Frankly I was a little worried when I started applying for coverage, and I applied to both Kaiser and Blue Cross to hedge my bets.
I applied online, and surprising to me, they both accepted me within a pretty short time. In each case I had asked for a relatively higher deductible, lower premium plan, with dental (still not sure I should have done that.) One plan was a little more expensive than the other, yet I still chose it.
Find out why...
Well, sad to say both companies sent Welcome packets that were less than 100% customer friendly. In each case I had questions. So in each case I moved from online to the phone and called for help.
I was in and out of my Kaiser call within 10 minutes, questions answered, nice day wished and off I go.
Blue Cross, on the other hand, had the automated voicemail tree from hell. Oh, yeah, they were trying to be all fancy and have voice recognition, only it wasn't recognizing my voice. It kept misunderstanding my slowly, clearly-stated commands and taking me to the wrong branch.
I've heard that quality control people listen to what's going on even before you get connected to a live person. In my case they heard more than their fair share of cursing and screeching: "No, I said four, FOUR!!!"
Frankly by the time I was able to get to a live person I asked for how to decline coverage.
If that's how difficult they make it for prospective customers, it must really suck once you're trying to work out a claim or something. At least that was my reasoning.
It's worth $40/month not to deal with that voice recognition tree ever again!
great post, eliza! these personal experience posts are the most compelling to me.
Posted by: enoch choi | April 28, 2005 at 12:05 PM
Thanks Enoch.
For every customer service story that actually gets told publicly, you can bet there are tons that people are only telling their friends and family! And people are more likely to tell negative experiences than positive!
Posted by: Elisa Camahort | April 28, 2005 at 12:08 PM
i shared this story with a friend who felt that patients would always go with the group providing the best care. I'm not saying either of your choices was better or worse than another, but i did share with him that you went with the one with better sign-up service.
Posted by: enoch choi | May 02, 2005 at 07:41 PM
See, we can't know in advance who is going to actually have the best health care, can we? At least not the basic unsophisticated health consumer that I know (and count myself to be one of.) So we have to go by things like cost and customer service.
Posted by: Elisa Camahort | May 02, 2005 at 07:44 PM
i love how you went with the better customer service... i used to work for Kaiser, heehee. I can say for a fact that PAMF provides better customer service than Kaiser, though. (disclosure, i'm a partner @ PAMF)
Posted by: enoch choi | May 02, 2005 at 07:46 PM
After my recent first doctor's visit experience, I'm inclined to agree.
But that's another post (in process.) :)
Posted by: elisa Camahort | May 02, 2005 at 07:48 PM
have you seen this other health care insurance blog? http://www.joepaduda.com/ he's in the biz.
Posted by: enoch choi | May 03, 2005 at 03:24 PM
I'll check him out, thanks.
Posted by: Elisa Camahort | May 04, 2005 at 01:05 PM