Highmark Reviews
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About Highmark
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Highmark offers health insurance and related services, including individual, family, Medicare and employer-sponsored plans. Founded in 1977, the company operates primarily in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Delaware. Highmark combines health care coverage with wellness programs and member support resources to enhance health care access and quality.
- Friendly customer service
- Comprehensive coverage options
- Affordable premiums
- High out-of-pocket costs
- Poor communication from reps
- Frequent claim denials
Highmark Reviews
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Reviewed Jan. 14, 2026
Aetna Advantage plan was hell-on-earth. I'd heard Highmark Wholecare was "a great plan" by an insurance agent. Sure, their ADS look great but NONE of their propaganda is true. 1st went through a long list of 'in network providers' in my area. 99% had retired, or moved years ago. Spent 2 hours on phone with Highmark & was assigned the ONLY dr that accepted their plan & gave Highmark 2 weeks notice for transportation. Ride NEVER showed up or bothered to call, to cancel. Highmark promised OTC benefits but refuses to send the card, you need to use those so-called-benefits. I've called repeatedly. They say, "Oh, it's just been shipped out".
Tried repeatedly, to make an account so I can message them instead of being stuck on the phone for hours. Website won't allow me to make an account. They also changed my medicare number/card without asking me or even notifying me. It's been 14 days since I've switched from Aetna & Highmark is every bit as bad. HOW can these companies get away with lying about non-existent-providers, then refusing to pay for the PCP that they choose? How can they get away with refusing to pay labs? How can they get away with promising you OTC benefits (the only reason people go with these plans) then refusing to send you the card to pay for them? They hide their criminality behind polite phone agents. They're nothing short of evil gangsters and the worst liars, I've ever come across in my life.

Reviewed Jan. 12, 2026
Nothing short of MADDENING!!! I did learn that Medicare Advantage plan holders are indeed the "red headed step-children" and their policies, web portals and apps are held in a different regard that any of their normal customers. What I don't understand is that when accessing Highmark on the web or app store that they don't seem to have a special site/app for us unimportant Medicare customers. I only see one choice when I go online or to the app store. I am confused by this because I am assured by Highmark reps that because I have Medicare it is a totally different site than what the normal people get and therefore they are unable to help with a web issue, even though they are the web services dept. Unfortunately, 1 star is the lowest choice that you allow me to choose.

Reviewed Jan. 8, 2026
Absolutely horrendous. Provider covered one visit, not the next visit. Out of pocket expenses for a routine wellness exam exceeds $350 with zero coverage from Highmark. Trying to find a new provider in my area that accepts new patients is impossible.

Reviewed Jan. 7, 2026
This insurance company is a joke! They told me my premium would be one price and they ended up charging me a higher rate. This has been going on since July 2025. They absolutely refuse to refund the difference that is owed to me. Highmark doesn’t care about their customers and their employees have absolutely no clue what is going on. I will never be a Highmark customer again and if I could give a negative star on this review I would!

Reviewed Jan. 5, 2026
High premium cost, worst customer services in the planet. Even the information they put on your card is wrong. You hold several hours for the member service phone, you can’t reach a representative. Can’t describe how bad the experience it is with this insurance company.
Reviewed Dec. 23, 2025
The customer service is horrible. Endless automated responses, almost impossible to reach an actual person, and if you do that person is just a flunkie who cannot resolve the issue. Don't waste your money on this plan; so many other better options.
Reviewed Dec. 23, 2025
This is the worst health insurance provider on the planet. Agents are rude and cannot resolve anything over the phone. Records are stale and not updated for over a year resulting in denial of benefits. The company also use a tactic to deny claim by claiming you already have primary insurance with another provider and therefore will not pay for any services received until you contact the previous insurance company that you have a relationship 2-3 years ago and tell them to send in proof of insurance cancellation.
Reviewed Dec. 17, 2025
I work for a billion dollar company and this is the insurance they give us. Absolutely ridiculous. ANSWER THE PHONES!! PEOPLE NEED HELP!!! I have never been more frustrated with an insurance company in my life.
Reviewed Nov. 18, 2025
Fully agree with many of the comments before this. Their focus appears to be denying claims or processing them in a manner to put the burden on consumer and making the resolution process so onerous that their hope is that you will eventually just give up. I eventually had to file a formal complaint with the PA Insurance Dept.

Reviewed Nov. 11, 2025
There was no in-network doctor qualified to perform my skin cancer surgery, yet they penalized me by charging me the tier two fee for my coverage. I filed a formal appeal to have tier 1 coverage because I had no choice. They denied my appeal. Communication was terrible and I received no up-front warning that would have to pay 500% more in out-of-pocket expenses.
Reviewed Oct. 17, 2025
They canceled my coverage for owing less than $10 and did not send me a single notification through email the app or any other means of communication. They claim that they sent me several notices in the mail that I had never received and canceled my insurance dating back several months After the notice date on the termination paper costing me thousands of dollars all over a less than $10 payment. Thanks Highmark.
Do not use this service because you will never be informed of a missed payment and you will pay the price in full at the doctor's office because even if you are not being covered the provider/doctors office will still run your insurance card. Say you have insurance that you go through and then several months later you will get a bill you need to pay in full because they also don’t care that in their own handbook section 5.5 that it is the providers responsibility to inform you of your insurance status but they won’t because some representatives through HIGHMARK don’t even know how the American medical system works. Hope this helps.
Reviewed Oct. 17, 2025
The most part they're helpful. However they like to make things difficult for seniors and keep it tricky so if you're not into that get some other insurance, you know I've used the over counter store for.. oh my now for three or four years, it was saying that I'm putting in the wrong numbers for my member ID, putting the same numbers in I was putting in for 3 years not recognizing it, I call member services and they say, "Well you don't got to put the first number in." Well how am I supposed to know that and then when you try to contact you over the counter store I could have contacted because it wasn't recognizing my number that I wasn't supposed to be using that I didn't know but now if you can figure that out go ahead and get the insurance. Otherwise don't bother.
Reviewed Oct. 8, 2025
I'm extremely dissatisfied with Highmark insurance. They excel at collecting premiums, but when it comes to providing the coverage I need, they fall short. Recently, Highmark changed its policy on obesity, now considering a BMI of 40 or higher as the threshold for coverage. This change has had a significant impact on me and many others who rely on medication to manage our health.
What's even more frustrating is that they've refused to continue covering my medication, even though I've been on it for a year. It's like they're penalizing me for having a health condition. I believe this policy is discriminatory, particularly against individuals with hormonal issues or those struggling with obesity. It's unacceptable that they're making decisions about our health based on arbitrary numbers rather than our actual medical needs. Highmark's actions demonstrate a clear lack of understanding and empathy for people like me who rely on their insurance for essential medical care. I would caution others to think carefully before enrolling with Highmark. One star is too generous.
Reviewed Oct. 1, 2025
Highmark is the ABSOLUTE worst company I've had to deal with. Our family switched to COBRA on Sept 12, 2025. We decided to take my husband off (who was the main member under his employer, I was beneficiary) because we're only keeping this so I can give birth in October 2025. The lady we spoke with ensured us everything would still remain the same and the coverage would be retroactive starting Sept 13, 2025. What she didn't explain was that by taking my husband off the plan, it would start a whole new plan with a whole new ID number. Mind you I've already spent over $1k in out-of-pocket expenses and met by $750 deductible for the year. By triggering a whole new plan with a whole new ID number... it restarted my out of pocket and deductible expenses at $0 and I'm giving birth in a few days!!!!
First off, it took until today, October 1, 2025, to activate my insurance so all my doctor visits and procedures have not been billed since Sept 12, 2025. I've had multiple phone calls with Highmark and with Blue Cross/Blue Shield member services, and both parties never mentioned to me about a new ID number. So I'm here calling my doctor's office asking them to try running the insurance every couple days only to have them state that my insurance was still coming back as inactive/rejected. As frustrating as this was, I let it slide, like OK it might just take a few days to update on the insurance side. Come to find out, Highmark never sent over my info to the insurance side until I asked them about it yesterday on Sept 30, 2025. Ridiculous.
So today, October 1, 2025: Called my doctors office again to run my insurance- still inactive. Called member services- stated it is inactive on their end. Let them know Highmark had sent over the info yesterday. They checked somewhere else and that's when I found out of my new plan and number. So I called Highmark and complained and they took zero responsibility for the lack of training on their part for the failure to explain everything to me when we switched to COBRA. Spoke with Juan, who is apparently a supervisor, but he was no help at all. All he kept saying was I can open a ticket or do an appeal. Like come on, now I'm being penalized for their employee's lack of training, by having to pay my $750 deductible all over again....
Reviewed Sept. 19, 2025
I pay nearly 5000$ a year to insure myself and my two daughters. Out of the 28 claims I made this year, only 2 were covered. They have paid doctors a grand total of 460$ while I have paid them over 2000$ in addition to the monthly cost of this insurance. These people are evil. They are taking advantage of the poor and powerless to make profit. They do not care about you or your family, they only care about your money. These people are the absolute scum of the earth. You would save money not paying for this insurance at all and just negotiate with Doctors yourself. These people are only in the business of taking your money and refusing to give you anything in return. Complete scam of a company, and I hate my employer switched to this.
Reviewed Sept. 18, 2025
I have been working and carrying the health insurance for my family for over 30 years and Highmark is the worst company I have ever dealt with. The one star was generous, I would give a negative if allowed. EVERY SINGLE claim has been denied or only partially covered with everything being applied to my deductible. Every time I called to inquire about why, I have to speak to someone that is very hard to understand and most likely not even in America as well as being rude and condescending. Their favorite line of BS is that it was coded wrong and not covered. Or the doctor, hospital or medical practice is out of network. I will be cancelling during open enrollment. I'd probably spend less paying out of pocket with the discounted uninsured rates.
Reviewed Aug. 25, 2025
I would give 0 star if there is an option. As a cancer patient, my primary care provider ordered lab test and ultrasound after my surgery. Both of them get magaically denied as "the PCP is out of network!" I contacted the agent on May 2024 and discovered that exact PCP was on the website for in-network! The agent said this was due to a mistake of their system, which they would resolve soon. Fast tracking to May 2025, I still have the same claims denied. Tried to contact Highmark again. Surprisingly, they gave me the same reason for denying service and said the previous agent did nothing!!?? Seriously??? Doing this repeatedly to a cancer patient, your company's behavior is so disgusting!!! Shame on you, wish your family go through the same thing as I went through!
Reviewed Aug. 19, 2025
Had Highmark through work. The absolute worst company I have ever had. They send you a detailed letter for all of your visits. However, they will send you letters periodically asking you to mail them a copy of the bill, or they won't pay it. They already have the information. I've never heard of anything like this with any other insurance company. Get hurt at work, You have to call a number and go through a bunch of hoops. After 15 minutes, the call dropped. I skipped it and just went to the ER, I never did call them back. I pay you plenty, I shouldn't have to beg you to use my insurance. I will never use them again and would 100% not recommend them to anyone.
Reviewed July 29, 2025
This medical insurance company will make you sick. Call them and you have to go through a 3-minute automated message before you can speak to a person. At the 2 minute mark some ** who designed this informs you that if you don't have certain info you need to call back (they put that at the 2 minute mark). During this long message, Highmark will brag about its extensive network all over the world. The reality is that getting anything reimbursed by this company will be mishandled, not followed up, incorrectly coded, and host of other problems. Highmark outsources its intentional insurance to Global Core, but the two companies hardly can talk to each other except through cryptic electronic messages. Highmark itself has to sit and wait for when global core will respond. In the last three years I have submitted claims for three procedures and none of them has been reimbursed because of errors at Highmark's end.
Reviewed July 22, 2025
My problem is I try to talk to you a representative because I've been having issues. All I wanted was a case worker and the representative hang up on me. I contacted a supervisor after been dealing with issues for a month dealing with people hanging up on me. I just want the whole gateway health plan to know we are humans. To not have my bad day but I don't put my bad energy on everyone else I did talk to someone but the end of day I don't want to be disrespect. When that lady hung up on me I had a bad day already like I said I don't put my bad energy on no one.
Reviewed July 7, 2025
So Highmark in its infinite wisdom has dropped weight loss meds from coverage. Why? Cost. Plain and simple. They chose a blanket answer to a problem that is dealt with individually every month when you have to contact your physician to get it refilled. They document your weight, BP and side effects. I am sure there are people who aren't using it as prescribed but that falls back on the individual case to deny not block everyone. I hope someone sues the daylights out of them and it's a class action one that costs them millions.
To give you an example (mine) along with the weight loss, it has eliminated sleep apnea (supplies were roughly $350 a month (paid by insurance) plus the discomfort of just dealing with the machine in general and a specialist that I had to see a couple times a year), lowered my cholesterol (eliminated a med) and bp (eliminated another med), mitigated my arthritis to the point that if it does bother me I can take 2 ** (vs a shot every week that was very expensive @ $5k a month billed to insurance and a rheumatologist that I saw a few times a year along with the blood work, and x-rays they would order at almost every appt). BUT Highmark you know what is best for consumers right??
Reviewed June 19, 2025
I am dealing with retiree benefits. The segment of the company I deal with has no email or website. I have to call or mail everything. They are waiting for this small group of customers to die-they simply do not care AT ALL if you get any help or ever get paid. I hate this company with every ounce of my being. DO NOT use this insurance if you EVER want even a mediocre experience. ABSOLUTELY AWFUL. 0/10. When the class action lawsuit gets filed, I hope I get a call from an attorney.

Reviewed June 12, 2025
Husband's work switched from UPMC which never had a problem with, never ever had to call customer service all around no worries. Well they switched to this insurance and all I got to say is I and others are demanding we go back to UPMC for we are the ones paying!
Reviewed June 4, 2025
If I could give Highmark negative stars, I would. Their handling of weight loss medication coverage is not only disheartening but downright unethical. I was approved for weight loss medication when I was considered “morbidly obese,” and with the help of that medication, dedication, and support from my doctor, I was able to drop into the “obese” category. You’d think this would be a success story. But instead of supporting continued progress, Highmark decided I wasn’t “fat enough” to keep the medication covered. Yes, you read that right—still obese, still at-risk, still under medical care—but not fat enough anymore.
Let’s be real: Highmark doesn’t care about long-term health. They care about cutting costs, even if it means putting people’s lives and well-being at risk. Their decision completely ignored my doctor’s professional recommendation to continue the medication. We’re not talking about cosmetic weight loss—we’re talking about managing a chronic health condition that impacts joints, heart health, mental well-being, and more. And Highmark thinks they know better than a board-certified physician?
To add insult to injury, the logic is completely backwards. If someone with high blood pressure lowers it with medication, do we take them off the meds and wait until their blood pressure gets dangerously high again? Of course not. But Highmark seems to think weight loss is different. Apparently, they’d rather you balloon back up, suffer more, and maybe rack up more expensive treatments down the road, just so you can maybe qualify again.
This isn’t just a policy failure—it’s cruelty disguised as “criteria.” It’s a blatant disregard for people trying to better their health. Cutting off support mid-journey, when it’s clearly still needed, isn’t just unfair—it’s dangerous. Highmark should not have the authority to override a doctor’s orders, and they certainly shouldn’t play games with people’s health because they don’t meet a specific number on a chart anymore. Shame on you, Highmark. You’ve made it clear you care more about saving money than saving lives.
Reviewed April 30, 2025
Had two calls this morning from two different Matrix reps trying to schedule in home appointment and saying that Sunday May 11th which is Mother’s Day was their only available time. They were quite pushy! Of course we said no. As an aside, I just lost my mother. Not impressed with this group!
Reviewed April 3, 2025
I am in a financial bind because of information that multiple representatives at Highmark Medicare and or Express Scripts regarding my medications. Before I committed to an additional recommended drug in January, I contacted Express Scripts (mail order co. for Highmark) who handles the pharmacy claims etc. to discuss the new $2000. out of pocket for Medicare members in 2025. I repeatedly called and spoke to reps or supervisors confirming each time what I had been told. Based upon what one supervisor told me in January that the total included what I paid for a covered drug and what my part D plan paid. He directed me to
Summary of Benefits online and this is what was listed for my area plan: Community Blue Medicare PPO (2 different plans). You pay the following until your total yearly drug costs reach $2,000. Total yearly drug costs are the total drug costs paid by both you and your Part D plan. I then confirmed at least 2 more times this was true with Highmark/Express scripts reps. Now, in March when my out of pocket should be satisfied, I am getting a whole new answer. I have 3 explanation of benefits which show the total cost was applied to the out of pocket and the Benefit Summary as I posted above. This was for the first 3 claims of the 2025 year.
I wrote a letter to the President of the company and was passed to his "team". Although his one team member listened to the calls I had made in Jan and Feb and agreed I was totally misquoted by several representatives I have not been offered assistance. No resolution is forthcoming helping me now to pay for this new expensive drug.

Reviewed March 24, 2025
In my 23 years of adult life, I have never had such horrifically bad service from ANY company. Their website works randomly or not at all, and when I can actually get to their login screen my login creds never work. I try to reset the password using the info they request, member ID #, first name and birthdate and the site tells me it's wrong. I spend 45 minutes on the phone with someone who gives me a temp password, which works, then I create a new one, which then doesn't work. Rinse and repeat this scenario over and over again. I can access my claims, benefit info or search for covered doctors or services. I can't wait until next year when I can switch from this god-awful insurance company.
Reviewed March 13, 2025
They "accidentally" dropped our renewal in Jan 2024 despite being active on Jan 1 and COBRA being paid. They had to reinstate. Then in Feb of 2025 while COBRA was still active, they somehow expired both myself and husband. Then after being denied an MRI on Mar 2 due to "coverage expired", I spent over 6 hours March 3 on on the phone getting it reinstated only to find out they forgot to reinstate Rx as well. Had to call back.
Then on March 13th my husband went for an appt and was told he wasn't covered. Highmark only reinstated me despite COBRA sending a letter confirming we were both on the plan. Have spent another 5 hours on the phone with them and COBRA which they asked for the letters to be sent yet again. So Highmark gets paid from COBRA for the policy I'm paying full price for and they continually drop our coverage for no reason and ask everyone else to call and COBRA to resend letters again. WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE! Stay away!
Reviewed March 11, 2025
Absolutely terrible! I was on Wegovy for 5 months, lost 20 lbs and my high blood pressure was under control and then they changed the criteria. Denied for Wegovy and Zepbound by a pediatric doctor that reviewed my case and I'm a disabled adult limited on how I can exercise. Why do they go against my doctor's advice on drugs that ARE covered? The premiums that I pay are absurd, but if I had Medicaid it wouldn't be an issue. They don't even deserve one star. I was on Wegovy for almost 6 months and they covered it but because I lost 20 lbs but I wasn't anorexic looking they won't cover it and my blood pressure is all messed up and they don't care.
Reviewed March 6, 2025
Took 6 months and 5 or more phone calls and sitting on hold for 40 mins at a time to finally get refunded for health insurance payments I paid and then was told my insurance was cancelled. They refunded me $177 after I paid $290 that they need to fully refund. Now I try to login and I can’t access my login. Of course.
Highmark Company Information
- Company Name:
- Highmark
- Website:
- www.highmark.com