Sagicor not responsible for returning health deposit
Dear Claudienne,
I was scheduled for surgery on February 23, 2016 at the Hargreaves Memorial Hospital in Mandeville. Upon checking into the hospital on February 22, 2016, I was informed that I had to make a deposit of $80,000 before being admitted.
I enquired what the deposit was for, as I was the holder of a ‘Supplementary Health Card’ which safeguards you in the event that you are hospitalised for up to seven days, and was told that the deposit was to offset charges for drugs, etc, and any damage to property or missing items. It was further explained that said deposit would have been returned upon my discharge from the hospital.
Upon being discharged, I enquired about the return of my deposit and was told that a claim was submitted to Sagicor on my behalf and it normally took six to eight weeks to settle a claim.
I was confused by that statement as the deposit was paid directly to the hospital, and submitting it to Sagicor would be double-charging me as the supplemental offsets drugs, etc, as I had been made to understand.
I waited approximately 10 weeks, but received no form of communication from either the hospital or Sagicor.
I visited the hospital to enquire about the claim and was told that Sagicor had not communicated with them. I requested a copy of the claim, took it to the Sagicor office and spoke to an agent who said that they were not in receipt of any claim bearing my name.
I also submitted a copy of the claim to the HR Department of the company where I worked and requested intervention from the agent assigned to my company’s account.
It is now five months since I paid this deposit and I have not been able to get any feedback regarding same. I am hoping your intervention will provide me with not only my deposit but also an explanation as to what caused the breakdown in communication.
Thanks in advance for your assistance.
LB
Dear LB,
Tell Claudienne has been in communication with Sagicor. We gave them your overseas telephone number and they tried to contact you, but they got your voicemail.
Sagicor told us that their records show that when you visited one of their offices in May 2016, you were told that their contract with the company you worked for had ended, and that since February 2016 Sagicor was no longer the insurance provider for that company.
Sagicor said that you were advised to submit your claim to the company’s new insurance provider.
We sent you an e-mail but you have not replied. If you have not already submitted a claim to the new insurance provider for the company where you were employed, please do so immediately.
Good luck.
Dear Claudienne,
My mother died on February 20, 2016, and up to now (May 2016) I have not received the funeral grant. We are in debt up to our necks because we had to borrow to bury her.
She worked all her life and contributed to the fund.
I would appreciate your help.
MF
Dear MF,
We contacted the NIS office and note that you received the funeral grant mid -August.
Good luck.
Have a problem with a store, utility, a company? Telephone 936-9436 or write to: Tell Claudienne c/o Sunday Finance, Jamaica Observer, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or e-mail : edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com. Please include a contact phone number.