Content starts here
CLOSE ×

Search

I am sick of all these phone calls, UNITED HEALTHCARE

Reply
Newbie

I am sick of all these phone calls, UNITED HEALTHCARE

United Health Care: calls from 443-853-6898
I am TIRED OF THESE 2-3X wkly calls!!!!!!!!!!! wants to have a "home service" available from my medical insurance ...hang up! I NEVER gave my cell # for _this_
Caller: Home service United HealthCare?? AARP do something about it! I joined via, YOU
148,952 Views
121
Report
Contributor

As a licensed agent for Medicare Advantage Insurance carriers, I work with clients that have chosen United Healthcare as their coverage.  If you have also done that you will period receive calls from a nurse to check with you about your health, to see how your chronic illnesses are such as diabetes or high blood pressure.  Also, once a year a housecalls provider will schedule an in home appointment to come out and do another annual assessment.  These have proven very helpful and have detected in some cases early colon cancer and allowed treatment 

59,720 Views
6
Report
Contributor

If I see my doctor all the time--at least monthly, why do I need UHC calling me, asking me intrusive questions, and disappearing for a year!?  If I want the help, I'll ask for it!  And then I tell the caller to remove me from the call list, to no avail.  This is an invasion of privacy and needs to stop.

13,539 Views
0
Report
Periodic Contributor

I don't want an insurance bureaucrat inserting herself between me and my providers.  Gathering personal information from my HOME and using it against me later.  The only thing that can be of benefit to UHC is to deny claims based on these "home health" visits.  What a waste of money. 

43,561 Views
0
Report
Honored Social Butterfly

I am sure these health assessments by MA insurers could be very helpful, @SharonB897005 

 

However, let's not forget that MA providers get a bonus pay from Medicare if the beneficiary is rated at a higher risk.  The reasoning behind this (goal of risk payments) is that they want these insurers to keep these (perhaps sicker) folks under their care - Traditional Medicare doesn't want the "more" sick in their fold - and it actually penalizes the beneficiary because they probably can't get a reasinably priced supplemental plan by then either, if at all.  So Medicare pays a bonus to the insurer for treating these potentially "sicker" folks.

 

It all goes back to how the info is justifiably used and interpreted.  It should be a combination, not one or the other. (an "and" not an "or")

- to benefit the beneficiary

- to benefit the insurer's pocket

 

I am sure that that final decision is above your pay grade.  It happens with all the data combined - from doc, from health assessers, from test, from Dx codes -

 

But if the system of payment to insurers from Medicare were not so complicated and there were not so many special calls - perhaps it would be a little more forthcoming.  It is all for meeting the goal (as described above).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's Always Something . . . . Roseanna Roseannadanna
61,852 Views
3
Report
Conversationalist

@GailL1 for those who want more "inside baseball" about the Medicare payment system, this KFF article is written in mostly plain English.

https://www.kff.org/medicare/fact-sheet/medicare-advantage/

 

Probably more information than most people want or need  . . .

 

But the phone calls are about saving money.

 

Their (insurance carrier) money, not yours.


Bark less. Wag more.
55,490 Views
2
Report
Honored Social Butterfly


@somarco wrote:

@GailL1 for those who want more "inside baseball" about the Medicare payment system, this KFF article is written in mostly plain English.

https://www.kff.org/medicare/fact-sheet/medicare-advantage/

 

Probably more information than most people want or need  . . .

 

But the phone calls are about saving money.

 

Their (insurance carrier) money, not yours.


Yep, it is about the insurer's money - but if this program worked as designed for it's target purpose, it is suppose to save Medicare money too.  Shenanigans shouldn't play a part - not saying that there are shenanigans but it is hard to trust but verify the way it seems to be set up - seems the verification of the risk could be and should be more cut and dried.  

It's Always Something . . . . Roseanna Roseannadanna
0 Kudos
55,198 Views
1
Report
Periodic Contributor

When working I had UHC and they pushed these annual wellness exams and risk assessments.  They tell you its to help lower premiums.  Not once in 10 years did our premiums go down.   What I dont like is all the third party contactors UHC hires for these services.  It is no wonder medicare costs are so high.  They put 2 to 3 groups inbetween you and your doctor and each get paid.

53,063 Views
0
Report
Contributor

Removed reply to avoid possible retaliation.

42,804 Views
0
Report
Newbie

What's up with these "House Calls" program? I have a great relationship with my primary doctor, I make all of my visits, have all of my tests run on time, yet UHC keeps calling me about these home visits. I find it to be a gross invasion of privacy. I believe there is an ulterior motive and someone needs to start looking into this from a legal standpoint. I don't appreciate UHC trying to wedge itself between me and my Doctor. I already canceled my car insurance and house insurance that I had through AARP/Hartford and went back to State Farm. Perhaps I need to do the same with UHC. Also, I am tired of getting all of these renewal letters from AARP when I have over two years left on my membership. Whatโ€™s up with that?

42,170 Views
6
Report
Periodic Contributor

House Calls is a service not a requirement. They are notorious for bothering people. I agree with you about there being Medicare, UHC and their contractors between you and your doctor. No wonder Medicare costs are high. Too many people making money off something you already paid for.
48,586 Views
5
Report
Periodic Contributor

I blocked the 443 number calling from Maryland. They call but it doesn't ring. So they leave a message. We accepted one house call last year and got bad advice. We will never accept their call but I would like to know how to completely stop them. 

35,943 Views
4
Report
Contributor

I called my Advantage plan provider ( part C) and told them to put me on their do not call list for the house call program. They were calling me, wasting my time , not following through and one of their client services reps called me and was very rude so I just told her to never call my number again and hung up on her and and then called my Part C provider to get on the do not call list for house calls.

Periodic Contributor

I called and said I wanted the calls to stop. They put me on a no call list. Haven't been bothered since.

30,596 Views
1
Report

i did the same thing.  Then when I called them they would not return my calls!  I called the nurses line and she got thru and the navigator Said:. You asked us to put you on a no call list so that means we cannot call you!  He was snarky.  I asked for a supervisor and eventually was put through to someone who was Snarky again.  I think if you don't fall In line with their program they want you to say you want to quit.  Now I get my mail box jammed with magazines and reminders, and more junk surveys.  I kid you not.  Unbelievable. I am saving every box and going to show my representative how much mail I get from them every single month. 

25,186 Views
0
Report
Honored Social Butterfly


@CaroleW755826 wrote:

. . . . . We accepted one house call last year and got bad advice.


Just in a general manner . . . .

What did they do during the house call ?  Was it just about you and your bodily health or did they look around your home environment for safety and/or perhaps about specific things which would / could make your life easier or better - health-wise or care-wise?

Can you say what was the "advice" they gave.

Do you have a Medicare Advantage plan with UHC or some other type plan?

It's Always Something . . . . Roseanna Roseannadanna
27,374 Views
0
Report
Newbie

Exactly as pclarkaz says below: United makes more money by sending a (perhaps qualified) medical person to check you out, looking for conditions you might have that put you into a higher risk category for Medicare, meaning Medicare has to pay United more to cover you. Results? Profit for United! It stinks. May not be illegal (that is, if United tells Medicare the truth, and frankly how would WE know?) but it's not motivated by any other than $$ concerns.  Here's an article that may help: 

 

https://publicintegrity.org/health/home-is-where-the-money-is-for-medicare-advantage-plans/

0
Kudos
7744
Views
31,975 Views
5
Report
Periodic Contributor

From what I've read UHC gets money for every "risk" they report to Medicare but they are not required to use that money for the Med Advantage program.   Before retirement, I had regular group insurance thru UHC and they claimed the annual health risk assessments and wellness checks they were pushing, would help hold premiums down.  In the over 10 years of doing these, premiums skyrocketed and many employees who honestly answered HRA questions got dinged on their "score" which translated into less money being deposited in their Health Savings Account by the company. 

37,715 Views
0
Report
Conversationalist

I have not gone through all 5 pages of comments and replies, but it is entirely possible the calls are not from UHC or AARP representatives. Seniors are BOMBARDED with calls routinely, especially during open enrollment. The caller CLAIMS to be with a carrier or marketing group (such as AARP).

 

They may also claim to be with Medicare.

 

You will also get mail and email from individuals soliciting your business. They can and will make all kinds of claims to get you to switch plans or buy a product they claim is "free" if you are on Medicare.

 

You can put a call block on your phone where numbers not whitelisted will be rejected. That will stop the robocalls but you will also miss calls you would like to receive.

 

Consider doing what many of us do. Don't answer any phone number you don't recognize. Let it go to voice mail.

 

Most of those callers will not leave a voice mail message.

 

You can also do what my wife does. Pick up the phone but say nothing. Robocalls will generally disconnect after 20 seconds or so of dead air.


Bark less. Wag more.
30,466 Views
3
Report
Newbie

The calls are coming from UNited Health Care

27,517 Views
0
Report
Periodic Contributor

Thank you for your reply. It is DEFINITELY  UHC.  They do leave a message to call them back. 

30,618 Views
0
Report
Periodic Contributor

Thank you for your reply. It is DEFINITELY  UHC.  They do leave a message to call them back. You can not block the number because it is not always the same. The program is called โ€œHouse Callโ€™sโ€.  

30,284 Views
0
Report
Regular Contributor

My problem is with United Healthcare itself.  Their drug coverage sucks.  I am a type one diabetic.  My costs for insulin through United Healthcare is 565.00 per month.  Instead I get it through Medicare for 320.00 a month.  I thought the purpose of supplimental insurance was to cover some of the cost that Medicare doesn't cover.  So how is it that I get drugs cheaper without the insurance then with it?

This smacks of a scam to me.  Who is getting this extra 250.00?  Maybe AARP has its hand in the till so they will sponser second rate insurance.  How is this kind of treatment good for us seniors?

37,579 Views
0
Report
Contributor

I got UHC when my employer (I, as a retiree) switched to it. The only advantage is that it's a PPO, not an HMO (as the Blue Shield was).  It's a Medicare Advantage program like the one AARP offers.

The statements come often but are very reader-unfriendly and lack important information. Medicare told me that they have no records at all--because they pay UHC a monthly amount per person based on statistics, not on what medical services were actually given. So, Medicare doesn't have my medical information anymore.

It does look to me, as people have written below, that UHC is very business/profit oriented.

I try hard to avoid their phone calls.  When I said that I would not have anyone coming to my house, the woman tried a "sell" technique by offering me a Target gift card.

UHC can keep their gift cards!

37,059 Views
0
Report
Contributor

For the love of God, stop calling me please!!

34,376 Views
1
Report
Periodic Contributor

I receive between 20-30 calls a day from Humana with their AARP sponsored Advantage Plan and I signed up because it is endorsed by AARP it is not worth the paper itโ€™s printed on! They do not honor their contract!!! I was told this by several nursing home staff members even though the contract says your covered they decide when, if, and how long they are going to pay I have feedback from no less than 15 nursing home administrators and hospital administrators to dump Humana as fast as possible that they are the WORST insurance company out there 

2,797 Views
0
Report
Contributor

Add me to the club.  I have requested that they not call me.  I don't want anyone coming to my home.  My physician is on top of all my issues and the calls are a major aggravation since I get at least one a week and sometimes multiple calls.  AARP & United Healthcare need to have a way for you to opt out.  

47,747 Views
14
Report
Honored Social Butterfly


@j405912w wrote:

Add me to the club.  I have requested that they not call me.  I don't want anyone coming to my home.  My physician is on top of all my issues and the calls are a major aggravation since I get at least one a week and sometimes multiple calls.  AARP & United Healthcare need to have a way for you to opt out.  


HouseCalls From United Healthcare (aarpmedicareplans.com) updated 07/11/2017

 

IN-HOME RISK ASSESSMENT PROGRAMS: WHAT MEDICARE WANTS - Berkley Research Group

 

 

 

 

It's Always Something . . . . Roseanna Roseannadanna
0 Kudos
49,026 Views
12
Report
Newbie

Me too!  Amerigroup calls SEVERAL times a day and early in the morning when I am trying to sleep!  I block the number and they call from a different number!  I ride horses, what are they going to come tell me Iโ€™m going to trip on a rug and put a handrail in the bathtub?

0
Kudos
8577
Views
40,231 Views
11
Report
Honored Social Butterfly


@TeaS484499wrote:

Me too!  Amerigroup calls SEVERAL times a day and early in the morning when I am trying to sleep!  I block the number and they call from a different number!  I ride horses, what are they going to come tell me Iโ€™m going to trip on a rug and put a handrail in the bathtub?


It seems to be their philosophy 

Amerigroup - Whole Person Care

 

There is a lot more to it than just home safety issues as their website indicates.

 

If they are insuring you, they just want to limit their risk and make sure you are healthy, stay healthy based on what science says.

 

 

 

 

It's Always Something . . . . Roseanna Roseannadanna
0 Kudos
39,861 Views
10
Report
Contributor

It is inconvenient and they are persistent, but I am more concerned with rates being raised based on what the assessment reports back to UHC. The 'free' always seems to come with a cost.

37,875 Views
9
Report
cancel
Showing results forย 
Showย ย onlyย  | Search instead forย 
Did you mean:ย 
Users
Need to Know

NEW: AARP Games Tournament Tuesdays! This week, achieve a top score in Atari Breakoutยฎ and you could win $100! Learn More.

AARP Games Tournament Tuesdays

More From AARP