Medamerica Health Insurance Company
A review of Medamerica Health Insurance Company finds that, unsurprisingly, there are many different companies in the medical industry in America named “Medamerica.” This review will focus on MedAmerica Insurance Company, an Excellus Company.
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MedAmerica Insurance Company, MedAmerica Insurance Company of Florida, and MedAmerican Insurance Company of New York are all subsidiaries of the Excellus Health Plan, Inc. In turn, Excellus is part of Lifetime Healthcare Companies, a not-for-profit health coverage and healthcare services provider with nearly two million customers. Lifetime Healthcare Companies is headquartered in Rochester, New York.
MedAmerica Insurance Company Contact Information
MedAmerica’s headquarters are in Rochester, along with Lifetime Healthcare. They are located at:
165 Court Street
Rochester, New York 14647
Toll-free: 1-800-544-0327
MedAmerica Insurance Company Products
MedAmerica offers long-term care insurance as its only focus in health insurance. It writes policies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. MedAmerica underwrites and reinsures long-term care insurance policies through agents and business group benefit plans. The company has intended, since its beginning more than 20 years ago, to offer the “best and most affordable long term care insurance possible.”
Because it is focused solely on one product, MedAmerica has positioned itself as both an expert and a leader in the field. The company cares about each one of its policyholders and believes that everybody deserves the compassion and respect that its insurance coverage ensures.
To this end, MedAmerica assigns each policyholder a Personal Care Advisor to serve as their single point of contact. The advisors help customers with any claim issues but, before that, they also can help with questions about policy benefits, specific needs, recommended resources, and more. Each advisor has a nursing and/or social work background.
MedAmerica’s Care Advisors may also choose to refer policyholders to CareScout, a leading expert on eldercare. CareScout helps provide a countrywide provider directory and discount service, support services, and a discount for family members. MedAmerica prides itself on giving each member and their family the support and help that they need.
According to MedAmerica’s data and statistics, 43% of individuals needing long-term care services are under the age of 65. Additionally, at least half of all American will need long-term care after the age of 50. This care can range from nursing homes and assisted living facilities, to daily help in a person’s own home. Debilitating diseases such as MS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, as well as medical events such as heart attacks and strokes, can cause somebody to need long-term care. Just the process of aging can also be a culprit. Long-term care insurance helps protect your assets, which can be quickly depleted by this long-term cost.
MedAmerica Insurance Company Social Advocacy
Because of MedAmerica Insurance Company’s commitment to the improvement of the quality of life for elder adults, the company has taken up the cause against elder abuse. Elder abuse includes neglect, self-neglect, financial exploitation, abandonment, and physical, sexual, and psychological abuse at the hands of family members, caregivers, and other trusted acquaintances.
The company is focused on supporting the prevention of elder abuse, and issues a monthly newsletter dedicated to its challenges. The newsletter, The Bomba Letter, is written by MedAmerica’s medical director, Dr. Patricia Bomba. Dr. Bomba is a well-known and respected geriatrician. The newsletter highlights events, laws, studies, and more that support the prevention of elder abuse.
In addition, MedAmerica features a contribution program whereby the company will match every donation, dollar for dollar, that is made to the company to prevent elder abuse. MedAmerica donates the money to agencies and organizations dedicated to elder abuse prevention.
MedAmerica Insurance Company Ratings
MedAmerica had assets of more than $1.4 billion and total revenues of $221.1 million at financial year-end 2010. The company has a “B++” or “Good” rating from A.M. Best Company for its financial strength. It has also received a “bbb” long-term rating for its issuer credit. A.M. Best gives the company a “stable” outlook forecast. MedAmerica has also received a rating of “A-” or “Strong” from Standard and Poor’s.
MedAmerica is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau, which may mean simply that the company never sought accreditation. The BBB has given MedAmerica and Excellus a rating of “C+” on a scale of “A+” through “F.” The organization doesn’t distinguish between MedAmerica and parent company Excellus.
In the last three years, the BBB has logged nine complaints about MedAmerica/Excellus, encompassing billing/collection issues and problems with their product/service. In three of the nine cases, the complaints were resolved with BBB assistance. In three of the cases, the BBB thought that MedAmerica/Excellus made a good faith effort to resolve the complaint, but the customer still wasn’t satisfied. In the remaining three cases, the BBB never received a response from MedAmerica/Excellus.
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2 Comments to “Medamerica Health Insurance Company”
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Carl Tyer says:
“In 2007 when I was still working I subscribed to a long-term care policy with MedAmerica offered through a relationship with my employer. In 2014 I received notice that the premium on the policy was going up to maintain the level of benefit I had contracted for in the original policy. I had the option of 1) paying the increased premium to maintain the benefit or paying a lower premium and having a lower benefit. At that time I started paying the increased premium.
After paying this increased premium for 3 quarters (+/-) I wrote the company stating I could not continue paying the increased premium amount and asked if I could “”freeze”” the cash value as I was originally offered.
The letter I received back stated this was not an option. I corresponded back that I was not happy with this position of MedAmerica. Basically, MedAmerica has taken a position that is not customer friendly. They have over $10,000 in premiums I have paid into this policy, I have no value from this investment and their policies are not customer friendly.
Their position is once I started paying the increased premium I forfeited the right to “”freeze”” the cash value. This is a technicality which is totally under their control as it’s their policy which they can change if they so choose. To not allow a customer to have a cash value if they have paid into a policy for a number of years is a poor business practice.
MedAmerica’s policy of in a sense forcing the customer to continue to pay in order to possibly get a value back from their premium investments is not customer oriented.
I have communicated with MedAmerica stating my opinion on this and what I get is the company line and legal speak.”
“Over the past several months, I have worked with MedAmerica as a broker marketing the company’s Transitions policy. As a long-term care insurance specialist with hundreds of clients in a regular long-term care policy, I had originally thought that Transitions would be appropriate to cover a portion of the elimination period of a regular long-term care policy. Most of my clients declined the coverage believing that Medicare will help with the LTC costs during the elimination period.
I am very happy that my clients are choosing this route. I submitted three applications to MedAmerica for their Transitions policy. Their customer service for agents is horrific. I waited on hold for lengthy periods of time to try to obtain a status for my applications. When I finally reached someone, they had very little knowledge of my applications and simply told me to look at the system for information.
I went to the system to review “”my business”” and again received very little information. I was not able to discern when the phone interview had been done, the date the policy had been issued, or when the policy would be sent to me. In addition, MedAmerica does not overnight policies, so there is no tracking ability.
I would encourage agents to stay away from MedAmerica!”