The Missing Blue Cross Agent Mystery

Editor�s Note:� This is a letter from a health insurance customer who has been searching for a Blue Cross agent so he can amend his family health insurance.� But apparent the Blue Cross Bureaucrats do not read their mail, they just send out form letters to answer the mail.� The question is why can�t Blue Cross find one of its own sales agents.��� No one apparently knows where this agent is.� Blue Cross tells the customer they cannot change their policy without dealing with the agent, but he is missing.� It is like dealing with the rabbit in Alice and Wonderland.�� Here is the listener�s letter.

� Dear Judd: Well, the saga of the missing Blue Cross agent continues...I have been attempting to change my agent of record with Blue Cross of California since July 2007 after my new financial advisor discovered that Blue Cross had a plan that was better suited to my family\'s needs at a lower rate. I jumped on the opportunity to change my policy only to discover that what seemed simple enough has turned into a three month long journey that remains unresolved.

My personal assistant contacted Blue Cross customer service on July 12, 2007 requesting that they change my "agent of record" to my current financial advisor (who is also a Blue Cross agent). She was told that would not be possible without a written release from my "current" agent of record Ronald Koval.
I secured my original insurance over 12 years ago and have had no contact with him since then. Blue Cross provided my assistant with a telephone number and email address for Mr. Koval. She was told that there was no Ronald Koval at the phone number and the email she sent requesting the release was never responded to. Blue Cross customer service was informed of this via phone and said they would attempt to contact him through his email themselves. I never received any further information of the whereabouts of my "missing agent.� �I sent a follow-up letter to Blue Cross on July 25, 2007 reiterating the information & requesting once again that my "agent of record" be changed so that I could change my policy. On August 1st I received a response letter from the grievance/appeal department assuring me that my concerns would be addressed within 30 days from July 31st. On August 13th I sent a letter directly to the Customer Service Manager requesting again that my "agent of record" be changed without Mr. Koval since even Blue Cross has not been able locate him. I received yet another response from the Grievance/appeals department assuring me (NOT) that they are reviewing my inquiry and would have a response within 30 days. My assistant contacted the grievance/appeals department and was informed that my appeal was denied and the I would need to contact the underwriting department (I believe that we have just come full circle). She requested to be connected to the Manager who's voice message informed her that she was out of the office and to call another person at another phone number. My assistant left a message for the substitute and to this day we have not received a call back. That is when I had my assistant contact you. So...here we are again. We have had no luck reaching any of the Kovals on the fax you sent. I have sent yet another letter requesting the location of my "missing agent" and clarification as to why this has become a grievance issue when Blue Cross has not had any luck locating their own \"employee\". I also brought them up to date regarding our conversations. Can anyone out there tell me where my missing "agent of record" is???

After three months of requests and 12+ years of paid insurance premiums apparently I remain just another grievance/appeal issue waiting endlessly to be resolved. �Judd, I hope you have better luck than I contacting Blue Cross and locating the missing agent. I look forward to hearing from you again. �I will look for this on your speak out page. Thank you again for all that you do to help humankind.

Note:� If Blue Cross just read their mail and did not have mystery agents on the payroll they might make a lot more money.

Filed Nov. 05, 2007