ISSUES/RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
The following are issues and recommended actions that community members desire to put to you for your consideration. If they move you to act, please do so. If you differ with what is expressed, feel free to open issues for debate and/or submit your own entry for consideration. Where possible keep focused on expressing your understanding of an issue rather than attacking what others express. Trust that the members of our community have enough understanding and intelligence to evaluate what is expressed, feel what their hearts/souls tell them, and act accordingly. Just express yourself clearly and let your information flow from your heart. Those who are meant to hear will indeed hear and be moved to act.
I have had more than my share of dealing with incompetance and what I consider
to be POOR or BAD service in that past few months. I have reached a point
in my life where I simply will not tolerate it. Rather, I feel
compelled to speak out and and do something to right the problem no matter
what it is, and no matter what it takes.
My MCI nightmare is documented below. It has resulted in lack of long distance service for over two and a half months. I still can't believe it ... but it is fully documented.
Recently, I had interesting experiences with USAA and Blue Cross of California as well. I refuse to accept anything less than high quality service anymore. I hold myself to this standard for the services that I deliver ... I expect no less from the services that I pay for.
Here is the letter that I sent to Blue Cross:
13 April 1997
FROM: Wayne Hartman
SUBJECT: HEALTH BENEFITS [12345G, The Aerospace Corp, 575682184]
TO: Blue Cross of California
1. I do not understand why I am required to pay more than my $10 co-payment for these medical services.
2. When I first inquired about getting Lithium level checks for my bipolar condition in December, you sent me to The Holman Group to get approval. After two visits with a therapist there, they authorized sending me to a medical doctor to get tests done needed to ensure that the Lithium that I take daily is at the proper level and is not doing damage to any body organs/functions. They sent me to Dr xxxxx. I was under the impression that the services provided by The Holman Group were free to me, and at most would be subject to my $10 co-pay. Why they sent me to someone that is a "non-participating provider" is NOT my problem nor my responsibility.
3. I have not requested, nor do I need or desire, mental health care at this time. I have not needed such care for nearly 3.5 years nor do I expect to need it at any time in the future. Further, $110 for a 20 minute visit with a doctor that knows less about my condition than I do is ridiculous. It is not worth my time to take the 30 minutes required to drive to his office for these short visits.
4. What I need is an M.D. that can prescribe my Eskalith. I am down to one 450 mg pill per day. I started at 3 of these pills per day in Nov 93 and have been gradually reducing it. That is all it takes to control the physical part of my condition. Based on my experience since the bipolar condition was diagnosed in Oct 93, I also need blood tests done every 4-6 months to check the lithium level and to ensure that no harmful side effects are developing in my body. I don't care what doctor provides this minimum level of care. Further, I consider any additional care above and beyond this to be excessive and a waste of not only my money but yours as well. I am fully capable of handling my own mental health and state at this time.
5. Please take care of this matter in whatever way is appropriate. I will not pay anything beyond my $10 copay per visit. For the 6 month checkups, please let me know who to go to that is a "participating provider". If possible, I would prefer to go to a designated lab for the bloodwork each 4-6 months and communicate via telephone or better yet e-mail to get the results of the tests and adjust my medication level as required.
6. I don't like doctors in general, and would prefer NOT to use their services at all, unless it is required.
THANK YOU,
Wayne
And, here is the response that I received in the mail today:
4/22/97
Blue Cross of California
We hope the following will answer your inquiry.
[The following is handwritten on the form.]
The $10 co-pay applies to the doctors office visits only, not psychiatric examinations, which is what we were billed for. If we were billed incorrectly, please let us know so the proper adjustments can be made. Otherwise the claim can have no further adjustments.
- Thank You -
[End of handwritten entry.]
If you have any questions regarding this answer, please contact our office.
Sincerely
BLUE CROSS CLAIMS DEPARTMENT
Work Center =: 0004
Clearly, we have a major problem communicating.
Why is it that I am confronted by such SERVICE so often? Surely, it is obvious that this response does not begin to address the problem that I took the time to express in my letter to them.
Surely I cannot be the only one noticing that many of the "services" provided in the world leave a lot to be desired. How prevalent is this problem? Is it just large organizations that are this screwed up, or does it occur everywhere. No wonder our country and our world have so many problems?
Perhaps YOU have ideas on how to deal with matters such as this??? If so, please offer them so that others can benefit from them as well.
My interesting experience continues with a company that clearly does not
understand what CUSTOMER SERVICE means. In my particular case, the symptoms
of the problem are wasted time getting to customer service, loss of long
distance telephone service for over five weeks, and complete incompetance
of customer service in dealing with the problem MCI caused.
I find the way MCI has treated me, and is treating others, COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. And, I believe that by making people aware of the way MCI does business as a volunteer consumer advocate, I empower myself to act in a manner that forces MCI to deal with the REAL problems in how they are treating all their customers.
Anyway see Denial of Long Distance Service for details. [Scroll quickly to the final third of the page for newly posted e-mails and letters]. But beware, seeing how MCI is choosing to handle this has had me ROFL a few times already. I've known for awhile that many companies simply don't care. But, this is far worse than I had ever imagined. My latest action is a Letter to the President of MCI. You may find it interesting.
See last month recommended action if you care enough to join me in this effort. Also, keep in mind that everything I have done is directly transferable and can be used to support other causes ... hopefully more effectively than it has worked with MCI thus far. However, time is on my side, or so I choose to believe.