Impacted by storm damage? Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about filing a claim
Over the years, KPRC 2 has provided information on how to file a claim related to hurricane, tornado, flood and freeze damage. The severe thunderstorms and tornado that hit the Houston area Wednesday will once again have people cleaning up and making calls to insurance companies.
Impacted by storm damage? Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about filing a claim
Over the years, KPRC 2 has provided information on how to file a claim related to hurricane, tornado, flood and freeze damage. The severe thunderstorms and tornado that hit the Houston area Wednesday will once again have people cleaning up and making calls to insurance companies.
Lawmakers passed a bill to stop insurers from considering ESG criteria in setting rates
So-called environmental, social and governance policies are often adopted by companies to reduce their carbon footprints. The new Texas bill aims to stop insurers doing business in Texas from using ESG criteria, but it doesnโt include penalties for violations.
Memorial Hermann, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas reach agreement; in-network care for patients is restored
Memorial Hermann announced Friday that it has reached a four-year agreement with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, restoring in-network access to hospitals, facilities, and providers in the Houston region.
Impacted by storm damage? Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about filing a claim
Over the years, KPRC 2 has provided information on how to file a claim related to hurricane, tornado, flood and freeze damage. The severe thunderstorms and tornadoes that hit the Houston area Tuesday will once again have people cleaning up and making calls to insurance companies.
KPRC 2 Investigates: Woman denied coverage after paying premiums for 20+ years
You think you are doing the right thing planning long-term for your future. But one Deer Park family is learning that long-term care insurance isn't the safety net they thought it was. KPRC 2 Investigates is helping one viewer looking for answers to why his mom canโt get the help she needs.
University of Houston College of Medicine to open direct primary care clinic for the uninsured
The University of Houston College of Medicine will open a low-cost direct primary care clinic with a $1 million gift from The Cullen Trust for Health Care. The clinic will be located on the campus of Memorial Herman Southwest Hospital.
Houston-area hospitals not releasing prices required by new law
Imagine shopping online for a colonoscopy or heart surgery just like we shop for airline tickets. You type in what procedure you need and you get a list of prices from hospitals that show what you would pay with and without insurance. That is the idea behind the Hospital Price Transparency Rule. The federal law that took effect in January says hospitals must release pricing information before providing service.
Despite high rate of teen pregnancies, Texas lawmakers unlikely to expand Childrenโs Health Insurance Program to cover birth control
Her medical insurance at the time was provided by the Texas Childrenโs Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP, which provides health care to adolescents whose families are low-income but make too much to qualify for Medicaid. CHIP provided coverage for her medicine, doctors appointments and other medical needs but unlike Medicaid, it typically does not cover the cost of birth control โ something that Johnson needed to regulate her menstrual cycle.
Can Amazon Pharmacy save you money on prescription drugs?
Amazon jumped into the pharmacy business late last year with Amazon Pharmacy. AdThey are also big Amazon shoppers, so they wanted to see if they could save some money by getting their refills with Amazon Pharmacy instead of Costco. An Amazon representative told KPRC 2 News Pam could call her insurance company to ask what her co-pay will be with Amazon Pharmacy. AdPioglitazone, for example, is more than five times the price at Amazon Pharmacy at $88.34 compared to Costcoโs price of $17.10. If you donโt have insurance, Amazon Pharmacy prices are lower for Prime members versus non-Prime customers.
Town hall answers questions for residents seeking assistance after winter storm damage
HOUSTON โ Over the past several days, people across the Houston area have been dealing with broken water pipes and damage after last weekโs winter storm. On Thursday, a group of residents came out for a town hall in the Heights. Others donโt know how the process works and some havenโt even received responses from their insurance providers. They have the right to seek help.โAdThere are likely thousands seeking that same help right now: cleaning up the damage, navigating the paperwork. โAsking questions and making sure that I am taking the right steps to get my house taken care of,โ Mullinax said.
How to shop around for homeownerโs insurance
Before you switch, some insurance companies plan to raise rates over the next couple of months. KPRC2 Investigates got the data from the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) about which companies are getting ready to raise their rates in March 2021 for new policies. Chubbs Lloyds Insurance Company of Texas will increase 17.8%. Those were filed long ago.โAdCompare coverageWhen youโre looking to switch, shop around and make sure youโre comparing the same amount of coverage. โAsk us to correspond with that insurance company... or maybe itโs a formal complaint,โ said Gonzalez.
Freeze aftermath: Plumbing and insurance claim mistakes to avoid
HOUSTON โ The state of Texas has 60,000 licensed plumbers and the challenge they are all facing is โoverwhelming,โ according to Frank Denton, the Chairman of the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. Greg Abbott on Friday eased plumbing restrictions, allowing former licensed plumbers who left the industry in recent years to once again enter the system. AdAll being done to speed the process up with more licensed plumbers. Repair mistakes also are made by homeowners who opt to do it themselves without the professional experience that comes with being a licensed plumber. Denton said a licensed plumber has invested much time to get recognized by the state and is not going to cut corners.
Texas freeze follow-up: How to get reimbursed for spoiled food, hotel stays and cleanup costs
Spoiled foodSome people lost hundreds of dollars of food that spoiled in their fridges and freezers when the power went out. Your insurance company may not tell you, but if you request reimbursement for the groceries you lost, you can probably get up to $500. On the first page of your homeownersโ policy, called the declarations page, look for a โfood endorsement.โ Not all policies include this. We asked if the insurance company would reimburse for hotel costs if there was no damage in the home, but it was unlivable because there was no power. And it was $700 this month.โ Well, the insurance company will reimburse you for that.
Hereโs what you should know about pet insurance
Pet insurance can help take burden off these costs, but do you know which plan best fits your four-legged friends? Hereโs what you need to know when shopping for pet insurance. โJust like having insurance coverage for a person and being prepared for that situation that hopefully never happens, you can do the same for your pets,โ said Jason Levine, Vice President of Harry Levine Insurance. But unlike human health insurance, pet health insurance typically only covers accidents, illnesses, and other unusual health events. You can buy health insurance for your pet at any age, but just like human health insurance, itโs going to be less expensive the younger the animal.
How to help your parents with Medicare open enrollment and avoid scams
Medicare open enrollment is here. Medicare open enrollment is the time of year when your parents get the chance to shop around for a new plan to save money on prescriptions or change up doctors. Agent/broker prohibited behaviorsAgents may not state they are from Medicare or use the term โMedicareโ in a misleading manner. Cannot ask beneficiaries for a referral list (list of friends or family who may be interested in a plan). Tips on how to stop fraud during open enrollment
Unemployed and uninsured? Here are affordable healthcare options for Houstonians in need
HOUSTON โ Houston is home to the largest medical complex in the world, with more than 100,000 healthcare workers. But itโs still a struggle for many to find affordable healthcare options because they donโt have insurance. AdBut KPRC 2 found there are options for good healthcare for those without insurance. Legacy offers adult primary care, pediatric care, dental, vision, mental health and OB/GYN care, as well as low-cost prescription drugs. Express Family Clinic has offices in Spring, Conroe and New Caney, and offers low-cost healthcare without insurance.
Car insurance companies are sitting on $600 million COVID-19 windfall
HOUSTON โ Auto insurers are sitting on a COVID windfall of at least $600 million dollars because of reduced driving during the pandemic. KPRC 2 reported in April how several car insurance companies offered rebates to customers averaging about $60. Nearly one in three of the top 40 auto insurers in Texas are offering no credit or refund to customers. Most of those offering no refund are companies serving higher-risk drivers with no credit or low credit scores. These are the auto insurance companies in Texasโ top 40 auto insurers who havenโt given consumers any sort of refund during the pandemic:
Houston Methodist and UnitedHealthcare back in-network after finalizing an agreement
HOUSTON โ Houston Methodist and UnitedHealthcare finalized an agreement that will ensure UnitedHealthcare members enrolled in employer-sponsored, individual and Medicare Advantage plans will continue to receive care at Houston Methodist hospitals and its physicians. The new agreement is effective June 1, meaning UnitedHealthcare members are currently in-network with all Houston Methodist hospitals and facilities. BACKGROUND: 100,000 patients could lose access to doctors at Houston Methodist hospitals due to insurance companyโs contract disputeโOur top priority throughout this process was ensuring the more than 1 million members weโre honored to serve in Houston have access to quality, affordable health care, and this new agreement accomplishes that goal. We appreciate Houston Methodistโs collaboration in helping achieve this outcome,โ UnitedHealthcare wrote on its website. โWe are honored to continue supporting the more than 3.9 million people throughout Texas who depend on us for access to quality and affordable health care.โThe previous contract expired on Jan. 1 and hundreds of thousands of people were left scrambling to find new doctors as a result of the dispute between the insurance company and the hospital system.
Insurance telemarketers fined $225M for a billion robocalls
The U.S. communications regulator on Tuesday proposed a $225 million fine, its largest ever, against two health insurance telemarketers for spamming people with 1 billion robocalls using fake phone numbers. The Federal Communications Commission said John Spiller and Jakob Mears made the calls through two businesses. The FCC said the robocalls offered plans from major insurers like Aetna and UnitedHealth with an automated message. The telemarketers faked their calls to make them appear they came from other companies, which then received angry calls and were named in lawsuits from consumers. He declined to provide contact information for Mears and said neither would speak before talking to an attorney.
Consumer expert Amy Davis gives advice on dealing with ticket sellers canceling events while refusing refunds
Now, many of those ticket holders are left waiting on refunds that may never come. When Live Nation or Ticketmaster canceled shows and concerts, instead of using the word โcanceled,โ the ticket sellers said the events were just โpostponed.โ Once rescheduled, even if the customer cannot attend on the new date, the companies wonโt always refund the ticket price. Canceled concerts, refunds deniedIt happened to Houstonian Phyllis Bailey. When Bailey contacted Live Nation to get a refund of the $222.14, a representative told her the show was simply postponed until August 11. Live Nation told her she could get a refund.
If your home was damaged in northwest Houston explosion, this is how to get repairs paid by insurance company
Your insurance company will likely go after Watson Grinding & Manufacturing to get all of the money back they paid for repairing your home. This means that your insurance company should not factor your homeโs depreciation into the money you will receive for repairs. You can hire a public insurance adjuster at any time. Cal Spoon, a public insurance adjuster and owner of InsuranceBusters.net said there is a 2 year statute of limitations after you receive your offer from your insurance company to dispute it with a public insurance adjuster. To do business in Texas, public insurance adjusters must be licensed with the Texas Department of Insurance.
100,000 patients could lose access to doctors at Houston Methodist hospitals due to insurance companyโs contract dispute
HOUSTON โ A hundred-thousand people insured by UnitedHealthcare are scrambling to find new doctors and hospitals after the insurance company and Houston Methodist Hospital could not come to terms over reimbursement rates. The contract expired at midnight, meaning the seven Houston Methodist hospitals and its outpatient clinics are no longer in-network as of Jan. 1, 2020. "90%, probably more than that, of the doctors (in Baytown) are Methodist doctors," Thompson said. UnitedHealthcare released the following statement:โCare at Houston Methodist Hospital is significantly more expensive than care at other top-ranked hospitals in Texas as well as some of the most prestigious hospitals in the entire country. Unitedโs unfortunate decision โ and disruption to their membersโ in-network access to Houston Methodist -- is forcing employers and consumers to pick different health care options for this year.