Sandwich Generation Frustration with Secure Horizons
Today was a day of Gen Sandwich Frustration. While trying to get details on the differences between the HMO and PPO. I called Secure Horizons, which is owned by United Healthcare, about 11:30 am. After navigating my way through the menu, a recorded voice assured me that my call was important to them. For the next 30 minutes, I listened to the same two songs played over and over and over and …. You get the picture. Thank God it was classical. I have sat on hold with other companies listening to rock or rap. Not pretty.But back to my story. After 30 minutes on hold, I had to leave for an appointment. I sent a message through the website indicating how long I had been holding and asked for someone to please call me between 2:00 and 3:00 pm. I got back about 2:00 and waited. A little after 3:00, having received no call, I tried again. After 39 minutes, I had to hang up to take a call on the other line. Tried again, and waited another 32 minutes, sent another email, and gave up.
Turns out that Mom had had a similar experience. She thought she could get answers, and waited on hold as long as she could before needing to go see my step dad. This isn’t the first time we’ve waited more than 30 minutes for customer service. In fact, I think in my year and a half of dealing with Secure Horizons, 20 minutes is my shortest wait. What incredible disrespect for the people who have chosen to purchase your product!
This is an excellent reason to avoid government operated universal health care. If this is the service we get from a for-profit company serving Medicare clients, supposedly dedicated to customer service and with freedom of choice for subscribers, what would government health care be like?? If you’re not sure, try calling the IRS. Although come to think of it, I’ve had better service from the IRS than from Secure Horizons.
Guess I’ll have to try again tomorrow. With an enrollment deadline looming, we need answers.
Labels: Medicare, sandwich generation, Secure Horizons, universal health coverage
2 comment(s):
no disrespect but have you even thought that maybe there are about 100 people in que waiting at the same time as you to get through , and that does not include the mbrs already speaking with agents , and the typical number of calls each agent takes in one day is 100 calls in an 8 hour period , which is pretty good, but you know , when you call during open enrollment period you have to expect there will be a wait , you have 2000 people calling a day , figure that and basically , the agents are doing the best they can actually to get everyone calling taken care of in a timely manner , please maybe you could show a little compassion for the hard working agents that have to put up with alot of verbal abuse from people calling in , when the agents have no control over some of the issues people scream at them about
thank you very much
By
Anonymous, at
11:49 PM
Hello Anonymous. Yes, I do understand that the agents are overworked, and I always make it clear that I'm not upset with them (unless they clearly don't have the information I need and give me the run-around rather than providing customer SERVICE. However, if there really are 100 people in the queue, then my argument is with management. THEY know it's open season. THEY know that the drug plan is causing a lot of confusion. THEY know that the clientele they are dealing with are either elderly-easily confused or busy Gen Sandwichers. So why don't they staff accordingly? There is absolutely no excuse for providing bad service to people who are paying the rates the elderly pay for their services. Management is putting you in a bad situation, and I'm sorry you have to work there under those conditions. But I'm also sorry I have to endure the disrespect to my time by waiting just because my parents are locked in for the year. I certainly know that I don't choose Secure Horizons or a United Health Care program when I'm ready for Medicare. Assuming, of course, that I even have a choice by then...
By
Pat, at
9:06 PM
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