Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield of New York Reviews

This company *knows* the Biden administration mandated the full reimbursement of expenses regarding Covid testing, including RT-PCR tests. Yet, they keep pulling old tactics to get away with their shameless scam: pay in only in part, and ignore the customer in hopes that we will eventually give up and stop complaining. I am insured with Empire BlueCross BlueShield through my employer, not directly. However, I just contacted HR and let them know of this irregular activity. I will also seek alternatives in the near future, as I expect my insurance company to be minimally honest, among other things. Stay away from this company.

They keep processing claim from an in network doctor as out of network. They did it in 2021 first time. They are still trying to fix it and reprocessed the claim 5 times. No one has got any money yet. For the same doctor they made the same mistake in 2022. Processed his claim as out of network again. There is a huge disconnect between departments and BCBC in different states. Every time I call I get conflicting information. Same is true for emails. I think they do it deliberately to rip innocent subscribers off their hard earned money. Pathetic company. Wonder how they became so big. Bribed their way up.

Don't use Empire Blue Cross...They didn't come to my aid at a time when I desperately needed it. After corrective jaw (orthognathic) surgery to address facial deformity, I was left with some severe sequelae: difficulty eating/chewing, swallowing, breathing, sleeping, and severe asymmetry of the back of the jaw (on one side, the ramus of the jaw was terribly flared out). My occlusal plane angle was severely out of the range of normal, causing my biting difficulty. My airway was still severely narrow and obstructed, leading to sleep apnea and breathing problems. Both of my jaws were still retruded (too far back) and vertically underdeveloped. I also had a prognathic chin.

Accepted in most places, and coverage is very good, also their customer service is very friendly, I have them for a while now and have absolutely nothing to complain about it and other people I know are very satisfied as well.

My partner signed up for this insurance during open enrollment last year because it looked like it had sufficient scope in terms of coverage and doctors. Unfortunately he was then diagnosed with cancer. Then, thankfully we thought, the insurance had an oncologist nearby. After a few sessions, we started to get large bills and the doctor's office stated that the insurance was claiming they were out of network. As it turns out, many of the listed doctors on their site, and the ones their agents tell you are in network, are actually out of network. Now we are without an oncologist. With a deadly disease. They cannot seem to be able to join a call to resolve the issue, and now after reading the other comments here, it appears that this is some sort of very large and deadly scam. We pay over $1,300 a month for this. And there is no doctor that he can use that is in network.

This place is a giant SCAM. Do not do business with these people. I've been getting my medicine which is 4 pills for 10 years now and they reduce it to 3. They offered to me to pay out of pocket. I tried and the pharmacy said I can't. Expensive insurance that I pay every week and now when it's their turn to pay they want to deny me my medicine which I need to survive. Agents don't do anything to help the cause, they put you on hold and tell you the same runaround which never leads to solving the problem at hand. I have had it with the little man always getting screwed by these insurance companies. I wish I could give it a 0 rating cause 1 is way too good.

Totally useless information and customer service. Listen. If I've submitted the same claim four times, denying for four different reasons (and I had to call and email multiple times EVERY TIME just to get a little information about what I was doing wrong, and there are no instructions anywhere), but it's only on the last claim that you tell me I won't be reimbursed because the provider is NOW out of network (although when originally choosing the provider I was told he WAS in network, but, "Oh, sorry, that must have been a mistake")... Your company is unethical. Your customer service is inconsistent and unreliable. And you don't provide the necessary accurate information in order for the insured to make informed decisions. Worst of all, you are costing yourselves MORE money by only paying for expensive things instead of making it easier to get less expensive care and prevention. This is a great example of what's wrong with the system.

LOOK, My humble opinion and I believe the following thoughts: I WILL NEVERRRRRRR**** GET EMPIRE AGAIN. January 16, 2018 MRI and left Empire January 18, 2018. They refuse to pay. After dealing with from October 2018 to now. Now I will file complaints with NYS and US Attorney General's office, NYS Governor's office, Health Bureau, FTC, many government entities and websites. They also violated HIPPA regulations I believe. 518-367-4737 Bridget ** management and supervisor Ayanna ** at extension ** reference number ** – ** . It's disgusting they kept jerking me around for months saying it was in appeals and then appeals didn't review all doctor's documents for some reason. I think I was denied because my insurance ended couple days later like it feels to me malicious. I also filed reviews on Twitter and Facebook. Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance. I wish there was a way to give zero stars.

We were covered by this company for a little more than 20 years. They handled every claim promptly and fully. In all, our family had 14 surgeries during this time. Our out of pocket expenses were minimal and there were never any "hassles."

If I could give this company 0 stars, I would. They denied my ER claim because they deemed my massive internal infection in which I was hooked up to IVs for 7 days not a “medical necessity.” Finally, the ER doctor called them and said I would’ve died without treatment. I got a letter afterward from them afterward saying, although they don’t agree with the doctor, they will pay my claim, but it’s a one time thing. What???

I am a Medicaid patient and I always have hypercalcemia while the doctor ask me to hospitalize and have IV. I have CKD and my old primary doctor prescribed me vitamin D and ** while not realizing my high calcium level. I went to my kidney doctor and asked me to hospitalized urgently to lower my calcium level. On the next day, I received a letter from them that my hospitalization was not approved and have to file an appeal. My kidney doctor is helping me filing it. I would say good luck for those who have this insurances. They don’t work based on fact and evidence at all.

Called up to ask about why I was unable to update something on their system for my account. Was told that "Jews like me needed to be more patient and stop pushing". Complained and never heard back from company.

Always something they not cover. Customer service helpless and I wish company will change it. It was Aetna before Obamacare started and company must gave up Cadillac plan. Switched to BCBS which is real BS.

My hip replacement surgery was denied as not medically necessary, and my surgery was cancelled, last minute. I have severe arthritis. My doctor was baffled and appealed, and the appeal was denied. I also sent an expedited appeal, and did not receive a response. My family has had the same Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield policy since 1992 through my husband’s union, Metal Trades Local 638. I believe BCBS has not followed their contract.

My mother, who is a cancer patient, has this horrible insurance. She pays sky high premiums every month, while they approve the services the doctor bills to them and then don't pay, pay different amounts of money for the same approved service (ex.: $400 one month, $1000 another month, $0 another month). They have no explanation for doing this. They also sent a letter that states all these services have been approved. It has now been over a year of phone calls and emails back and forth. They have pre-approved multiple services, just to claim later that the approval was never given. Now they are telling me the approval numbers they have sent to me are not in their records. This company is basically extorting money from clients with their premiums, and then refusing to pay for services they are supposed to cover.

Blue Cross of New York is not a good health insurance. It do not cover much and the cost to families and when you call to get help with anything not very helpful. I wish my company would find another Health Insurance because this keeps going up and less services and poor customer service.

I’ve had multiple communications with Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield over the course of a year, mainly to correct my address. The first thing that they always ask for is a callback number in case I get disconnected. I have been disconnected many times, was told to wait for a callback while they look into the issues that I called about, and I have yet to receive a single callback from them. I have spent over a year now trying to correct my mailing address, as Empire’s system keeps changing my mailing address and all of my EOB’s end up getting lost in the mail.

High co-pay for x-rays. Doesn't always cover the entire cost of a procedure. Has very old listings of dentists on their dental plan; these dentists have long ago left Empire. Most egregious, doesn't cover medical massage for 65+ insureds. Very discriminatory!!! Medical massage can be a very effective part of PT. Why are we less important than those under 65 who ARE entitled to medical massage.

In the current era of healthcare, we are all used to some glitches. Two years ago I had insurance with a company that went out of business during the year. That was bad. Last year I had insurance with a company that wouldn't cover everything I wanted them to. Didn't love that either. But Empire Blue Cross is without a doubt THE WORST insurance I have ever had or in fact, can imagine. In addition to the fact that it covers incrementally less than other companies I have dealt with, there is in effect NO CUSTOMER SERVICE.

They refuse to help me change back to my previous plan. I have submitted an appeal letter and copies of my pay stub. I use to come home with 600.00 every two weeks. Now with the new plan that was picked by mistake I come home with 300.00. How am I suppose to live off 300 every two weeks. Even the benefits department at my job is refusing to help. Lost my appetite and losing sleep over this. I'm not asking to cancel my plan. Just change it back to what it was.

This is the worst health insurance. Everytime I call, the wait is usually 1 to 2 hours - yes, 1 to 2 hours. Why don't they hire more people to work and answer the phones. I mean, they charge $$$ for coverage that really doesn't even pay for your dr. visits. Also, if they know they are going to be extra busy in January - then prepare and hire more people to work the phones. We need socialized medicine in this country big time. Putting healthcare into the hands of corporations is just wrong. Healthcare is a basic right for all Americans - not just the rich.

Am unable to reach any of numbers listed on card. When finally able to get rep they passed me from dept to dept and disconnected. Now for 5 days I am trying to cancel. I had to stop payment as I prepaid 2 months. I had to pay bank to stop payment as no one could help with this either. Now I have no med ins as I need proof of cancellation.

Couldn't sign on. Called tech support. Waited on hold an hour and 15 minutes. Couldn't find me in the system. Called Membership Department. Waited on hold for 2 hours. The rep couldn't find my records. Said she was going to put me on hold. Sent me back to the main menu. After 15 minutes was cut off. Was just trying to get my customer i.d. number.

I don't know how this company stays in business - 2 hour long phone wait times, premiums that are supposed to autopay that don't - and you are left without coverage even after spending a total of 14 hours on hold and talking to 4 different sales people on 4 different days to make sure the premium would be taken out of my bank - all to no avail. I don't understand why the government doesn't step in and control the health insurance companies - it's not socialist, it's a basic human need. Or at least have a government agency watchdog these morons. Sick people need better help. I mean, the outrageous cost of health insurance, why don't they hire more people to answer phones???

I would like to make a complaint about the rudeness of the supervisor of customer service representative name Mathew ** and his unreachable supervisor Britney. And Mr. Mathew states she does not speak with people, and he was unwilling to help me and my questions in any form. My mother is fighting pancreatic cancer and she is weak, tired, and near end of life. All was needed was 2 questions answered so she can receive her chemotherapy medication. The lack of empathy and rudeness that was given to me and my mother is unacceptable.

Expect nothing from Empire's 24/7 Nurseline. After my child drank fetid water in the backyard, I called my pediatrician to ask if there was anything I should do. Because they were closed, I then called my insurer's 24/7 Nurseline to ask the same question. I was connected to a nurse who asked me about 30 questions in order to confirm that I was a paying customer entitled to the service, and to cover themselves legally in case my child was harmed. Once I asked all their questions, I was told to call Poison Control. I asked why all the questions, and I was told it was policy. I asked why there was no advice, and I was told that they don't provide that advice. When I said that the 10 minutes answering all the questions could have exacerbated my child's problems, and I was told that I was being argumentative and was hung up on. Service was a total waste of time.

We pay an exorbitant amount a month (which is not even including the hike as of next year), and yet I am unable to get through to the right person to discuss any simple issues. It's beyond a joke. I spent nearly an hour on the phone being passed from one person to the next. I have given up, and here I am spending more time going out of my way to complain about them. On top of this, receiving a letter saying we have to pay ridiculous amounts for my children's dentistry which are quite clearly included in the policy!! What a joke. We'll be leaving as soon as the policy is up.

It's difficult if not impossible to get a human being on the phone. When I have been transferred to a supervisor, the supervisor has turned out to be voicemail and my call has not been returned. My experience today typifies the level of dysfunction at Blue Cross Blue Shield. I called the number for customer service on the back of my Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance card at 10:50 AM to find out if a surgical procedure had been approved. Upon selecting the Pre-certification option from a "phone tree" I received an outgoing message stating that Pre-certification will "not able to assist [me] with benefit or claim related questions." I held the line anyway.

I am recovering from a stroke and need physical therapy. Blue Cross only authorized a minimum amount out of the sixty allowed. I need further therapy and they are making me wait until they authorize more. Would they like it if I wait to pay my $300 per month premium for the poor service?

I applied for coverage through the exchanges at the end of August to begin September 1st for coverage. I paid for the first month of coverage when I applied (for September). I received my cards for insurance the first week of September. Then I started getting notices in the mail that I was overdue for payment for my September premium. When I called to inquire, they informed me my start date was August 1st. Which was an error on their part and that the first payment I made was for August. How am I supposed to use insurance for time that I didn't even apply for? Time in the past that I didn't have a card for?