Don't care about clients

<p>I would like to take a moment to express my deep disappointment in Discovery Health in the way that they are currently dealing with my wife’s query. My wife is pregnant with our first child, and also her first year on a Keycare plan after resigning from her employment at the beginning of this year, to finish her studies. In March, we approach Discovery to inform them that my wife is 7 weeks pregnant. As a result, Discovery duly forwarded us a list of network providers and accordingly we selected an obstetrician from an exceptionally small list of keycare providers in the Cape Town area. This obstetrician was practicing at a network hospital at the time and we were given the reassurance from Discovery that everything related to baby’s birth will be covered. We were informed that obviously when the antenatal and specialists benefit is depleted the remaining consultations prior to birth will be for our own account.</p> <p>Subsequently, we have been duly attending the regular antenatal consultations and paid the agreed Discovery Keycare rate which was reimbursed from the Keycare benefit. On Monday, 26 September, we attended a consultation with the obstetrician at 31 weeks pregnant. After the consultation, without any prior notification, we were informed that the Dr has left the Keycare Network since the 1 September and we are now required to pay her new rate. Obviously, without a doubt we expected this preferred provider to remain contracted to Discovery throughout our pregnancy and deliver the baby in the selected network hospital. Furthermore, in response to our shock, the doctor’s rooms were adamant that Discovery Health should have informed their members that this Dr will be leaving the network.</p> <p><br />Immediately my wife contacted Discovery. After numerous phone calls to Discovery, my wife in her state (out of breath and consistently rising blood pressure) was passed from pillar to post. Discovery in response to the Dr’s claim, merely blamed the Dr for not informing us of the change and eventually after a couple of managers invested the matter we were simply told that sorry, the Dr has left the Keycare network and Discovery is vindicating themselves of any responsibility and we will be required to pick up these shortfalls. We would not be in this situation and we would not have approached the Dr in question, had it not been for the provider network list that Discovery sent to us. Before lodging this complaint to the Council of Medical Schemes and going to the media, I would like to give Discovery an opportunity to thoroughly investigate this matter and revert back with a possible solution and course of action. This ordeal which entailed constant calling and following up is exceptionally distressing and for my wife and our unborn child and I would appreciate it if this matter is dealt with the urgency that it deserves and we are provided with a timeous response.</p> <p><br />Yours Sincerely,</p> <p>Remy Richman</p> <p>Wife’s membership number: 226 466 730</p> <p> </p> <p> </p>