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  1. Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    121
    #1
    guys, i hope this does not happen to anyone.

    ************

    A Grievance against HMI by a Senior Citizen

    Hi to Everybody,

    I am posting this letter to air my grievances on the first in caring for your health, the HEALTH MAINTENANCE, Inc. (HMI), tagged as the “first and pioneer pre-need” health plan in the Philippines.

    I am 64 years old senior citizen who had been with HMI since 1986. I had continuously been paying my premium on time. It was on that fateful day last September 26 when typhoon Ondoy hit Manila I was not able to pay my premium on time due to the fact that Makati office was submerged in flood. I was not feeling well too and no one to deliver my payment on the 30th. I called up Ms. Llanes and gave me a week time to pay. In short, my policy lapsed for certain days. It was paid by my son after the extended period of days for reinstatement. My payment served as a deposit only but was charge a penalty for late payment. For better understanding, my premium is being paid semi-annual.

    From that time on I waited for their response. I did not have any medical check up within those months because I do not know what happened to my reinstatement. I only called up Ms. Lilia Llanes to ask last March 29, 2010 (because I know my next semi-annual will be due March 31) whatever happened to my health card. She told me that my reinstatement was deferred pending in compliance with waiver of 5 diseases which were: diabetes mellitus, kidney, ureter, and cardiovascular system. O course, I was amazed of their response. Why in the world would I be getting a health insurance and paying for it if all of those mentioned diseases will be waived? What for?

    I asked for a reconsideration of this matter. I talked to Ms. Amber Agapito. I explained everything. I was with HMI over 2 decades and now that I am past 60, they will steal from me my hope of getting medical attention in their company? I was devastated. When you grow old and medical attention is imminent and you are deprived of it, the agony starts there. Anxiety, depression sets in and it is painful, very painful. And of all things, it’s not for free. I am paying for it. I appealed to her. She told me to write to Dr. Pilar Adrias, HMI medical director, explaining how I felt on their decision which I did. I then called up Ms. Llanes to ask that my premium would be due March 31 and the advice of Ms. Amber is to pay the first semi-annual for 2010 so that on their committee meeting they will see that I am really interested to renew my application, which I did and again my payment was posted as deposit.

    I waited for the Holy Week break and last Monday, April 5, I got a call from Ms. Llanes telling me that five (5) diseases mentioned above will not be waived anymore BUT I have to pay double my premium. What??? I paid for P5,455.00/6 mos., so you mean I have to pay P10,910 for a semi-annual premium and pay again on Sept. the same amount? If I would do that I would have paid P21,820.00 for a year? And that would be my last year with HMI? And my room and board is only P500/day? Is that not funny? Wow!! You’re silently killing your patient, I told Ms. Llanes. Is that your final decision? Is that your answer for my appeal? As if nothing happened? Where is the compassionate heart and understanding mind I thought would be considerate? Especially coming from a senior citizen and being with HMI for 24 years of loyalty? My caller on the other side of the phone could just answer: final decision na po!! When I heard that - - of course, I got mad. Told her to
    return all payments made by me and delivered it in my residence. She told me that it is their policy for the client/patient to pick up the check and sign for their records purposes. I told her too I don’t want to go to your place anymore. I don’t want to see your faces either. I ask her who is in a position to answer my query better than picking up my check. She pointed out Mr. Norman Francisco but he did not want to talk to me. She just told Ms. Llanes that she was on the other phone, maybe because he did not want to hear me getting angry. I was supposed to tell him that you have to deliver my check at home because you gave me the trouble of going to your office, pay for the whole year and only to know that all my appeals gone to waste. You could not pay my anxiety, stress and anger for not being considerate to old client/patient.

    After all what had been said and done, I am still the loser. I did not win this battle- - of me- - having reinstated with no waiver of 5 diseases and paying the same amount of premium. Imagine? Last year ko na sa kanilang kompanya, sa HMI? Hindi pa ako pinagbigyan?? Is this the price of being loyal to your company? I should have transferred to another company during my younger years but I did not! Because I was and still am a friend of my agent (who has just passed away). In fairness to the company who is already an institution of health care plan today, they used to be accommodating all the time, that is- - when I was younger.

    What could be a bitter experience than this incident that happened to me? It is disgusting, that is why I am writing this letter as an eye opener of those who are with HMI. I am alone fighting for this battle and even if I did not win now, I hope those who went through with this experience will not just keep quiet but will also say their piece or open up their distraught with HMI.

    In silence I offer this prayer to the management of HMI, to all the higher ups of the company, who did not address my simple problem, who did not take into consideration my grievances and forgot to search their heart and understanding to old people instead of being too harsh and to be eaten by their system of old saying “kami (kompanya) muna bago kayo (tao)”. “Bakit? Sa isang taon ko bang paggamit ng health card ko at kung sakaling maconfine ako ipaghihirap ba ng HMI agad”? Wow naman pare, if your first and foremost goal is to make money then why health insurance ang pinili nyo, if you could not afford to sacrifice some to win some?

    And now I appeal to “madlang people” to read this and tell your old ones if they experienced the same. I hope too this would be read by million people so that they can express this sentiment over this. May this serve as an eye opener to other people who may have experienced the same but could not do anything? And may I be the one to show the way… Thanks to you all…. God bless

  2. Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    1,099
    #2
    one reason why i'd rather spend 2k a month for gym. and spend 2-3 hours of my time 4 days a week in a gym.

    i'm not taking any medications nor supplements nor vitamins, i don't do executive checkups, and i dont understand why some people would rather listen to fat doctors and nurses than me. lahat ng kaklase ko kabarkada ko, mga juniors 5 years before me, lahat sila naka-maintenance na sa highblood and cholesterol. lagi ko sinasabi tigilan nyo yan, at balang-araw yan mga gamot naman na yan ang ikakasakit nyo.

    those diseases above can still be beaten even at that age. ang kelangan lang ay magpapawis ng magpapawis ga-basahan talaga. but of course, most people always believe an intake will save a disease that has been caused by intake din. and therefore, they take their placebo on herbal teas, liver pills etc etc....

    oxygen and water are the two most natural/safest intake that our body can accept without limit. oxygen can clear all those clog causing diseases in your organs and water will wash it away.

    the health care system is best used during accidents. yun hindi mo na talaga maiwasan 100% kahit gano ka-healthy ka pa.

    oh well, good luck to the processed food-driven couch potato monetary world. the health care system is just the vulture on its prey
    of these 21st century bad habits.

    maintaining health first, earning money 2nd. not the other way around, coz if you lose all your money, you're still healthy.


    P.S. stop eating fusion foods ice cream cake, coffee + orange, spices + meat + carbs
    at kung ano ano pa na dubbed as gourmet food na usong-uso ngaun na halos tig 2k ang bill. parang kang nag-experimento ng diesel + gasoline tapos nilagay mo sa tsikot mo.
    Last edited by Gen. Miting; April 16th, 2010 at 03:10 AM.

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