Threatening medical aid fund with the media

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

Now who has not had a good old fight with their medical aid fund?

I'm having a great big fight going on with mine at present  ....  not paying bills they should and getting me into a hot spot for not doing what they're supposed to do.  Telephone calls, e-mails, threats ... they just keep ignoring their liability.  Many stupid excuses and throwing the ball around in their own court - no one is catching!   (To long a story to give full details.)

Well, I have had it with them ... threatened with legal action against them  -  of course they just shrug this off, because they know it's going to cost me a ton in legal fees.  Complained to the registrar for Medical Aid Funds and the Ombudsman ....  plain answer again  -  they will look into the matter and give feedback.

Yesterday I decided  -  this is it  -  now I am going to the media with the bag of bad potatoes.  Copied all the mails and evidence (wich includes everyones name who has been neglecting their duty) -  sent a mail to my fund and pointed out that this is now going to the media and if they don't believe me they can check the validity of the mail where I sent it to  -  Media24 news !!

Today I receive this :  we are very sorry for the inconvenience and we have contacted the service provider and have required a re-submittance of the accounts and will act on it immediatly.

My point :  why do we put up with these people and take the blame for their carelessness?  Why are we scared to take on the big cahoonas who think they can downplay us just because we are individuals contributing a month premium ???????  I stated in my letter to the media that I think it is time to stand up to these hypocrates and fight for what is right !!!!!!!!

[SandyB]

Do the car poster camapign if they drag their heels .. send the pic to them  as I  did ...  give them   

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

Car poster is not going to do much for me here  -  it is the staff medical aid fund with not much exposure to the general public around here.  I have to hit them where it will really hurt  -  exposure of their bad service and administration in the business sector of the papers and in the financial magizines ....  their annual year reports may look a little different after this one !! 

[Bertie Horak]

Threat to go to media worked for me as well, Dalene.  Paid 12 years on hospital plan, NEVER claimed for anything, then when I went for operation, they didn't want to pay even though they said before-hand they would.  Their response on telephoning their head-office:  "...sir, then you didn't read the fine print...."  ---- well needless to say, that was the worst thing they could have said to me.... this normally quiet person became a cornered Leo - they paid within 48 hours of my threats.
Good luck, Dalene! 

[toonfandangl]

Same thing here Dalene as soon as you show your not afraid to put yourself on the box, mind sometimes you have to go all the way with it. Many years ago we lived in Victoria before moving here to Queensland, won't go into the details but suffice to say the medical compensation board in Victoria would not pay the bills. After travelling 2000 klms. back to Victoria and getting the run around for a week I decided to inform the 4 major TV stations about my plight.....................................it worked.... all expenses as well paid....so GO for it Dalene.........Frank.

[Dalene Steenkamp (Coetzee)]

This morning I received a mail from my medical aid fund, stating that all the accounts will be paid in full to the service provider.......

Herewith a copy of the reply e-mail that I sent to them, as well as to the Registrar of funds, the Ombudsman, the service provider, as well as to the media again :
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Pathcare,

Herewith, as per below standing e-mail received,  proof that my medical aid fund finally accepts liability of the accounts and that it will be paid to you in full.
Please inform your Credit Buro accounts department accordingly.

Lethimvula Medical Aid Scheme,

Now I have more questions in regards to all these accounts that were not paid as it should have been:

Why is liability now all of a sudden accepted and the accounts paid, after many months of pleading via telephone calls and e-mails and after my name has been dragged through the mud and after I have been handed over to the Credit Buro for not paying?  All the facts were given to you from day one on, but the only thing I got from you were promises to look into it and then feedback that you are not going to pay, for the accounts were submitted to late?  Was this a matter of you seeing how far I really would go, or to escape your own liability in regards to payment and that you thought I would be scared off and pay, whilst these accounts should have been settled by you more than 7 months ago?

As you will once again see, I am sending a copy of this to the media, to proof that I have not been sucking stories out of my thumb, but that I have actually been right. 

At this stage I am in such a bad mood about this delay of payment, due to the fact that my credibility has been affected by your fault, that I would like a letter of pardon from you in writing, which I can produce to the Credit Buro in order to clear my name.

Nadia, Media24

Hiermee bostaande, sowel as onderstaande e-pos,  in opvolg op my vorige e-pos, wat betrekking het op die aangeleentheid rakende die mediese fonds.

Groete