Unicare L&H Insurance Company Unicare Unicare waited 5 years to inform Unknowing Policy Holder of Membership By sending Bill Over 1000.00 Woodland HLS, California

We recieved a bill from Unicare in Dec of 2010 for my husband who is now 70. He no longer handles billings, nor does he read any mail unless he knows the sender. The envelope contained three sets of billings with the first one being 10/01/10 to 11/01/10, the next, 11/01/10 to 12/01/10 and the last 12/01/10 to 01/01/11. There was also two letters stating the same thing but containing two different dates. First dated 10/20/2010 and the second 11/27/2010. They both said they had been notified that we now reside at the address we've lived for over four years and they both thank my husband for his participation in UNICARE. Since neither one of us had ever heard of Unicare and was receiving a bill, I called the 800 number provided in the event of a question. The person I talked to was named Debra and proceded to tell me that my husband had been enrolled in a health care program provided by Medicare in 2006. However, both my husband and I are disabled veterans with my husband having a service connected disability. The time date was during a time we lived in northern Mn. at that time I was receiving disability from Social Security and as suchI applied for the Insurance programs provided by the state. I was sent a letter stating that we don't qualify although our income was low, it wasn't low enough to qualify for any program that Medicare provides for low income families. My husband has always used the V.A. system and as a service connected veteran, bears no costs for any kind of health care and prescriptions. I explained this to Debra who continued to tell me that it didn't matter what facility my husband used that Unicare was providing a service and we had to pay for it. I explained that if they had even looked into the matter, they would discover that number 1. He did NOT qualify. 2. He was never used any system the VA. did not send him too without prior authorization. 3. We never recieved ANYTHING in the mail, nor a phone call asking or stating anything regarding any program that he was being enrolled in.

Debra told me that I would have to make a copy of his V.A. ID card and send a letter stating that he didn't know about the service, never wanted the service, nor asked for the service and had never been contacted regarding such. She gave me the fax number for both customer service and grievances and appeals. I wrote two letters containing what was needed and faxed them both near the end of Dec.

Early in Jan. we recieved a letter from UNICARE stating they acknowledged receipt of the fax I'd sent in Dec and had submitted it to the greivances and appeals section. It wasn't even a week later that we recieved yet another envelope containing TWO sets of bills. The first dated 01/01/11 to 01/01/11 and the second 07/01/07 to 01/01/11.The second one was an adjusted amount subracting 242.40 with the reason for the adjustment being something called MPDLIS. I again called the 800 number given and spoked to a representative that told me that we had to pay the balance which was over 1000.00 for services. I again told her that he doesn't have a policy with that company, nor recieved anything from the company regarding such. She then said that they tried to reach us several times both by mail and by phone calls. I told her we moved from MN over four years ago and she said we were still liable for the bills.

I explained once again how he is a veteran and uses the VA system, has never used anything outside of the VA and wasn't aware of any program called UNICARE or any other program provided by medicare. She said it was up to the member to tell them that they don't want the program. And I told her they never SENT anything to have him JOIN. She again said she had proof and dates of the forms they sent. I asked her....what happened with them..to which she replied they had all been returned because the address was no longer valid. I told her...that should indicate that we did NOT live there. She then said she had a letter dated Dec 2010 showing we knew about the membership. I then told her that was ME calling THEM regarding a bill I had no knowledge of at which time she said I would have to write yet another letter to the grievances com.

As you can see, I got absolutely nowhere and asked to speak to a supervisor. She said they would not have time to speak with me. It was at 2 in the afternoon central time so I asked her what time they close. She said they're hours are from 8 am to 8 pm. I asked her...they wouldn't have time to talk to me within a 6 hour time frame? She told me that they would not have time to speak with me for maybe one to three weeks. I told her, that's okay..have them call me. She again repeated how long it would take at which time I replied that three weeks would be a much faster contact than the 5 years it took them the first time.

I am not sure how to handle this problem and it seems to be one for many people. If anyone has any suggestions, please share them here.