SiCKO - The Official Site - In Theaters June 29th

UnitedHealthCare ( )

36 Comments

Gerry Hunt Says:
May 31st, 2007 at 9:05 pm
The last private health insurance carrier I paid a premium to was UnitedHealthCare. Their premium cost was $650/mo in 2003 and they cut my reimbursable prescription for blood sugar teststrips by 50%. So I was looking for an alternative and I applied at the Veterans Administration. My active duty experience with doctors during the Vietnam War had left me doubtful about military medicine. Anyway, the VA has stepped up and given me as good or better care then I received from doctors in private practice. They are patient, attentive, and diligent which seldom happens within the purview of the private health insurance controlled environment. If you want good, continuous care, do not ever expect it from a private health insurance funded provider. They provide service that they get reimbursed for because they have learned the consequences of not following that practice. “Do as you are told or you will not get paid!!!” (I have had insulin dependent diabetes for 35 years and have lived in Europe for 6 of those years. My contact with the medical provider community has been broad and continuous. I only fault the private health insurers from my experiences. They were not a factor while I lived in Europe.)
Lori Firth Says:
June 5th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
In 2001, I was in a car accident severe enough to warrant a helicopter ride to a Boston hospital. I was unconscious and comatosed for almost 36 hours. I was told several weeks later that my insurance company would not cover the helicopter ride to the hospital, as they could not prove its necessity. I had to pay for the helicopter ride totaling nearly $6000.
Amy VanVoris Says:
June 5th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
United is always turning down prescription coverage. You can even call them, and they will tell you that you “don’t need that drug”. One United rep even told me that a lot of people were requesting drugs because they “saw them advertised on tv”. They were prescription eye drops. United didn’t think that they were necessary. My husband’s psoriasis medication was also turned down several times. He eventually had to send photos to United, so that they would believe him and his doctor when they talked about the severity of his case. They are better than having no health insurance, probably.
Susan Says:
June 7th, 2007 at 11:09 pm
Working as a medical biller, I can warn all that when it comes to choosing a competent doctor,,,do not go by United Healthcare’s so called “Quality & Excellence” ratings that they give to Dr.’s…
Dr.s are given one star, two stars, three,,etc.
Based NOT on their qualifications but on how much they save UH on costs.
An Example:
The doctor who doesn’t order an MRI for a patient with persistent headaches who may exhibit symptoms that warrant such a test- well, by NOT referring that patient out for such a test– that Dr. earns points with UH as a top doc.
Why? Because he has saved United Healthcare thousands of dollars on a what is one of the most costly tests you can provide a patient.
As opposed to an honest and ethical doctor who knows his patient may require such a test to reveal any possible disease, such a doctor would go ahead and send the patient for the MRI- but by sending the patient for this test, he is costing UH much more money…..
shame on him…
United Healthcare is all about profit, not about health.
So as a health care consumer you need to be very careful in researching for a doctor.
When looking over United Healthcares “star system” you may believe the doctor with the most “stars” is the better doctor, and that is simply not the case.
Please keep this in mind-
and never judge your doctor’s qualifications or level of expertise by ANY ranking that United Healthcare (or any other insurance for that matter) may designate to him or her.
Remember they have a vested interest in keeping their costs as low as possible
A word to the wise.
joe johnson Says:
June 9th, 2007 at 2:00 am
United Healthcare is slow in paying and the management is under investigation by the Federal government, they are being sued by their own share holders and management are have severe ethical problems, besides being complete bastards!
Jersey Says:
June 9th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
United Healthcare stalls and stalls especially if it is a self insured company. Your death will become their bonus. It might stop if the Federal Prosecutors would prosecute the company United Healthcare CEO for murder ….. as well as the self insured company CEO.
What a concept that would be…
Mark M. Says:
June 9th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Both of my kids need inhalers for their asthma. They had been using Albuterol for the last several years & I only had a $10 co-pay each time they got a new one. These worked fine.

Suddenly, a few months back (around February ‘07 or so ) we were told that the Albuterol inhalers were bad for the enviornment (??!!!) & we now had to use “Pro-Air.” These new inhalers have a co-pay of $37.99 instead of $10 & we are being told that these are the only ones available. The worst part is, my kids both told me these new inhalers barely help their asthma like the old ones did.
What a deal…they tripled in price & are half as effective.
John Schutz Says:
June 10th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
As a chiropractor I am constantly trying to understand this company. They have so many loop-holes regarding what they pay for and what they don’t pay for it’s mind boggling. For instance, even when they approve services or a treatment plan, they also state there is no guarrantee of payment. They also have great representatives stating everything you may want to hear…for example, ” oh yes Mr. Smith we cover Chiropractic care just like your existing company” But when you go to use it the plan has so many limitations your better off with nothing. at leaset then you could save the premium money.
Megan 74,000 Says:
June 11th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Corine from United Healthcare’s rapid resolution department says because they have not paid a valid 2005 self insured Bank of New York claim that is my problem to get the bank to pay it. The problem is that the bank is ignoring the situation and not being truthful. Corine says the Bank of NY representative at United Healthcare has not been contacted by the bank. Everything is my fault because they have stalled the payment. The fines should be 10,000 a day per stalled case no exceptions. Who is lying the Bank of New York or United Healthcare or both. A 74,000 bill can not be resolved in two years. Who is driving up Healthcare the self insured companies and United Healthcare are. If the doctors do not get paid they turn around and up their fees and the mad circle goes round and round. The consumer pays for it. Mr. Woody Kerr Bank of NY and Michael Ford at Pershing still will not answer when the bills will be paid. Let me guess their lawyers are telling them to stall.
Since the plan is self insured Corine says the Bank of NY needs to approve and write the check.
Matt Says:
June 12th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
In April I had passed out in my bathroom when I had fallen down and slammed my head on the bathtub. My sister, being extremly responsible, called an ambulence, I had been rushed to the hospital and treated, however, the insurance company told me that the ambulence ride was not covered. Apparently it was not our “service provider” and that we should have used ours. I would like to know when was my mom supposed to check the service provider of the ambulence: before my fall, during the long ride to the hospital, or when she was at my bedside comforting me? We still have to pay the big ambulence bill, and this “service provider” nonsense that they gave us is purely BS.
Pam Says:
June 12th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
As a Family Nurse Practitioner I totally agree with John.
United as well as other insurers play so many games it makes the IRS tax laws look simple. And even if you have a billing person savey enough to make it through all the regulations and loop holes, the insurance companies, especially United stall and stall on payments. I would love to bypass all this adminstrative time and paperwork and just charge the patient a fee for services, but the patients complain. They say I don’t want to come to you if you won’t use my insurance.
Those of us in primary care (doctors and nurse practitioners) struggle to cover the overhead to try and keep a practice in business. The insurance companies either stall or don’t pay.
marilyn michalak Says:
June 14th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
United and Blue Cross are thought of as being the best. They do their fair share of getting out of costs. It’s ridiculous. Why are we putting up with this?MM
Dr. Eliot Richards Says:
June 14th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
As a psychologist in private practice, I deal with several (too many) insurance companies for reimbursement. The tacts used by these companies to make and save money is DISGUSTING! I have never joined United Healthcare as a provider and will NEVER do so. They hire a third party company, Multi-Plan, to fax me and call me and try to convince me to reduce my rates for the UHC patients I have. They disguise the fact that it is UHC doing this, and have SEVERAL alternately named companies which try to pressure providers into joining UHC. Disgusting.
David Says:
June 16th, 2007 at 2:34 am
Get this- My wife has had some female problems for as least 3 decades. My wife don’t have a normal “period” or cycle like normal girls her age. We decide it might be nice to have a “little one” of our own running around the house. We go to different doctors spend almost $700 in one year alone on drugs and finally the last one made her keep cycling till the DNC was done. Dr. Dalla Riva out of the southern Illinois, area refers her to a “specialist”. Well the good news is it only costs me $9k up front to try a “turkey baster method” and drugs are only $2k a month. According to United Healthcare…… Not covered!!
Bill McGee Says:
June 16th, 2007 at 10:15 am
I was diagnosed with leukemia four years ago. Fortunately, I live near one of the top cancer research facilities in the country, the Huntsman Cancer Institute. After receiving treatment for a year or so, UHC signed an exclusive deal with IHC (Intermountain HealthCare) which suddenly excluded the Huntsman Center from receiving in-network rates. Suddenly, me and literally hundreds of cancer patients were thrown out of the Huntsman Cancer Institute and forced to seek what UHC termed “equivalent” treatment elsewhere, which turned out to be primarily generalist oncologists who would maybe see my form of leukemia a few times in their career, or pay out of my pocket for costs above the “usual and customary” charges (which are neither usual nor customary) which could amount to thousands of dollars, or bankrupt me should I need a bone marrow transplant. Even after the company I work for, Cisco Systems, spent significant resources on my behalf to coerce UHC to make an exception for me (Cisco has been a GREAT support to me), UHC routinely refuses charges they have agreed to pay and I have to fight them constantly over payments. I have no idea what the hundreds of other former patients have had to do.
Joseph Smith Says:
June 16th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Many doctors are dropping United Health care how to do his job. A chyropractor I Chyknow told me United Health care only wanted her to do spinal adjustments and to discontinue any types of electric therapies. Many of her patients need these therapies for their back muscle problems. She continued the therapies and was told that she had to go to an “improvement session” because of her “outrageous behavior.” So now she lists everything as a spinal adjustment while the American Chyropractic association sues United Health care so chyropractors can use their own judgement.
Linda L Says:
June 17th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
Have been on disability for Stage IV breast cancer. The cancer has returned twice so far, fortunately though we had NJ BC/BS. Never a problem, never a bill. Then my husband’s employer switched to the “Miracle” company UHC. Have had nothing but problems. I just received a bill for a $2100 ER visit where I got a shot of Toradol, 2 x-rays and a prescription. I was told by the doc to have an MRI because it might be the cancer returning and that would be the ONLY way to establish whether more radiation or perhaps simply just a herniated disc. I haven’t even begun to fight to get the MRI…>I’m still trying to get the frikken’ ER visit paid for.

My husband was put on Aricept….they needed specific approval before sending him the drug. The approval took 2 months. Thank god the doc had “samples” to give out for him to use while they were playing the game of “face up, we pay the claim, face down, we don’t”. They really suck. I don’t understand anybody willingly going to them for insurance. They are the bottom of the barrel.
Melanie Says:
June 17th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
In 2006 the rate for one individual on the private healthcare plan for the small firm I worked for was $695. I had to remind them that if they were basing their rating on the fact my husband had cancer treatments until his death in 2004 - the rates should be lower because he was now dead. It didn’t seem to matter.
John Eaton Says:
June 18th, 2007 at 11:39 am
UHC has done nothing but gotten worse and worse. I am constantly having to change doctors, bloodwork labs, etc cause Dr. are dropping them. Also, constantly fighting them on what they have to pay for (that they don’t initially pay for, but end up having to pay for). I swear they make their money on incorrect billings. The biggest problem is becuase they are cheap, employers in the CT area are moving to them in droves, and we get nothing but headaches becuase of it. All my doctors scratch their head at UHC, wondering what on earth they are doing to themselves. If you can, use someone else.
A. WAGNER Says:
June 19th, 2007 at 8:42 am
Bill McGuire - his arrogance and malfeasance shows exactly what the U.S. healthcare system is about and what they can get away with.
Scott C. Says:
June 19th, 2007 at 9:30 am
I broke my foot about 9 weeks ago, and was given a walking boot. Well, after 7 weeks of walking around on the walking boot, half of the tread peeled off the bottom of the boot and I was contantly slipping all over the place. UH refused to pay for another walking boot since only 1 boot was covered per calendar year. They would rather have me slip and fall, displace my broken foot, pay for a surgery, risk me breaking something else from falling, than pay the $150 for a new boot.
Courtney Says:
June 19th, 2007 at 11:37 am
UHC came highly recommended by friends who worked for the publishing company to which I was applying, but they hadn’t worked at the company I was leaving; a small bookstore in Indianapolis.

My former employer’s insurance was completely free for each individual, our co-pays were $10 and prescriptions were never more than $5. They reimbursed me up to $100 per year for any healthcare-related purchase, from running shoes to gym memberships to nicotine patches to witch doctors. They also covered herbal medicine, massage therapy, and mental health visits (up to 25 per year!).

Once I had UHC there didn’t seem to be one charge the company fully paid for. From ultrasounds for possible gallbladder problems ($600) to blood work for annual physicals ($80), to extra charges for office visits ($5-$20 on top of regular $20 co-pay). I was referred to a physical therapist after a car accident for neck problems and went twice before I had to stop making appointments. Each visit cost me over $300.

I can’t believe I left the other place, where I made only $7.50 an hour to get a corporate job that pays 100% of gastric bypass surgery for obese people, all the bills for Type-2, adult-onset diabetes, and *nothing* for routine office visits or those born with diabetes.

We have to spend over five grand a year just to get the insurance company to cover anything, but my husband and I both pay out over $75 a month each for this just to cover ourselves. I wish I’d stayed at the crap retail job so I wouldn’t be going broke just covering my regular doctor visits. I can only hope nothing “real” ever goes wrong with either of us.
Dean Says:
June 19th, 2007 at 11:58 am
When I changed companies last year the only health insurance choice was United Healthcare. When I went to the doctor they denied the claim because they said it was a pre-existing condition. I’ve never been to the doctor for the condition I was having. After about two months, they paid the claim, however didn’t pay 100%. I was also shocked that United Healthcare decided to go with LabCorp as their sole provider for laboratory services. It’s all about money to United Healthcare, it’s never about the patient and proper care.
Christina G. Says:
June 25th, 2007 at 8:46 am
They, like most insurance companies, deny medications all of the time. Also, my husband needed a sleep study and we got that pre-approved and they still only covered about 1/3 of the testing costs. Leaving us with nearly 700.00 to pay out of pocket. That little jewel was not revealed when it was pre-approved. They made it seem as though it was approved and so therefore covered. We are now having to pay $50 per month (all we can afford) to a doctor’s office that is constantly threatening to send us to collections.
Norman Bauer Says:
June 25th, 2007 at 10:25 pm
I think that a single payer universal health care plan wou;d be a good first step for reforming the health care system in California.
Cindy Super Says:
June 26th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
Yeah I have to admit that my benefits with UHC really suck! I work for the company and you would figure I would have great benefits. I have a $1000 annual deductible per dependent on my coverage before insurance starts kicking in!! By the time I finish paying my deductible, the new year starts and Im responsible for the deductible again. My medications are over $30 each or more at times!! Whats the point of having insurance?!!!!!
Kimberly Davis Says:
June 27th, 2007 at 9:50 am
My mother passed on April 19th, However, she had been diagnosed with lung cancer w/brain mets for 2 1/2 years prior. United Healthcare took us through so many changes from coverage for different procedures to prescriptions. It was a crueling nightmare that I wouldn’t wish for anyone. Let alone her premium went from $150(2006) to $350(2007).
Bob Says:
June 27th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
They have been awesome as far as I’ve needed them.
Storm Williams Says:
June 27th, 2007 at 6:15 pm
My wife and I was on United Healthcare only we called it United Nightmare.

I constantly had to stay on top of them to get them to pay what they promised in my policy.

What killed me was they refused to pay for an anti-biotic my dentist used but paid for the SAME DRUG from a general practitioner.

They earned the name United Nightmare
Storm Williams Says:
June 27th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
Opps, forgot something. They refused to include birth control on my prescription plan.
Dobrinka Says:
June 28th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
United Nightmare– you got that rite, i worked for the merck-medco health too home delivery pharmacy, in las vegas.i know theyr tricks too, for the meds covering, today we do and tomorrow we dont, so i had to explain to the patients that,things chenged but not realy for the good part, And i have a personal experience too,—-they complitley bankropt me on my $20 000 . dollars bils from a surgery that was on my curpol tunel, for that they plaied game for two years, and sayd its’s a pending and pending and one day i got a bill from a lower with judjment , nitemere, so big i allmost wanted to run from this copuntry, but my lower told me if i fille for bankropcy they dont have to be paid,so i did it and i forgot to mention that united healthcare canceld my policy withouth any notis or explenation, that was throuth a job ihad in a pharmacy, so now i cant qualify for a privet inshurance,,, they ceep on rejecting me,god have mercy on all, becouse, we need a healthcare like europe , for all, not making the insurance moore rich than they need to be,
Kelly Says:
June 29th, 2007 at 5:53 pm
I’ve been on UHC for a little over a year now, and although my co-pays went up from $15 to $20 and I now have a deductible, I really can’t complain. I get routine oncology follow-ups for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma which I was diagnosed with almost 3 years ago. My MRIs and CT scans were covered 100% until the last open enrollment, when it changed to 90% and a $500 deductible…which if you ask me, still isn’t terrible. Single coverage is about $120/month which isn’t terrible either…what blows is the amount it would cost me to add my daughter…nearly triple what the single cost is…hence, she’s on her dad’s insurance. I had the choice of UHC or Kaiser, and I picked UHC because every single physician I could think of going to were in-network. I really haven’t had a huge problem with UHC…I’m very sorry for those who have!
Susan m Says:
June 30th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
I have this amazingly awful company. I quit my job partly to get rid of it because I used up my benifits in a very short amount of time. I was on advair for a chronic lung condition and 2 prescriptions were all i was allowed for the year i would have to eat the rest of the 200 dollars a month for the rest of the year. I didn’t know my lung was not so good but i sure am paying for it now with around 6000 dollars in uninsured bills. I can’t afford to pay it why tell me you approved a biopsy if i didn’t have enuff of my yearly amount to cover it even when i called to see if the amount would be okay to cover. Ugh, i just don’t answer the phone if i don’t know the number cause its probably a creditor, Thanks United thanks for natta
Bren Says:
July 2nd, 2007 at 9:30 am
I worked for UnitedHealth from September 2002-September 2003, in the customer service department. A good friend of mine processed claims.

The company’s training manual explains that, as an insurance provider, it is in the company’s best interests to not pay claims.

The argument goes like this:

If we pay claims, then people throw their Explanation of Benefits away and forget about us.

But if we don’t pay claims, then they call with a dispute and talk to someone that’s nice and they escalate the issue and wind up getting the claim paid, they think, “Gee, what a nice company, that girl really helped me out.” The end result is what the manual calls a “positive customer experience.”

The page is illustrated with smiley faces and frown faces to help the undereducated staff understand the concept.
Martha Says:
July 4th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
United Healthcare will deny, deny, deny coverage. It is up to the consumer to fight in order to receive the coverage. They’ve changed my prescriptions, raised the copays and denied that doctors and even hospitals are part of their PPO. This denial was in the face of the hospital and the doctors being posted on their website! They even denied the appeal. Now, after my bills for thousands have gone into collection, and I’m too embarrassed to go to my doctors, they’ve admitted that they’ve made a mistake. It was no mistake. They did it in order to not pay. Lots of folks just give up.
Mark Says:
July 4th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
I have united Health Care. It is the worst health care provider I have ever had. I am paying high premiums. But I cannot afford to go to the doctor. My company uses this for that reason. My deductibles are sky high. So I cannot afford to recieve medical care, although I am paying them to cover me. Welcome to America.

SiCKO - The Official Site - In Theaters June 29th

UnitedHealthCare ( )

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