Lifewise of Washington Terminates my Insurance During a Concussion – Story

Due to a technicality neither Chase Bank nor Lifewise (the insurer) could resolve, I had to stop using online bill pay to pay Lifewise. A paper check each month was required. On February 3, I suffered a concussion. I normally pay my bills that same weekend. I paid all my bills online using Chase billpay but of course that didnt work for Lifewise. So I forgot, due to the concussion, to write the paper check for February. I still paid Lifewise for March and April and they cashed the checks.

They terminated my insurance effective Feb. 28 and have denied my appeal. I was their customer for NINE years. They never called. They sent a termination warning buried in the mounds of technical paperwork for my concussion treatment, which I didnt see because I was told by doctors to minimize my workload till I was recovered and generally I dont look at LIfewise’s mountainous paperwork until the doctor’s bills arrive, so I can match them up.

So now I cant even buy insurance anywhere, from anyone, until January.

NOTE FROM EDITOR: In cases like this you must appeal. Learn more about appeal rights under the ACA. Appeals must always be done quickly. If they deny your appeal then you can escalate the appeal to an external review. This doesn’t mean every appeal will work, but it does mean you can essentially continue to fight the insurer after a denial. Learn more about how to appeal.