Why is HealthNet so frustrating to deal with

I wouldn’t have purchased this plan for 2022 but this was the only individual plan as a self employee to be able to allow me to go to a local specialized hospital.

Every since my registration, it’s been frustrating. When I signed up on their website, no confirmation email ever. I had to call repeatedly to make sure I was enrolled.

In the past year, every time I’ve called with a basic question, I’ve been put on hold and even then their answers are not confident. Basic questions like, finding a reimbursement claim form, how long do I have to submit a reimbursement claim, making sure I don’t have an active plan for next year (because yes a customer representative told me I’m automatically enrolled for next year), etc. Even with different representatives, they have different answers. And they take so long to even understand the basic question. Why even have a customer service department. I understand they outsource it to a third party outside the states, but it is so frustrating dealing with them.

My biggest frustration though is their mail. When I enrolled, I set my preference to email communication but everything I receive has been through mail and no emails whatsoever. I literally get a letter from them every week to a point where my roommate has noticed it. I understand some important stuff may still need to be sent through mail, but I get everything. I’ve called them repeatedly and even reset the notifications, but it’s still the same.

Their website is a joke too. Its so archaic and glitchy and you can never find what you need, everything is so hidden. And this is coming from someone who works in tech.

Which brings me to their data breach that occurred. I ignored it thinking I wouldn’t be affected, but then recently I received a call from some third party customer survey company on my parents’ house landline number which I haven’t given out in over a decade and definitely did not give to the new clinic I became a patient at in 2022. The person knew the exact clinic name, branch location, specialist doctor, and timeframe I was seen at this year. They said they handle customer surveys that are not answered, but why did they call me now for a visit that happened in early 2022? At first I thought it was a problem with the clinic but they assured me that they don’t have any third party company that deals with surveys. Then I realized it’s probably HealthNet. It is beyond terrifying.

End rant.