By the time the couple in their 80’s noticed the monthly auto-billing on their bank account, they had overpaid Anthem $5,000 for insurance they thought they had canceled two years ago. That’s money these two living on pension could have been using to fix their crumbling front walkway. It was until they beseeched their local consumer reporter and he took an interest in their story did Anthem retroactively cancel their policy and refund their money.

The two thought the coverage was canceled when they used a local broker to switch to another provider. The insurance auto-deducted from their bank account and it was two years before they noticed the monthly payments for $207.48 for Medicare Advantage deducting from their account. When they called Anthem, the insurance company said they had no proof that the couple ever canceled and asked for more documentation.

After submitting all their info by the end of June, the two got no productive responses to their calling and writing, until they told their story to their local consumer reporter, Kevin Hunt of The Hartford Courant.

“It’s magic,” Nellie, 81 told the Courant after she got a call from Anthem voiding the policy and giving her money back. “After they ignored my writing and calling, just one word from you got the ball rolling. I couldn’t believe it. It’s absolutely a miracle.”

Indeed, the magical power of shame!

Elderly Haddam Couple Spent More Than $5,000 In Autopays On Health Coverage They Didn’t Know They Had [CTnow] (Thanks to Doug!)

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