POOR SERVICE

Bonitas/Boncap – specialist visit *** D J van Steenderen. What is a woman supposed to do when she needs a gynaecologist in Port Elizabeth? Pay for herself. After nearly a year of e-mails, writing to Hello Peter and phone calls, I’m still at square one: BONCAP STAFF ONLY WORKS ON CODES – as explained to me by their head of Accounts, Mr Shiraz, who DID make the effort to phone me to inform me that my account for my gynaecologist would NOT be paid because he wasn’t on their network, and they only work with CODES – click, click, not on network, REJECT. He very kindly sent me their list of network specialists and guess what – NO GYNAECOLOGIST IN PORT ELIZABETH. He could of course have checked that out before he sent me the network list. However, he did say that should there not be a specialist in my area, I could send them an e-mail explaining the situation, and THEY WOULD TREAT THE GYNAECOLOGIST as if the WAS on the network (very supportive). However, the account was paid with the usual GP fee and I had to pay the rest. The doctor wanted to see me again in six month’s time, so having taken note of Mr Shiraz’s advice, the specialist’s consulting room sent them a letter referring to what Mr Shiraz said, as well as confirming that the doctor was on the BONITAS list. Never have I seen such bureaucracy : 27 October Ntsako Maluleke writes Code 5100 rejected, code not covered. Code 0190 rejected, benefits depleted (and I’m supposed to be allowed two specialist visits per annum), and 27 October Roxanne Manezes writes *** OUT OF NETWORK, 5100 not covered. Please Mr Lee Callakoppen – wherever you are. What is going on with your medical fund? People sitting there pounding away at codes and not paying any attention to previous correspondence? Now suddenly I’m out of funds, and NO SPECIALIST WAS PAID THIS YEAR. As a pensioner I’m really sick and tired of this inefficiency. Now will SOMEONE please come up with a logical explanation, instead of sending me e-mails with codes and not doing what they said they would do.