Posted on 01/13/2014 2:54:38 AM PST by Gen.Blather
A friend was notified that the health plan she’d been with for over twenty years, Capital Health Plan, was cancelled due to not meeting the Obamacare requirements. So she bought a Blue Cross Blue Shield policy off the exchange and paid for the first month using auto-deduction from her checking account. When she was notified she could keep her old plan for another year she decided that’s what she wanted. She renewed her Capital Health Plan then called Blue Cross and asked them to cancel her new Obamacare policy. They told her they could stop her coverage but could not stop the automatic deduction from her checking account. She would have to do that through the exchange. After spending seven hours on the phone (this woman runs a couple of businesses and works seven days a week) she was told there was no way to stop the deductions from her account. She said, “Everyone was extremely pleasant and helpful but all concluded it couldn’t be done.”
Today she’s closing her checking account. For added security, given the thinking behind Obamacare, she’s moving her account to a different bank.
Another benefit of Obama care! When will the pleasant surprises ever stop!
You can always cancel or change your bank account or credit card. I don’t believe they can tax your paycheck yet but I’m sure that’s coming.
“I don’t believe they can tax your paycheck yet but I’m sure that’s coming.”
I didn’t put this in the post because I couldn’t find the link. As originally written the ACA penalties were to be automatically taken from any account you owned by the IRS. But that didn’t make it into the final bill. In the present version of the “settled law” they have to take the penalties from your tax refund...if any. My understanding is they have no other collection means.
When I started drawing social security I had them send a check every month. One day I got a cal from my SIL who worked at the bank. A transfer had been kicked back because it was sent to an account I had closed. I called SS and was informed that I had signed up for direct deposit. I told the lady I had done no such thing, someone at SS had signed the form. They make up rules on the spot and don't care about any damage.
The woman runs a couple of businesses and is not smart enough to close out her bank account and open another one. She spent 7 hours in the effort!?
This doesn’t sound correct. I think there are some details missing.
It’s as if she’d been a victim of a vampire.
Once you start on that path, any stumbling block becomes a challenge, and no challenge is left without confronting it at least once.
It just may have been a series of ... "No ma'am, but if you call 555-1234, THEY'LL fix it"
It's what WE do on the internet occasionally ... chase rabbits.
I guess if you had actually read the post you would see that she is doing exactly that.
It’s comforting to hear the modern day robber barons are at least pleasant while the are taking your money. Heck, all we need to do now is get IRS agents to smile while they are reaching into your wallet, and the world will be right as rain.
And why WOULDN'T it ?
zero has no respect for SS numbers.
“Welcome to the hotel California.”
It’s not easy to close a bank account because (presumably) there are other checks outstanding. Generally you have to wait until everything clears. I’m in the process of doing that with my business.
Even if you carefully leave just the amount of money in the account to cover outstanding checks, if the government takes another premium for your ACA first, the other checks will bounce.
>> She spent 7 hours in the effort!?
Are you seriously mocking her for the time it takes to deal with this crap?
I was living in Slovakia when I first signed up for SS. My rep was out of the US embassy in Warsaw, Poland. He was outstanding, and I had no problems. I first received checks, as my Slovak bank did not handle SS. I think the checks must have come from the embassy in Slovakia, as the envelopes were spotless with no sign of ever being in the mail. I later opened an account with a bank that accepted direct deposit.
When I moved to the Philippines, I signed up online for direct deposit to my bank here in the Philippines. It comes like clockwork just after midnight on the 4th of each month. I check it via my online banking.
The American Embassy here has a very large staff of gals who could not be any better, or more helpful.
“I called SS and was informed that I had signed up for direct deposit. I told the lady I had done no such thing, someone at SS had signed the form.”
That is scary. I have direct deposit of my paycheck, but refuse to set up automatic debits on the account; I’ll pay the bills when I’m ready (I pay on time, and have great credit), but I’m afraid some unforeseen issue would overdraw it.
Like signing up for the “coupon plus discount service free trial offer” and then you can’t cancel. And when you start investigating more you see that the local tv channel has done a story on them, and they get a “F” rating by the Better Business Bureau. Doubt we’ll see that with obamacare.
Like the Hotel California or the Roach Motel “You can check in but never leave”.
FUBO
“She spent 7 hours in the effort!?”
I can’t answer fro her, but from years of experience I can tell you she does everything the right way. I suspect that she’s found that’s the best way to not get zinged. So, in her life every “I” is dotted and every “t” crossed.
If I was to close an account I’d make certain that every auto-deduction was properly transferred first as there’s really no telling what the bank will do with them if you don’t and secondly not wanting to transfer all the other auto-deductions. Since she can’t cancel this one she has reluctantly decided to change banks as well, to prevent her bank from simply moving the auto-deduction from one account to another. That is why I suspect she persevered as long as she did; not wanting to change banks and having to change all the other auto-deductions.
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