UNNECESSARY RED TAPE - BEWARE!

My elderly mother did not have sufficient funds in her bank account on debit order day 1 March to settle her Fedhealth MA payment. As soon as this was discovered, full payment was made on 11 March. And full payment was made via the usual debit order on 1 April. Today 19 April, I learned her membership is still suspended (her pharmacist informed me on the ordering of medication). To my astonishment I also learned that if late payment is made to Fedhealth (even by 1 day) and subsequent payment is made, membership reinstatement is NOT DONE AUTOMATICALLY. Not only must full payment be made, but it must also be “allocated” by Fedhealth (which can take up to 7 days). The onus is on the member to PHONE IN AND GET THE SUSPENSION LIFTED which can only be done not on payment date, but after the day Fedhealth decides to “allocate” the payment (which as I already mentioned Fedhealth say could take 7 days, but in my Moms case seemingly was only done on 2 April, a full 21 days after payment on 11 March!!). It’s ridiculous that suspension happens automatically (and immediately) but the lifting of the suspension requires the member not only to make full payment but also request that suspension to be lifted at some undefined future date (when allocated). Imagine the chaos if an emergency hospitalization needed to take place after payment had been made.