I am very unhappy with HealthAmerica, our college's health insurance provider. Our son had an ingrown toenail and the toe was infected. He was in great pain and was treated in January. Then we were billed the full amount. HealthAmerica said this was not covered. They have gone out of their way to wiggle out of paying anything. We appealed, they sent it to their Complaint Committee, and the committee sent us a final letter denying coverage for the procedure ("You have exhausted your complaint rights"), saying that "routine foot care" is not covered. The letter says that by exception "Medically Necessary surgery for ingrown toenails" would be covered. They didn't judge the relief of our son's pain or infection to be medically necessary. If you ever want to get a parent mad, that's it!
Other than helping my friend Dr. Ogan Gurel with his 700 mile Walk for Healthcare, I've been too passive in the ongoing debate about health care reform. The arrogance of companies like HealthAmerica angers me. I must and I will write my congressman and senators and urge them to vote for solutions that regulate such corporations more strictly and give Americans a public health care option. I have no confidence that HealthAmerica would actually cover us if something more serious were to occur.
