Claim query since April!

I have yet to receive any response to the below! Shocking shocking service so disappointing! What does a person have to go through to get any level of service from discovery!

To whom it may concern

I am writing this as I am so tired of calling your call centre without getting any solution to my query. The situation has become completely infuriating and frustrating. It has been going on since early May.

On the 20 April I submitted my claim for obstetrics care for the birth of my child 28 March. My reference was # ********** 082. The amount owed by discovery was paid into a closed standard bank account. This has been inactive for over 6 years. I’m not sure why it had not been updated by my employer but luckily I picked it up. On inquiring why I had not received payment by discovery in early May we realized the error, corrected my details to my correct Investec bank details and agreed to the odd R300 penalty for Discovery to withdraw the amount from standard bank and pay to my correct account. This was on 15 May with Thandiswa - reference no for the call was ********** 410. My reference for the recall was ********** 42. I was aware that the recall needed to be done within a month of the original payment and called on almost a daily basis to follow up. Every time I called I spoke to a new person and had to explain the entire story. Then they would say they would get back to me. NOT ONE of them did: you can check the records. Eventually on the 24 May I spoke with an agent who was of some use, I think her name was Nicole. She eventually got Thandiswa to call me back after escalating to a manager. She assured me my claim was being dealt with.

It was not. I have not yet received my payment.

I have since called multiple times. Again, check your records as you do record all calls. On 29 May I spoke to an agent who said it had indeed been recalled from standard bank and would be paid into my account within 5 working days. I waited. Nothing. I honestly began to lose my patience. My last call was with Kirsten on Thursday 7 June. I expressed my complete frustration with the situation. She informed me that the time limit for the recall had in fact not been met. I can’t understand why when I had made the enquiry and filed for the recall with Thandiswa timeously (not to mention following up with calls almost daily to check progress) and the previous agent had informed me it had been recalled. Kirsten said she she could see the error was sitting with discovery and would call me back after discussing with management. I said so many people said “I’ll call you back” but no one did and I was so tired of no one taking ownership of the situation and having to deal with a new agent every time. She asked me to trust her and promised me she would call me back Friday 8 June if not Monday 11 June absolute latest. Check your records, my call reference was ********** 934. No one has called me.

To be honest this level of service is so poor I am completely disappointed. I have been a paying member of discovery for many many years (I stand to be corrected but think it is about 9 years!) in my own capacity and recently with my employer. I have NEVER submitted a claim. This is my first and it has been nothing but a nightmare. I had made a claim with my gap cover at the the same time and it was night and day comparing their level of personalized service. Follow up emails and calls and just complete care of their customer. I have recently left my employer and renewed my membership with discovery as well as adding my husband and newborn in my personal capacity, honestly I am doubting this decision. There is so much competition out there and your service to me has plainly not been good enough. Not even close.

I do hope with the letter someone will finally call me back. I am so tired of calling your lines and explaining my same story to a different person who ultimately avoids responsibility every time.

Regards Sarah Paterson