Handling Claims - Medical Records

[VolAgent]

This is exactly right. I'm quickly learning that me calling them doesn't even register. Has to come from beneficiary. And yes the med facility is limited by how often the 3rd party comes in...once a month.

Yep, they don't care about you or even the insurance company.

Even though the contractor only comes once a month, I would still tell the beneficiary to call every day.

 

[Birdman300]

Yep, they don't care about you or even the insurance company.

Even though the contractor only comes once a month, I would still tell the beneficiary to call every day.

I totally agree with this.

By the way, Lafayette has actually been very good to work with. They tell me what's going on every step of the way...when I call them. They even called me a few times to ask the bene to hurry up a few things. That surprised me.

I've never worked with the VA from an insurance perspective but I am a veteran and I've personally experienced their healthcare as a patient. The healthcare is the same quality as when I was on active duty (they make you feel like nothing more than a car on an assembly line), but at least they didn't charge me anything. However, I know first hand that they are slow as molasses. Nothing ever happens fast with the VA. Something that would take a normal hospital 1-2 weeks, would take the VA months. If I had a bene waiting on the VA, I would definitely warn them about VA...if it's within contestable period.

 

[Birdman300]

Lafayette Life claims department called me telling me they're sending the full death benefit to my client tomorrow. I'm actually impressed that they called me to let me know. Lafayette is definitely not my lead carrier but they just went up a notch in my book. Definitely not going in my bag yet...I think I'll put them back in the trunk of my car again though.

 

[Bill O]

Any time I need medical records I tell the insured, or in this case the owner or beneficiary that it's not the insurance company that's causing the problem, it's the doctor's office or hospital holding things up because they will just ignore requests by any insurance company. Doctors offices can be the worst. The only person who can speed this up Mrs. Client is you by going to the hospital with the request form from the insurance company. Call insurance company to be sure client brings correct forms.

The same is true when you're doing FU and need medical records.