UHC Customer Service

[gallupr]

I finally had enough of the poor quality of customer service with UHC.  Both their supplemental plan and drug plan need a make over in properly handling customer questions.  They are extremely frustrating and their phone representatives are not trained well to handle the basic of questions.  For example, my wife and I had to go through multiple hoops to give me authorization to conduct business with UHC regarding my wife.  Each time I had to speak on her behalf, we had to go through a long winded process before they allowed this to happen.  They also do not seem to log their calls so that there's a record of previous issues and how those issues were resolved.  I just off the phone with them trying to get my January premium refunded since I had canceled and gone with another carrier -- for a lot less money and a more reasonable customer service experience.  Their Part D side handled the cancelation without issue but the supplement side was a horrible, frustrating, experience.  Why AARP continues to promote UHC when they have been notoriously lacking in the customer service area not only for Medicare supplements and Part D plans but their standard group insurance health plans.  This seems to be the only way to register a complaint with either AARP and UHC.  AARP needs to service their customers better than to promote a substandard carrier.

[DaveM982460]

Totally agree.  Their customer service managers promise to call back and never do, so you get to start over.  I've only found one representative that could help and I can't seem to get back to her.

Has anyone found a way to file a formal complaint to AARP or UHC other that this message board?  

[JanisBR]

I am at a choice point for deciding which Medigap plan.  I have dealt with AARP UHC Customer Service three times through the enrollment process, and I can't understand their accent, their answers are not enough information, and I just get the same response.  Blue Shield of CA has been very good, clear, eager to outreach on my behalf.  Despite the slightly higher cost, I will remain w Blue Shield so I can actually use their services smoothly.  Too bad.  I had wanted UHC.

[MH378578]

I understand what you mean by BAD customer service by AARP/UHC!  I regret signing up with United Healthcare. The new year has not even begun and I have dealt with so many poor UHC representatives and getting letters from UHC regarding false information about my account because they fail to do their jobs and research what is accurate. I am constantly having to do their jobs for them and telling them they need to correct their records. They are very bad about passing you around to too many different representatives as well. I will be dropping AARP/UHC…ASAP because of their poor service. You would think a large company that collects a ton of money from the government (which is really the hard working tax payers money), that they could properly train and afford to give their members better service! Or maybe they just don’t care! I will choose they don’t care….sadly! 

[jj14607478]

And AARP/UHC just doubled their premium to pay for the bad service.

[dt18915065]

I've  had that experience with them & others as well. The problem is the rep/person doesn't really want to go above and beyond, in fact it seems they don't want to do anything. they don't listen and relate to what you are saying.  If you get someone who does that's when you get results. They need to monitor their rep/agents more thoroughly. But then maybe those are the kind of people they want working for them so you or me don't get what is due us without a hassle.

[Maidenwarrior]

I wrote a written inquiry to AARP sometime last year inquiring as to how and why they made the decision to promote UHC.  I got a canned response saying AARP has not received any complaints from it's members regarding the services UHC provides.  My question was ignored.  One would like to think that AARP engaged in due diligence when they selected UHC, but likely it has to do with contributions that UHC makes to AARP.  Interestingly, my pension plan promotes UHC.  If enough AARP members banded together and requested transparency from AARP, perhaps our questions would be answered.  I don't think any of us believe there won't be some corruption/fraud in these programs, but we do have a right to know how it is AARP is such a supporter of UHC.

Would you mind sharing who your new Advantage Plan is, and how you chose them?

[k56030t]

I absolutely agree. AARP has not sought any improvements in UHC customer service. I have not seen any statements by AARP in response to the known complaints by a large number of members of the poor customer service by UHC.  

[ggprice2006]

My wife is on the AARP plan and has had cancer now for 3 years.  It has been a nightmare dealing with this insurance company during that time.  This past year every time I turned around, I'd get a new bill from cancer center treating her that was months old.  I finally went in and talked to the finance lady about what was going on.  She told me that UHC was known for holding onto bills for months before approving them and submitting them to the cancer center for billing us.  For example, two of the bills I paid in December were from February and April of 2023.  Right after that I got a bill for $122 for the chem pump she has to bring home twice a month.  The charge is supposed to be $53.70 every two weeks.  When I called the company about it, they told me basically the same thing.  UHC doesn't release the bills to them to send to us at any given time, just when feel like it.  You would think if AARP is supposed to be for senior citizens so much they'd do something about an insurance company that is taking advantage of the very people AARP is bent on helping.

[gallupr]

My wife and I went to an independent insurance broker who reviewed the different supplement and drug plans.  After reading reviews and looking at ratings, we choose a supplement and drug plan from Blue Cross Blue Shield of IL.  Good Luck.