<p>Arghh. Just as we were about to make the last health insurance payment to Aetna Student Health for our d2, who is graduating law school in a few weeks (our last health insurance payment for our kids ever, I very much hope), I find that Aetna didn’t submit the charge to the correct credit card, but attempted to charge a canceled card instead. D2 received a letter from Aetna today telling her that her insurance will be canceled on May 14th. It was supposed to extend to August 14th, when health insurance from her job will take effect.</p>
<p>Like probably everyone else in America, our bank issued us a new credit card because of the Target data breach. (Why they waited until April to do this, I have no idea.) I phoned Aetna 2 weeks ago to learn how to proceed with a new credit card, and faxed them the info they requested - new CC number, authorization to charge the last premium on May 1st, yadda yadda yadda. Which they obviously ignored. If it hadn’t taken an extensive search of their website and two lengthy phone calls just to find the magic fax number, I might not be this annoyed. I’d still be somewhat annoyed because I know there are several phone calls yet to go before the problem is solved. </p>
<p>Aetna, why do you want to make it hard for people to pay you your money? People can buy lots of personal, expensive stuff online with credit cards, or by calling an operator - why is what you sell so special that you can only accept the info by fax or mail? Why did you ignore my properly addressed fax? I can’t be the only person with an automated student health payment and a new credit card. Jeez.</p>
<p>That IS annoying. It is SO annoying, I would be looking for a short term policy to bridge the gap…and NOT with Aetna.</p>
<p>Good suggestion, thumper, but I hope we can work it out with Aetna during the next 7 business days so she doesn’t have to change insurance info with her MDs. I’ve had bad luck with Aetna customer service in the past but I’ll pray for strength before calling tomorrow.</p>
<p>What about Twitter? I’ve had more and more friends say that they are getting results, or at least faster customer service when they complain on Twitter. Just a thought. (If you are like me, I’d have to have my kids help me tweet 
)
I hope you’re able to work it out…</p>
<p>I think that two of my kids have Twitter accounts (I only have the faintest idea of what it is) - that’s a very helpful idea. Thanks, gosmom.</p>
<p>I tried to complain about Delta on twitter. DId no good. They probably get lots of complaints</p>
<p>So … I somehow managed to connect with an Aetna customer service rep who thinks she’s supposed to give customer service! It turns out that the person I connected with last week gave me the wrong fax number. It’s still an Aetna number (good - I don’t make a practice of sending my credit card info to random fax numbers). And, despite the fact that all my d’s info (ID number, etc.) was outlined in the fax, OF COURSE no one who received it considered forwarding it to the correct department. Because THAT’S not a thing.</p>
<p>But this very nice lady Paula gave me her personal fax number and promised to call me later today when it was received. I’m going to get the name and address of someone in charge of customer service and write them a nice letter about Paula that is simultaneously very mean about the rest of the damn company.</p>
<p>^^^ really good idea. There’s a whole bunch of companies I’d like to do that with. But also a couple I’d have a hard time finding somebody helpful to praise.</p>
<p>Just bumping this to report that Paula was true to her word. She phoned me once she received my fax - then even phoned me the following morning to inform me that Enrollment Services had charged our credit card, so d2 will have coverage through August 14th. I’ve had so many negative experiences with customer service from health insurance companies over the years that maybe it was just my turn to get, finally, an efficient and caring rep. Whatever - I’m thankful.</p>
<p>I asked Paula for a name and address where I could send a letter of appreciation about her help (didn’t add that I planned to add quite a rant about the company in the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs). She had to put me on hold for several minutes and finally could only come up with a very general email address, and no individual name. So small wonder that customer service sucks if reps don’t know the person ultimately responsible for it - or if they’re not allowed to identify that person to customers.</p>
<p>A little off topic…but one of the DUMBEST sentences a customer service person ever uttered to me:</p>
<p>“Mrs. Thumper, you sent your POA to the wrong P.O. Box here.”</p>
<p>And my response:</p>
<p>“Well if you KNOW it was sent to the wrong P.O. Box, then clearly it was in your company hands. Where is it now?”</p>
<p>Glad it’s all solved frazzled!</p>