Ascension Health review: Community care insurance

Recent correspondence is as follows: Topic: Fraud

06/20/2025
RE: Sandra Duncan: E1438932
Memorandum
This is to note that on 06/19/2025, Miss Dunan was notified just like last year, that Ascension is claiming they did not receive Miss Duncan's annual financial application and supporting documents for Community Care Insurance mailed registered on April 7, 2025, with a return receipt certifying delivery to Box 860496 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Yesterday, we spoke with customer service representative Christy (who has bad English and was unresponsive) and finally with Escalation representative Marsha, who was completely unresponsive to our requests for help! Miss Duncan has been informed that this treatment is tantamount to constructive refusal of care for medically necessary services. Last year, because of this same tactic, Miss Duncan did not receive medically necessary services, and now here we are again. We were under the belief that "Ascension and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare share a common goal of serving all with special attention to those living in poverty and those most vulnerable." Do we need legal assistance concerning this pattern of denying care for medically necessary services?
Miss Sandra Duncan
Message from Norwin S, sent June 20 at 9:51 AM

Norwin S
Jun 20, 9:51 AM
Hi Sandra,

Good afternoon, and thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.

We sincerely regret the frustration and distress that Miss Duncan has experienced regarding her Community Care financial assistance application and recent interactions with our representatives. I understand how important timely access to medically necessary care is, and we take these concerns very seriously.

I want to assure you that it is never our intention to delay or obstruct care, especially for those seeking assistance through our Community Care program. I can see that one of the supervisors have already contacted you earlier today regarding this matter. As per the notes, it seems that we will need the copy of the original Financial Assistance Application in order to proceed.

Thank you for your patience. We remain committed to our mission of serving all, with special attention to those most in need.

Warm regards,
Message from Sandra Lynn Duncan, sent June 26 at 8:02 AM
S
You
Jun 26, 8:02 AM
06/26/2025
RE: Constructive denial of care
Dear Norman S,
You and I both know of the rigmarole that I must contend with on an annual basis to continue my health care benefits with Community Care Insurance: Not only do they claim that they didn't receive my registered return receipt from mailing the documents for 3 years running now, but they also claim it takes 2 months to process same and then they don't accept delivery of documents for an additional 30 days: thus, even without the rigmarole, it takes a minimum of 90 days to process the documents. Then, when I call in to your "escalation department," they give me the runaround and, as stated, do nothing or find a way to to correct this egregious and arguably illegal rigmarole that we both know is wrong and is successful at detering people like me from getting health care. What I find most noteworthy, however, is that after all of this, you merely state that you need yet another copy of my documents and provide no means to expedite the process, which leads me to believe that you are simply disingenuous. Please let me know specifically where I can fax or mail yet another copy of my documents (not Minneapolis for the above stated reasons) wherein they will be handled with some measure of expedience. Otherwise, I believe the time has come for me to seek legal counsel because I am eligible for the Community Care Insurance and have effectively been denied the same.
Warm regards,
Sandra Duncan
Message from Norwin S, sent June 26 at 8:39 AM

Norwin S
Jun 26, 8:39 AM
Hi Sandra,

My name is Norwin, not "Norman". I would like to clarify that the only address where you can send the Financial Assistance Application is the Minneapolis, MN address, as indicated on the application packet. Please note that the application cannot be faxed.

Additionally, I would like to remind you that Financial Assistance is not a guarantee unless a determination or approval letter has already been provided. If you wish to seek legal counsel regarding this matter, you are welcome to do so. However, please note that Financial Assistance is not a privilege, but a process that requires approval based on specific criteria.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. Should you have any further questions or require additional clarification, please feel free to reach out.

Best regards,
Message from Sandra Lynn Duncan, sent 10:56 AM
S
You
10:56 AM
07/06/2025
RE: Constructive Denial of Care
Norman,
It's clear that if you were sincere, an alternate path would have been authorized for me to send my documents via registered mail, quite a while ago, wherein the same would not be denied. Let me be clear, if you are going to make it impossible for me to renew my Community Care, it will have no impact whatsoever on me receiving the privilege of medically necessary health care, but sadly, the professionals providing the care will not be paid, and I will certainly let them know why. I have copies of all my correspondence and certified postal documents as of late that prove I fulfilled my end, as I have been doing so for over ten years with Community Care, which I just mailed in year after year, and was always approved 100% year after year. No false claims of not receiving my documents were ever made and the problems started after Ascension took over Wheaton, and the process became one of dishonesty in claiming that my paperwork was not received, which is why I began sending my documents via registered mail with certified signed receipt that they did indeed receive said documents, twice, and now make fraudulant claims they did not receive said documents!
Best regards,