Health America / Health Assurance WAKE UP PEOPLE! DO NOT USE HEALTH AMERICA Harrisburg Pennsylvania

After losing my job due to the company going bankrupt last year, my daughter and I lost our health insurance.

For months I was on pins and needles, worried that something might happen to her, and finally I decided that I couldn't wait until I had another job. I needed to get health care coverage now.

I applied online for health insurance and found out that even though both my daughter and I were 100% healthy with no preexisting conditions, the lowest price for coverage was $300/mo.

What choice did I have? I applied for Health America, at $300/mo.

When I spoke with them to accept coverage, I mentioned that I had recently had a job interview that may void my need for individual coverage. In case I got the job, I asked how difficult it would be to cancel the policy.

I was informed that it was simple. I would simply need to fax my request for cancellation before the next billing cycle began and the policy would be cancelled at the end of the current billing cycle.

With that knowledge, I accepted coverage on June 24th, 2008 for coverage to begin on July 1.

On July 13, I was offered a fulltime position, with benefits beginning immediately. I faxed my request to cancel to Health America and received a confirmation of the policy to be cancelled on July 31, 2008.

On August 10, 2008, a routine check of my bank account showed that my account was negative $640!

Health America charged me an August policy fee of $300, which resulted in 8 overdraft charges from my bank at $34 per overdraft charge!!!

I immediately called Health America and was assured that this would all be taken care of and my account would be credited within 7-10 business days.

That was August 14.

It is now September 9, and I am still waiting. Calls to Health America produce no results, as noone will give me a straight answer. I don't know why companies are allowed to get away with this, but I can't just sit around and do nothing. I could use that $300 to buy my daughter food, or clothes or toys. I could use that money to pay bills with. But I can't use it for anything as long as Health America decides that they can take as much time as they wish putting the unauthorized charge back into my account.

Kris
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.