Chicago woman starts receiving 50 bills a week, adding up to $300,000, after health insurance company retracts payments — years after claims were approved. What triggered the take back?

Larger, industry-wide problem

Before relocating to Illinois, Andersen had a state-issued Blue Cross Blue Shield plan when she lived in Arkansas, which was only valid in Arkansas.

When she moved back to Illinois and needed medical care, Jacci assumed her claims would be covered by her new insurance, United Healthcare. Her providers submitted the claims, and they were paid — until February 2024, when United discovered her Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield plan.

Andersen says that United Healthcare told her that unless she had canceled her previous plan, it would remain her primary insurance.

Then, United Healthcare informed Andersen of the process she would need to embark on.

“You’re going to have to call all these providers and you’re going to have to have them submit the bills to Blue Cross Blue Shield. They’re going to have to deny them. And then you can submit their explanation of benefits to United Healthcare and then we’ll pay it,” Andersen said.

With more than 200 claims to deal with, Andersen says she has spent more than 100 hours trying to get the situation sorted out.

In an email to NBC 5 Chicago, United Healthcare responded, in part, “We are working with her to help her reprocess these claims under her new health plan.”

As 5 Chicago reports, data from the Kaiser Family Foundation highlights that medical billing issues are part of a larger, industry-wide problem.

A June 2023 survey of consumer experiences showed that nearly half of U.S. adults who had problems with their health insurance were unable to “satisfactorily resolve them,” with 28% of those people saying that, as a direct result, they ended up paying more than expected for medical care.

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How to avoid costly insurance headaches

So, what can you do to make sure you don’t get stuck in a similar situation?

Get in touch with your insurance provider when things change. Common triggers, like moving out of state, a change in income or switching to employer-based coverage, are all reasons to reach out.

Here are some tips for staying on top of your insurance coverage:

• Stay informed — reach out to your provider and state insurance department as soon as you have questions.
• If you switch providers, confirm your old policy is canceled.
• Make sure your doctors and health care providers always have your up-to-date insurance information.
• Keep organized records of your policy and claims, and always read through your plan carefully.

As for Andersen, her focus has shifted from her life of art, foster dogs and laughter to continuing to navigate her health insurance debacle. All but 65 of her claims have been resolved, she told NBC 5 Chicago.