Does HEK health insurance fund seniors?

The Hamburg health insurance company HEK Seniors of City BKK was already on the phone?

09/05/2011

Nearly 150,000 insured persons of the company health insurance BKK City have to look for a new health insurance after announcement of the closure. The Federal Ministry of Health assures that all City BKK members can easily find a new health insurance fund. According to research by the Financial Times Germany (FTP), many older people are formally abused by some health insurance companies. Allegedly, a specially set up hotline of the Hamburg Hanseatic health insurance (HEK) already on the phone elderly people to give advice, „rather to a company health insurance“ to go.

City BKK insured need to look for a new cash register
For the first of July 2011, the operating fund „City BKK“ closed due to financial hardships. The move became necessary because even initiated structural measures could no longer prevent a looming insolvency. The recently introduced additional contribution of a hefty 15 euros led in addition to a heavy membership decline. Until the final closure all former members have to look for a new health insurance. On the part of the policy the closure of the cash register is welcomed, since this „a logical step in terms of competition among health insurance companies“ be. The insured would not have to worry about a further statutory health insurance, the health insurance companies are required by law to take new members without health checks. Now, however, older and chronically ill City BKK members seem to have enormous difficulties finding a new health insurance fund. According to reports of the FTP, especially seniors would already flinch at a HEK service hotline. For example, seniors were advised on the telephone of the service hotline lau reports, after all „rather a new company health insurance“ to search, the newspaper reported on Monday, citing information found.

Forbidden Practice of HEK?
What is actually prohibited by law, is apparently still practiced. Upon request, why a recording is difficult, the inquirers were informed that the drug rebate contracts should allegedly be reviewed first. Who is a case of care, for the "possibly a unfavorable new opinion on the care level" may have to be created. In addition, the retirees seeking advice on the phone would be informed that a change to HEK could take longer. In order to process the requests, the HEK set up a special service telephone for members of City BKK to process the requests. The callers were systematically recommended at the end of the talks, a change to another BKK, as the newspaper further reported.

Consumer protection advises victims to the ad
The HEK advertises itself on its website with the predicate „very well“ in terms of corporate quality. It says: „A HEK customer has the certainty in every situation in life that it is something special to be insured with the HEK. HEK has stood for more quality, more performance and more service for decades. This is also confirmed by our first-class rating results from Assekurata.“. Does that mean in the sense of the competition that forbidden wise older and sick people are rejected? According to the FTP, the Hamburg consumer protection center would watch the HEK for some time on suspicion of selecting members according to age and health. You have already more often „heard that the elderly and the very sick are not welcome at this box office, "said the chairman of patient protection, Christoph Kranich, the sheet." This behavior must be legally examined - morally, it is definitely not in order. "A deterrent tactic corresponds to Logic of artificially induced competition in the health care system, which also animates the competition between the health insurance companies.The consumer advocates advise therefore affected persons to complain to the Federal Insurance Office.With an announcement the procedure with the HEK is examined.

Employee of Securvita-BKK wondered about complaints
The named cases have come to light because a colleague of Securvita-BKK reported this. So were in the last week „Dozens of calls were received from City BKK members. "Many elderly people had told of the difficulties." The old women who called me were very confused, "said the cashier.

HEK rejects allegations
The Hanseatic health insurance based in Hamburg rejected the allegations. Neither have a service hotline specially set up for City BKK insured, nor would members be rejected because of their age or health status. Around 21 employees are currently working in the telephone service. Due to the small number of employees, there would be no capacity to set up a special telephone service for City BKK insured persons. Also a „standardized response procedure“ be excluded. However, one admits misunderstandings. "If in individual cases it came to unclear statements, then we are sorry," said the Deputy Chairman of the HEK, Torsten Kafka to the "FTD". In retrospect, however, not every conversation can be reconstructed. Like all other health insurances, keep to the law, which states that insured persons of the City BKK must also be admitted. "Of course we keep to that." Kafka emphasized. (sb, gr)

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Picture: M.E.