Praeger Goes to Bat for Elderly Patients over LTC Coverage

In this case, the patient’s son, Greg Mills, had created the website http://www.Bankers-Life.info to chronicle the battle, but it appears closed to the public at the time of this story’s publication and could not be accessed.

“The slick and smoothly scripted promises versus the harsh reality of doing business with Bankers Life and Casualty Long Term Health Care Insurance are two radically different things,” Mills’ site says in the lead sentence on Bankers-Life.info website, when it was up, according to NBC 41. “Despite numerous faxes, telephone calls, letters, a flood of paid nursing home statements, care plans forms and even a formal complaint filed with the Missouri Insurance Commissioner, no benefits have been paid,” Mills states on the web address he purchased, NMC reported.

When asked to comment, Bankers Life offered the same response that it offered NBC 41.

“We take all complaints seriously, and work with all parties, including the Department of Insurance, to resolve issues as soon as possible.  We fulfill our obligations to our policyholders based on specific policy language, state requirements and the claim information submitted as evidence of loss, such as plans of care and itemized bills,” Bankers Life said. “When incomplete evidence is submitted, we make every attempt to work with our policyholder and their family, and the provider to obtain the appropriate information to confirm what care is required and what services have been provided. In 2011, Bankers paid in excess of $400 million on long-term care claims and benefits to our more than 300,000 long-term care customers nationwide.”

According to the story, only when the media and Praeger got involved, via some fortuitous contacts, did Bankers Life contact Mills.

It seems Praeger’s own uncle had been undergoing a similar battle with the company, which is owned by Conseco, and it was Praeger herself who stepped in. She was quoted as saying that Bankers Life then began paying her uncle’s claim, but that the family is considering canceling the policy.