Untrained consultants

I have been a Discovery member since 2006. I have had numerous interactions with the Call Centre and always found the consultant to be very knowledgeable of all the Discovery Health products. When my mum changed medical aids, she moved to a Discovery Health KeyCare policy, which I am responsible for. My mum had a brain tumor removed and was discharged last week. I called into the Call Centre and spoke to a consultant by the name of Olwethu. I advised her that I am not looking for any information on my mum’s policy, as she is unable to talk or walk at the moment. That I would just like to find out how Discovery KeyCare Plans cover out of hospital rehabilitation for speech therapy and physiotherapy. She advised me that she cannot give me any information as I do not have consent. I explain to her again that I am not wanting the information from my mother’s policy, I had to enter her membership number just so that my call could be put through to the KeyCare department. I was asking a general question. She still could not understand my request. I asked to speak to a team leader or manager. She put my call on hold for a while then return to advise me that her team leader, Khosi Mkhize, has told her to tell me that I need to contact an attorney and get a power of attorney letter. Again I asked why, when it is a general question and that I have her auth for her procedure in front of me and there isn’t any mention of this, so there is no need to go into her policy. That I am wanting to find out how any Keycare plan covers this. She advised me again that she cannot assist me. I asked her to please let me speak to her team leader. She put me in hold again, then came back to tell me the same thing, that I need a Power of Attorney letter. All that I required was if KeyCare plans did or didn’t cover it and then I could wait for my mum to be able to communicate better to be able to get her consent but this seemed to be too complicated of a question for the consultant. If a consultant can’t answer a simple question about what is or isn’t covered on a plan, then they should not be in an inbound call centre, without further training. I am truly disappointed with how the level of service with Discovery Health has dropped so badly, that I require a Power of Attorney letter to get general information about a medical aid plan type or to be allowed to speak to a team leader. As it seems they would not even come to the phone without it.