave in a week. I don't have time. The least you could do is help me out a little so we can get these prescriptions to us before we leave." "Let me see what I can do. Well, I could take a partial payment of 100 before we send them out."

Post Note: Today: Tried again to see if we could work out an arrangement to pay at a later date. Told associate that the charges for my order that was never sent were still on my account. Associate said it was a "temporary charge" until the order was completed than it would be processed. What the ??? does that mean? Managers I've talked to are unwilling to agree to allow me to pay the 125 next Friday and send the order because it was over a year old. Talked to manager about why I've been allowed to place so many orders without them ever telling me I owed money and the associate said, "because we updated our system." I asked the associate if it was done Monday night, and she said, "awhile ago." So shouldn't I be allowed to make an arrangment and still have the order I've paid for and is pending sent???

Robert of Morton, PA September 17, 2009

I would like to file a complaint against Aetna Insurance, (LTD), for failure to act in an appropriate manner regarding my current application for long-term benefits. I have been out of work since February 12, 2009 with an injury, and paid for LTD insurance while I was at work. I filed for LTD in the middle of July 2009, and as of the above date, Aetna has still yet to make one payment to me. I am entitled to this insurance since I paid for it, but Aetna has failed to make good on it. They continue to make excuses. They have incessantly stated that they must investigate to make sure my injury was not a pre-existing one, which they should have found out by now that it wasn't, and when you call to find out, my caseworker Jennifer does not return calls.

After reading many stories on the Internet about Aetna, I am finding that many other people have had the same experience, whereas Aetna has come up with excuse after excuse for not paying the injured party. This should not be allowed to go on like this. People are entitled to insurance they take out in just such an emergency. Aetna is collecting people's money but not giving the insurance that was paid for. I have supplied everything they asked for, in a very timely manner, yet they have come up with excuse after excuse. I am planning on writing letters to every committee person I can, every Internet portal, news agency, chat site, newspaper letting them know how Aetna treats its customers. I am entitled to being paid and Aetna refuses to do such, but collected my money for the last few years.

Julia of Philadelphia, PA September 15, 2009

I am a retiree of AT&T Communications on Medicare. After thorough investigation and research on my part, I was told by an Aetna Health Insurance representative that I would not get a much needed shingles vaccine because I was on Medicare. Aetna administers the AT&T health plan(s) services to AT&T employees/retirees. Aetna informed me that they would cover only employees/retirees NOT on Medicare. Medicare Part B does NOT cover shingles vaccinations. One must have Medicare Part D to get the vaccine.

I do not have Part D because I have private secondary insurance and prescription coverage from AT&T. I asked for a one time exception by Aetna/AT&T in order to get the vaccine, but they refused. I will pay out of pocket over 200. for the vaccine which requires special packaging for refrigeration.

In addition, I will have to pay my Primary Doctor fee (over 100. dollars,) to administer the vaccine. The risks involved in not getting this vaccine is too high. Furthermore, the cost for the vaccine would be far less than to treat the virus once it has been contacted. I am in my 60's and need this preventive measure in order to avoid this very painful virus.

michael of Old Greenwich, CT September 9, 2009

very rude kept saying a refund check was in the mail for 3 months. called back said they never recieved fax of claim. had names and id # of people i spoke to. every time i spoke to a new person they would say all the other people you talked to were incorrect.

J. of Milford, PA August 27, 2009

Because I will be 55 in September, Aetna sent me a notice that they are raising my monthly premium more than 25%. I have never been hospitalized, nor had a major illness, don't smoke, my weight is fine, etc. The cost is prohibitive and seems exploitive. Is there anything I can do?

Sandra of Chicago, IL July 25, 2009

Here is my situation: I began my insurance coverage with Aetna on Feb. 1, 2009. On May 11, 2009 I canceled my insurance coverage with Aetna. I did this first over the phone and later via email (see the attached email below). I called Aetna again on May 18, 2009 to confirm that my policy had been canceled. I was assured that this policy had indeed been canceled. My initial payment (for February 2009) was made by check, all other premiums were supposed to be deducted automatically from my checking account. March 2009 was deducted on schedule from my checking account. Somwhere at Aetna things went badly from this point. I am now told that Aetna FORGOT to withdraw my premiums from my checking account for April 2009 & May 2009. I was just made aware of that fact today (two months AFTER I canceled the policy).

Around June 21st I received a statement from Aetna stating that I was being refunded 508.00. SURPRISE! I called Aetna and was told it was for my June 2009 and May 2009 premiums - since I had canceled in early May 2009. I though this was odd, but was assured that it was because they had already withdrew funds for May 2009 and June 2009 from my checking account (prior to my cancellation). I accepted their explanation and my refund. To add further insult, instead of CANCELING my policy as I requested by phone and email (see below) it appears that some incompetent employee VOIDED me and all record of my insurance out of their system. According to Aetna, this means that the bill they should have covered (for February 2009) to my Dr. for 150.00 is being rejected. This fraudulent and negligent act initiated the 508.00 refund (that I did not expect) and the refusal of the claims for services performed in February 2009. THIS IS FRAUD and it is illegal. You can not pretend that I was never a member and you can not deny coverage when I had paid the premiums for the month and the month that followed. Isn't that fraud. suppose I had had surgery during that time. the bills would be more than 30,000.00. I would loose everything.

After two days and no less that 6 phone calls, I finally spoke with someone that understood the problem. Cheryl handled my call very professionally. She took my information and worked very quickly to assess the situation - no small feat considering I was one step away from contacted someone at the Chicago Tribune. She then connected me to Kristine. Kristine also handled the situation very well. Let me be clear - I do not blame either of these ladies for the ridiculous and incompetent way this fiasco has been handled. Having said that, when Kristine suggested the Aetna way to fix this problem that Aetna had created I laughed out loud. She was told to suggest the following: In order to get this 150.00 claim paid I would need to #1 give the 508.00 back to Aetna (they believe it's a refund for February 2009 and March 2009 premiums), #2 pay 254.00 for April 2009 premium and 254.00 for May 2009 premiums. To recap - aetna wants me to pay 508.00 (that they refunded me in error) PLUS 508.00 for the two months that they were supposed to withdraw from my account in April 2009 and May 2009. All of this to cover 150.00 that was supposed to be paid nearly 5 months ago. SERIOUSLY?!?

I think Aetna owes my Dr. 150.00 for her claim in February 2009 + any interest that she is owed for carrying this delinquent bill on her records for nearly 5 months. Furthermore Aetna owes me for the stress, mental anguish and the 4 hours of time spent on the phone on 2/23/09 and 2/24/09.

Denise of Avalon, NJ July 10, 2009

Aetna refused to cover out of network costs specifically for the hospital. They only covered the doctor. Since Aetna was found negligent in not covering out of network costs in another matter, do I have any recourse in forcing them to cover the costs instead of my having to pay additional cost to the hospital?

Chrissy of Lexington, IN July 8, 2009

I sent in my prescription for my son's medication. I have been getting his 90-day supplies of this same medicine, from the same doctor and this same pharmacy, for over a year. However, this time the doctor neglected to write the prescription for 90 days and accidentally only wrote it for 30 days. This was an obvious mistake and should be very easy for the pharmacy to detect. Why in the world would a I intentionally send in a 30-day prescription and pay a 90-day co-pay? Why would I WANT to pay 300% of what I would normally pay?

I feel there should be checks and balances in place to catch obvious mistakes such as these. I was told it was up to ME to make sure the prescription is correct prior to mailing it. Considering I am mainly concerned with getting it in the mail so that my son doesn't miss a dose of medication, I don't feel it's fair to place 100% of the burden on me to make sure my doctor wrote the prescription correctly.

The sad thing is, there is an easy fix to this obvious mistake. I simply have my doctor fax a correction to the pharmacy and I get my missing 60 days of medication. However, the pharmacy refuses to give me any retribution whatsoever. They know a mistake was made, but are thumbing their nose at me. Their explanation is pathetic. After all, I AM the customer everywhere you look in this situation - to the doctor and to the pharmacy.

Fatimah of South Holland, IL July 8, 2009

I contacted Aetna's Behavioral Helath Department in December 2008 for a referral to a counselor for stress related issues. I started seeing the counselor soon after but had to stop because paying a co-pay for going three times a week was too costly. I called Aetna to see if there were any other programs that I could attend. I specifically told the representative that I could not afford co-pays. She recommended a 6 week program at a nearby hospital. She told me that I would have to attend everyday from 8am-4pm and that everything would be covered 100%. I started the program that next week and was there for 32 days.

To my suprise, after the program ended I received a bill from the hospital for 640. I promptly called in to Aetna to ascertain the problem. The rep told that I was charged the staandard co-pay for everyday I attended the program. I informed her that I was told that I would not have a co-pay. She rudely told me that it wasn't her problem. I then asked to speak to a supervisor. The rep infored that there was no reason to speak to a supervisor because they would tell me the same thing that she just told me. I told her that I didn't care what she thought the supervisor would say amd that I would still like to speak to the supervisor. She asked me to hold and then hung up on me. I called a second time and asked to speak to a supervisor. I was told that she was busy and that if I left a voicemail my call would be returned. I left a voicemail and of course I never received a call. I tried again a couple weeks later and was told that the manager was in a meeting but that she would return my call shortly if I left a message. I left a message and still no return call yet.

This is very frustrating. No one has the time to constantly call and try to rectify someone else's mistakes. What is the point of them having a job if I have to do it for them? This is not the first issue I have had with Aetna. They are the worst insurnace ever.

Alan of Santa Barbara, CA July 1, 2009

Incompetence at all levels. Random cancellation and reinstatement of policy. Failure to pay claims in timely manner, resulting in dunning notices to patient. Employees answer phone but keep no record of the call. Repeated requests for prescription refills from Aetna Pharmacy are ignored, lost,... I hate these people. I wish they would all drop dead. The CEO does not deserve one dime, and the employees are so incompetent that they should all be fired. A bunch of outright liars.

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

Share		Follow us on Twitter.

Back to the top |