I am an active client with this agency since early 2013, two years after an accident made me…read morepermanently disabled and unable to walk. MCFC was a government agency which was privatized a few years ago into a not-for-profit corporation. This did not solve the many problems with this agency I have encountered.
A number of areas need considerable improvement before I can upgrade this rating.
1) Issue standard single-page statements (legal or letter size paper) that state just the current balance due, and that which is 30, 60, 90, or greater than 120 days overdue. Include on the page a perforated payment portion to include with the payment being made (if done via USPS, which I strongly do not advise due to frequent claims payment has not been received). I appreciate finally (after 6 years) receiving paperwork to authorize ACH payments, welcome to the 20th century.
2) Rather than sending out automated notices claiming that services will be discontinued and threatening termination of Medicaid health coverage (along with property and any life insurance liens threats), first send out a second and third notice, acceptable and very common practice with sole proprietorships through major transnational corporations.
3) Promptly comply with orders and certain prescriptions sent by either myself or doctors (it's usually both), and stop using "we did not receive it" as an excuse for noncompliance. We all have electronic proof that you did receive them that is date and time stamped at our ends.
4) Join the 21st century by allowing payments via debit and credit cards, or through single ACH or automatic payments ONLINE. This should eliminate 100% of the problems with your current system that you stated was one in which paper checks mailed go through several hands before either lost or finally deposited. You are the only ones still in mid 20th century when it comes to payment handling.
5) Stop always going to the lowest bidding vendors and look instead to getting the best vendors available at negotiated prices. Cheapest is not a good measure of ability to fulfill contractual requirements.
6) Make clear to vendors they are permitted to sell their products to your clients directly as the client requires, as well as to quote prices for same. Several vendors telling me they are prohibited by you from doing this for the precise same reason means you are restricting them or strongly implying you are. This is inappropriate at best, especially when Item 3 above is not being met.
7) Stop punishing clients whose income is low enough to qualify for your services simply because all of their income derives from SSDI or Social Security Retirement with premiums (euphemistically referred to as "cost share") due to our working hard for most of our lives. Charging premiums equal to all income greater than the maximum one can receive from SSI (which is not Social Security) for having not worked long and hard enough (if at all). This is insulting to those of us who collect from programs we directly paid into.
8) Count ANY rent or mortgage payments in full as something deductible from income consideration of monthly premium amounts to be paid, as well as landline (or regular cell phone bill if no landline) payments and other necessary utilities. I can accept only one or the other being counted, but not both not being counted as a necessary utility bill. Also count at least the minimum normal internet connection payment as a necessary utility to be deducted from premium calculations. I personally must make appointments and discuss medical issues online, not to mention schedule transportation to appointments, check weather and road conditions (health AND safety need), and monitor local news to know when elections are, not to mention ALL my bills and billing statements are electronic now (as are all payments but yours, hint, hint).
9) Reduce case loads of nurses and caseworkers (see item 3 for why).
10) Allow caseworkers to train up PROPERLY potential replacement or new case workers by having them spend their training with the case worker trainer (see item 3 for why)
There is more, but space is limited. These are the most glaringly obvious issues to be resolved (promptly, please), and I'm certain I am not the only client who believes so. Item 3 is an absolute must that needs to be done immediately, unless you want Froedtert doctors, case workers, and administrators getting involved, again (see multiple faxed orders sent for repair and maintenance for my wheelchair, which is increasingly becoming unusable after months of these orders being misfiled or ignored). If I am forced to contact Sunrise Medical to find a vendor to order parts from and to do the repairs myself, they will file a complaint on my behalf with CMMS. I will also (as clearly permitted by law) deduct the cost of parts and what my time was worth when I last was able to work from premiums or seek reimbursement through CMMS.
Thanks for making it to the end.
