Southern Cross errors frustrate cancer victim

By ELEANOR BLACK

A breast cancer victim who is counting every cent after losing her job is fighting Southern Cross Healthcare after the insurer overinflated its account charges.

The 39-year-old has lost faith in the insurer after a series of mistakes cost her money that she says she does not have.

But Southern Cross says the money it owes the Auckland woman will be in her account today.

After ill-health led to the loss of her administration job, she tried to change to a cheaper health insurance policy.

Southern Cross confirmed in November that her policy had been changed, but it added a month-old baby to her cover.

The woman does not have children.

A phone call to the company seemed to fix the problem but in late December the woman got a letter confirming her membership, back on the more expensive package.

Phone calls achieved nothing and at the beginning of this month the woman, now a sickness beneficiary, was charged nearly three times the correct amount for her monthly premium.

Further phone calls and e-mails to Southern Cross have gone unanswered.

"They only owe me about $40 but in my present situation I need every cent I can get," she said.

"I want that money in my bank account tomorrow and I want an assurance this won't happen again."

The woman had a left breast mastectomy and a breast implant in July 2000.

This was followed by courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Her saline breast implant reacted to the radiotherapy and her left breast became bruised and swollen.

After wearing a drain for three weeks, the woman had the implant removed, but it took four months for the wound to heal.

Southern Cross paid all her healthcare bills promptly, but the woman says the stress of trying to get her premiums sorted out is wearing her down.

She says it has added to the depression she feels over her diminished lifestyle.

"I have been a loyal member of Southern Cross and I have paid my premiums even when I couldn't really afford them.

"It really isn't good enough."

Company spokesman Dr Michael Ashby said the backlog in processing claims meant there were many more inquiries to the call centre and consequently it took longer to deal with them.

But account mistakes were normally sorted out immediately.

"It shouldn't happen.

" If we overcharge we put it right," he said.

A changeover to a new computer system is being blamed for the delays being experienced in processing claims.

It is taking the company four to six weeks to pay healthcare providers and patients, compared with the normal one to three weeks.