PHOENIX — Imagine having health insurance and going to seek medical care, only to be told you have no coverage. It's a situation that's playing out with some BlueCross BlueShield of Arizona policyholders.
"I feel like we're getting stomped on," said Mike Ryan.
Ryan and his wife have been BlueCross BlueShield of Arizona policyholders for years, with no issues, until now. They started noticing some issues with the website but didn't think too much of it, that is, until recently.
"My wife got really concerned when she was trying to refill a prescription the first week of January," he said. "The pharmacy denied the coverage."
He tried calling, but he said nobody picked up.
"You couldn't talk to anybody, and you still can't talk to anybody," he said. "I called earlier today, and they gave you the option of calling me back, and the current wait time is almost two hours. That's not customer service. That's like avoiding their customers."
He went online, but still nothing.
"Oh, it's crazy," he said. "You put in your ID and your password and hit enter, and it would sit there and churn for maybe five minutes? And then flash! And I'd say, 'Oh! I got in!' And then you get a message that said you've been successfully logged out."
The situation is both frustrating and terrifying because not only can Ryan not get through to anyone for answers, but medical service seems to be disrupted.
He said prescriptions couldn't be filled, and doctors' offices couldn't confirm coverage. It's something other policyholders are also dealing with, though BlueCross BlueShield of Arizona will not confirm specifically how many.
"So right now, their computer system said I don't have coverage, and my wife doesn't have coverage," he said. "What happens if I'm in the emergency room tomorrow?"
12News reached out to the company and got a statement saying:
“Our #1 goal is to ensure that members get care. There is a limited issue for some members with Individual or Medicare Supplement plans confirming that their policies are active. For impacted members, we are reassuring them of their coverage and working with providers to get the care they need. We are working around the clock to address the issue. In the meantime, members can confirm their policy is active by emailing us at MemberHelp@azblue.com. The issues we are experiencing are intermittent, but even one impacted member is too many. We are working hard to make sure our members have support and get the care they need.”
The company also states the issue is just with BlueCross BlueShield of Arizona.
"BlueCross BlueShield of Arizona has, in my view, a catastrophic computer system failure going on at this moment," said Ryan.
Ryan just wants answers. Better yet, he wants to speak with someone, anyone who can help. Because he said he needs a solution so the health insurance he's paying for will be acknowledged.
"It increases your level of stress in life," he said. "Which isn't fun to deal with either. I have enough stress in life, and to add this on top of it?"
The Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI) tells 12News they have been receiving calls and online complaints from policyholders. They said they have been in touch with BlueCross BlueShield of Arizona, which has been responsive in calling consumers back who are experiencing problems. However, they recommend people who are still not getting help file a complaint with their department here.
BlueCross BlueShield of Arizona also has a webpage with some information for those who've been impacted. You can find that here.
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