Massachusetts Health Connector

Date (11/15/2017) 2:25pm

I have had the unfortunate displeasure of interacting with the individuals who work for MassHealth. This last attempt to reach someone was the worst incident. After waiting for 30+ min, which I completely understand has to do with the heavy flow of enrollment at this time of year, sadly I was met with a raspy muddled voice shouting for my info when I was simply trying to make out what they were saying. I was frustrated from this but tried to maintain composure and provide the information they asked for. The individual on the phone then paused for what seemed like 5 minutes before saying anything back and then said "Please hold" where I was apparently redirected and hung up on. Back on hold for another 30min -60min. Sick games they like to play over at MassHealth. This sadly was not the first time this has happened and is among the several juvenile tactics MassHealth employees use to torment those who try and contact them. I wish this was an isolated incident but unfortunately it is not when it comes to the terrible people who work for MassHealth. What is one to do when this is the only medium for acquiring health insurance through their state?

I have been on the phone since 9am this morning (11/10/17) and have finally been able to come to a temporary resolution at 4:20pm. The first representative I spoke with set up my plan and we got as far as me signing in on my end to submit a payment. It was then that she realized she had filed under an incorrect email address (For whatever reason I have 3 accts with them). I was on the phone with her for 2.5 hours, with her calling tech support and getting advice from other reps, before the call disconnected. I called back, got another rep who told me a case had been submitted and I would receive a call by today. Couple hours go by and no call. I called back and received another rep (don't know her name). Due to time sensitive matters I told her I needed to speak to someone immediately and she kept insisting there was no supervisor around and a callback would be received in 24-48 hours. I told her that was unacceptable so I wanted whatever phone number above this call center to speak with. She placed me on hold then hung up. I immediately called back and got Sherlie, agent ID 19140. Once I gave her my name I told her I wanted to speak with a supervisor, but she insisted she could help me. I told her I was not explaining for a 4th time the issue and she could read the notes. SHe then proceeds to argue me down telling me she can help me and no supervisors are available. Wasted 17 mins of my life, telling her I knew she couldn't help because someone higher up had to figure out which account was actually valid. She placed me on hold and continued to try to "assist". I tell her I don't have time to wait and that it shouldn't take all day for me to get insurance, it shouldn't take all day for you to take my money. She then proceeds to tell me, and I quote, "It's only $44). At that point I lost it. I asked her since it was only $44 was she going to reawch into her bank account and give me that money? She said, no not right now. I told her I was filing a complaint and magically she was able to get a supervisor in less than a minute. All day I have been trying to make a payment and it took me having to get beyond upset and belligerent for that to happen. Only one person in the entire call center knows how to take a payment until this issue is resolved? This is the kind of people you hire to help people with insurance? I don't care if it was only a penny, I'm giving you my hard earned money. I want this call reviewed and I definitely want Sherlie coached. The fact that I called 4 different times and got 4 different versions of information is absolutely ridiculous. Train your employees. Call number was 1406171

Hello, my name Jessica Miller. I've had nothing but issues with the health connector. From the beginning I was given false information. After choosing a plan I told the man I was speaking to that I may not need insurance until the next month. He told me that was fine to just start payment then. The next month I started payment. The Health connector took my payment but when I called I was informed that I did not have coverage because I was supposed to reshop. The man I spoke to never told me that. So I paid and had no coverage. The lady I talked to just put my payment towards the next month but I was left with no coverage for current month. I was told that my doctor accepted the isurance plan that I signed up for. That too was false. With the issues I had just trying to get coverage I didnt bother to switch plans. So I have not seen my doctor in a year and I refuse to go to another. I was also told that if I didnt pay before a certain time each month I would not have coverage. So when I switched over to my husbands insurance I stopped payment. No one told me I needed to call to cancel nor did it make sense that I owed money for the time i stopped payment because I was told no payment no coverage. When I called to ask why I had to pay, the woman I spoke with did not listen to anything I said and repeated over and over the same sentence instead of talking to me and trying to understand why I was upset
Literally she kept repeating the same exact thing no matter what I said. As someone who was on my own and had no idea how insurance worked, I put my trust in the health connector to guide me. I did not expect to get false information and no help. I am truly and deeply disgusted with how I was treated. It was the health connectors lack of communication and correct information that put me in stressful and costly situations. Their employees need to be better trained and more understanding when its their mistakes causing such issues. I am still in disbelief about how their employees not only treated me after causing me so many problems but then doing nothing to fix them.

Three times i've tried using ma health connector website for enrolling in health care and every time theres always stupid glitches in the site that don't allow me to continue. i've had to do applications by paper the old fashion way and spend MONTHS waiting for coverage because of this. By far the worst website i've dealt with. They need to fix this ASAP

The Hyannis Public Library offers fax service to any member of the public. The customer pays for this service.

Many individuals and families use the public library's fax service to transmit applications for health insurance benefits from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. A confirmation sheet indicating that a fax has been sent is always printed for the customer to keep.

This week, I have had two customers return to the library with the news that Mass Health claims the faxes sent last week -- that had transmission confirmations -- were "not received."

Our library customers place their trust in the services provided by the library. When told that the recipient of a fax claims not to have received it -- despite the fact of the transmission verification -- I become quite concerned. What do you think might be happening? I am aware that the volume of documents sent to Mass Health is staggering. However, I need to make sure our staff is providing the best customer service possible.

Is there an individual at your organization that can be contacted to confirm receipt of a fax? A phone number? A name? How can we help you help our citizens? They are placing trust in us and in you.

Please advise.

Very truly yours,

Carol Anne DeLuca
Library Clerk

At one point a couple of years ago, I was briefly on Mass Health. I got a job w/benefits, so I cancelled Mass Health. I'm now a full-time student, with insurance I buy through school, however, I only need 2 classes to go, which is not enough to qualify for the school insurance plan. I went on the Connector and was told by the system I wasn't eligible for insurance (?!?). I called and was told that 1. I couldn't purchase a Connector plan because my current 1099 contractor status prevented me from having verifiable income, so I had to use Mass Health, but 2. a "block" had been put on me for Mass Health because I'd gone off it. (?!?) I questioned this -- I mean, what if your situation changes, as mine did? Was I being penalized for a time when I no longer took taxpayer help when I went off it and joined an employer plan? NONE OF THIS MAKES SENSE.

I was instructed to call Mass Health. I called and waited a good 15 minutes before anyone could speak with me. After reciting my story AGAIN, I was told that I needed to call Mass Health enrollment to have them allow me to qualify. I've tried calling on my lunch break, but the wait time is ridiculous. This is the most poorly run, bureaucratic crapshow I've ever encountered. If the state's goal is to make me pay for an extra class just to get insurance, or struggle with paying for a marketplace plan, they should pat themselves on the back because they've won.

Member ID [protected]

I recently applied for the mass health connector and was approved for coverage as of August 1. While collecting unemployment for the month of June I did not know nor was I told that I had to sign up by June 23 in order to be covered for July 1. In any case I called filled out an application over the phone it was covered.

On July 2 my husband had an accident at 3:30 in the morning split his head open and had to be rushed to the emergency room. I was told to call you because sometimes under certain circumstances you will retroactivate coverage. I called July 3rd and spoke with a woman who I explained my situation to. After being put on hole a few times she informed me that my husband WOULD BE COVERED AND WE WOULD NOW HAVE COVERAGE RETROACTIVATED TO JULY 1st. She informed me that in order for this to happen I had to fax over paperwork from the hospital to your department for the health insurance processing center it was regarding proof of QLE hospitalization . She also told me that I had to go online that day July 3 and make a payment for July and August upfront for the amount of $657.98 which I did immediately and I have the email to show payment I also have the confirmation from the paperwork that I faxed over to [protected] the health insurance processing center.

Today I called to confirm Everything and was told that we are not going to be covered now starting July 1 because his emergency was not an overnight stay the woman I spoke with on July 3rd did not specify that she took my information told me I was approved told me to send payment and send the fax today I'm told that we are not covered as of July 1 but will be as of August 1st First of all the woman that helped me on the 3rd should be reprimanded Or fired for giving me all the wrong information. I am unemployed at this point it had to come up with $657 to send you in one day and sent it did everything I was asked to do and now you're telling me that we're not covered. I have already reported this to the District Attorney's Office for Massachusetts. This is unfair and wrong for you people to do this to people she should not have told me we had covered she should not have asked me for that payment she should have said we will get back to you but instead I had to come up with all that money and pay you that day. Supposedly there's a credit coming back to me, but I was also told that went that would take almost 45 days to even get. I am extremely upset about this this is not fair to someone who is currently unemployed and has limited funds available. Something should be done and I should be given coverage as of July 1 for the wrong information given to me on July 3 my husband had a serious accident and was hospitalized for the day in the emergency room they did want to keep him overnight but he refused to stay thinking it would be too much to pay for.

Then on top of all of this I find out today that my son Tyler doesn't even need to be on my health connector plan which you people neglected to tell me but instead made me pay for I found out yesterday that he is actually covered through The children's medical security act.

My phone number is [protected] for my email is [protected]@iCloud.com could someone please get back to me !

My name is Quanyu Xu (DOB [protected]; Member ID [protected]), a member of HealthConnector. I cancelled my Delta Dental insurance at the end of April and realized that my bank account was charged for it again on May 23th. I called the customer service the next morning and the lady who answered my phone (I did not realize this would be an issue so I did not ask for her name) told me that I can ask for a refund but she can not issue it since I will need to call the next month for a refund.

I therefore called again in June 1st, however, Debbie, who answered my phone, told me that I am not eligible for any refund and the lady who answered my phone "could not have told it since the system had some issues and she could not have checked it". I wonder if "the system had issues", how can you tell your client something that you are not even sure about? If Debbie were correct, then whoever answered my phone simply tried to avoid solving the problem since she could not even see the record.

In any case, I am so not satisfied with the inconsistent customer service, and also I would like to re-ask for the refund for the charge made on May 23th. Thanks a lot.

On 4/10/17 I recognized that my wife's medical and dental coverage has been dropped from my family coverage with BMC and Delta Dental. After many hours and multiple phone calls I was reassured that she is in fact had coverage. Even a three way phone call with an BMC official with a promise of a statement to be sent to acknowledge coverage. It never happened. Then another health connector agent brought up "proof of residency requirement" and advised how to send the information. It was faxed and also sent in by registered mail on 4/20/17. On 4/24/17 a call to the connector I was told that they never received or any documentation of receipt of the requested information. He refused to identify him self nor would transfer me to a supervisor. On 4/25/17 I received a surprise call from the connector that everything was back in order and my wife should be able to see the doctor the next day. Today is the 27th of April the problem remains unresolved. This is the poorest customer care I have ever received and putting customers at risk of health disasters unable to get medical attention when needed due to administrative failure. We have not taken a chance to go to the doctor because extraordinary bills that can pile up. Already we had to pay the potion of insurer's dental coverage for a procedure for my wife as she was taken off dental coverage as early as January 2017 which we did not know till April 2017.

In December 2016, I cancelled the health insurance for myself and my son. In error, the Mass Health Connector also cancelled my dental insurance. I was told in December, the issue should be resolved by the end of December. This issues is still not resolved. They recently stated in April 2017 that it should be active but for some reason the computer system has not updated it. I have asked to speak to managers and have been told that they are not available and when I have spoken with a manager they stated that they could not assist in resolving the matter. It has been four months, and I am still not able to use the dental insurance that is paid in full. My son and I have had to pay out of pocket. I have called several times each month since December and no one has assisted in resolving this matter.

I have only had health connector since January and every month my payments have been different. Every time I call each person tells me something different and then say they don't know where the other person came up with that. I called to check coverage a few weeks ago and the lady told me that I needed to send in paperwork or I was going to get cancelled within the next week. I received no notice of that so we rushed our paperwork in. Once received they decided we could afford more and instead of telling us I just got a bill. It went from 200 to 400 a month and I called to confirm this was why and they said yes. Although I didn't agree with it I had no choice. I was told that on April 23rd my new payment would be $415 not the month before that. My paperwork indicates that. I went to pay online last week and it was $623. I called and the lady told me she didn't know where the extra 200 came from but she had all of my new employer info in. I explained I have work for the same company for 5 years and she proceeded to tell me they input my document in the computer wrong. I also said I thought my income was wrong so she changed that too. When fixing it she told me my payment is now $314 this month. I didn't know online doesn't update so I called again today to ask why it was still $623. I was then told that I owe 200 from last month and I said that was impossible I paid you. But apparently they decided to add the 200 into last month and not notify me at all and just put me as past due and tacked it on to this month. I said that was completely unfair they can't do that and asked to speak to the manager who also said the same. I explained that I have made all my payment and how wrong it is to not notify someone of changes to their account. That I didn't have the extra 200 so then he says I STILL have to pay the 623 even though they Inputted my information wrong in the system he cannot "make a bill just go away". And just kept saying sorry with nothing to back it up. So you are trying to tell me that not only did YOU mess up my paper work but I still have to pay for it even though it was YOUR mistake not mine. I also was asked how much I thought I made and I said 15, 000 and the guy on the phone said I made them change it from 20, 000 and I said put whatever my taxes are you just asked me what I thought I made. I don't understand how something that is so important for everyone to have is so completely disorganized. I am a waitress and now I have to come up with another 300 that is your companies fault on top of all my other bills. I have to pay the price for someone else's mistake and thatsnot right. Oh and I was told that since I'm past due you won't cover any of my prescriptions until I pay up. So not only did everyone I talk to there lie to me but you now have my account past due and over 200 that I should have never been charged in the first place but now I can't fill any of my scripts at the pharmacy. This whole experience is completely mind blowing how poorly run this company is. If anyone could help me that would be amazing. All I want is to get a consistent bill in the mail for the same amount every month and pay you. That's literally all I want. I shouldn't have to jump through hoops to pay you and drain me of all my money. It's unfair now I have to struggle the next few weeks to come up with enough to pay you because someone messed up.

I was issued a refund check last December. Never received. I called Health connector to notify them of the misplaced check in January. They told me they will send me a new one and that it will take up to 90 days. I waited. Called again today [protected]) and was informed that the new check was never issued because the first check was cashed. But not by me and they never informed me of it.
I called multiple times today and all I could gather is that the check was cashed on December 29th. But I also need the bank information to start a claim and I was not able to obtain that information.
I filed a report at the Salem MA police department but they will not be able to do anything with just a date.
HC should be able to provide me with more information about where the check was cashed.
Also the HC representative today gave me a phone number that was supposed to be for the fraud department but it was not and the second rep I talked to told me that they do not have a fraud department at all.
Please review my case and contact me with more information.

[name removed]
[phone number removed]
[email removed]

Smita anthony
89 grace ave
Shrewsbury, ma - 01545
2/1/17
Mahealth connector

Massachusetts

Dear mahealth connector :
This letter is to complain about service I recently received from a mahealthconnector customer service representative. I called mahealthconnector on february 1, 2017, to find out medical insurance for our kids.
We received disqualified for masshealth notice (notice id – [protected]/510/appr-cmsp-121216) on dec12th for members :abel mathew, dob : september 15h 2010 and abigail mathew, dob: july 23rd 2014. along with the disqualified letter letter we got another letter mentioned about the same members are qualified for another plan named “connectcare plan type 3b with advance premium tax credit;
Abel mathew temp member id : [protected] and
Abigail mathew, temp member id : [protected].
Practically these plans are not active and we didn’t receive any id cards or anything so far.
Both the kids are sick now and we cannot take care of our kids because we don’t have a plan.
Through our work place in order for us to get the coverage we may have to show a denial letter but we asked the customer service representative for min 100 times but they said “ we cannot send a letter like that”
If you cannot provide masshealth is fine but atleast provide a denial letter so that we can try from another source or private for a qualifying event.
Sincerely,
Smita anthony

I am a stay at home mother with a newborn baby. My sitter was unavailable, so i had to bring my child with me to the worcester office to provide proof of identity. Literally show a birth certificate and ss# . Two hours later, i am still here waiting. Why are you so understaffed? You are setting your employees up for failure. Two more employees in this office would have it running much smoother.

the first error that was made by the health connector was when my premium for january was not deducted. I had no insurance coverage for january, which meant that I had to change doctor appointments, plus I could not afford my prescriptions. In september the statement I received from the health connector had an increase to my monthly premium and a large adjustment amount. i called numerous times to find out what the adjustment was for, no one that I talked to new why there was this adjustment amount. it took from 9/14/15 to 10/05/15 for the health connector to figure out that the adjustment was for january. When I told them that i had no insurance coverage for january and did not want to pay for nothing, they said they would check with my carrier. i got a call on 10/15/15 from lisa saying that my carrier OK'd it. I told her i wanted the adjustment amount applied to the november premium. i thought what I said was understood, but it wasn't. instead, more money was deducted from my account. i asked for a refund, that still has not happened. i have made numerous calls and no one seems to know what's going on with my account. it's impossible to speak with the same person twice, and even though they say someone will call you, no one ever does. i have documents that I can mail to you if you can give me your address, or i can fax them to you. i have no way to do it on-line