Info for Retirees
From a long time reader of ours:
- I retired about 7 years ago. I was treated for a hernia and had a ct scan. About a month after the scan, I received a letter from Coglan Law, LLC. Thinking it was a law firm phishing, I tossed it. 2 weeks later, I received another letter informing me that failure to contact them will result in suspension of my insurance benefits. I called Blue Cross and confirmed that this was legitimate. Apparently, the city has a policy that if they think you might have been in accident, they immediately contact their subrogation unit, Coglan law. I suspect that this is motivated at least in part as a way to suspend insurance payments. The cynic in me thinks that once your benefits are suspended, that it will be extremely difficult to have them reinstated. Please inform our brothers & sisters that letters from Coglan should not be ignored.
Keep an eye on these types of letters and follow up appropriately. You don't want to be fighting to get benefits restored.
Labels: pension
posted by SCC at 12:01 AM
67 Comments:
I have received those for myself and my son. You can also call the number on the letter and it’s a lot easier to complete.
Can we get a more definitive explanation and answer regarding this law firm and health insurance coverage SCC?
Happened to non retired as well. If they send a questionnaire & you don’t respond they’ll stop paying ALL medical bills!
Yes. Answer those letters from Coghlan. They are only looking for who to sue on behalf of the City.
Look up "subrogation".
Nothing else to see here.
What the city wants and this has been the policy for years is that if you sue and get an award they want their money back that they paid for your medical care.
You have to understand that the city is self insured and they pay BCBS a small percentage to process your claim. The payment to the Dr or hospital comes out of the cities pocket not BCBS.
That law firm represents the city they are not out to get money from you just your award from the court.
I don’t get it
The 9.5 midget save me this problem....
Took away .retiree insurance...
Then laughed about it. .
I will laugh when he declares for President....then I will campaign in Iowa.....
Against the midget....
Husband of a civilian also got a letter --after being treated for medical issue that was in no way related to an accident. Nice this JO firm just sends out "jump through these hoops" letters--am curious what happens if they are ignored.
I Got that letter for an illness and the sneaky letter came in suggesting an accident.
It seems just another way for the city to drop your health insurance benefit these days!
But, if you are here Illegally [Venezuela, Mexico, etc.], then Chicago wants to take care of all expenses tax payer paid and screw their U.S. Citizen employees!
Remember this when you Vote in the next election as to who has your back as a U.S. Citizen, let alone a city employee! Hint: it's not a Democrat
Were you in an accident? Asking for a friend.
I got my hernia from carrying my partner for fifteen years, let me tell ya...
Doubt if CPS ever sees those letters!
This has been common practice for all the years I was on the job. They want to make sure and have you confirm your injury did not result from an accident and that you are not involved in any possible law suit. Bcbs does not want to pay your medical bills and then you go out and collect monies for your injuries from some lawsuit that nobody knew about.
The city has been doing this long before you retired, I guess you were fortunate enough to not have a medical issue. In 2013 I had a minicus tear from a fall in my home and I had to fill out the form. It is called “subordination right”, if you sue and receive any funds the city has the right to recover it’s costs.
Active CFD, have received letters from them for both myself and my son in the past. It appeared they were interested in if someone else was responsible for the injury. Didn't even bother with a letter, quick phone call took care of it.
"I'm not gonna be IGNORED, Dan!"
The motivation is to find someone to recoup costs from.
I received a couple of those letters. Years ago, so I can’t recall all of the details. But I’m pretty sure one of the main reasons they wanted to know if my injury was related to an accident has to do with legal action I might take against someone who caused an accident that hurt me. So if I sued and received a payout that also covered my medical expenses, the insurance would not cover, or demand repayment, because BCBS had already paid for those services.
I got something like that long ago when I went IOD IIRC
This is 100% true. I am still active duty and had the same thing happen recently to me. They questioned if someone was responsible for my injury and wanted their information. I had to tell them several times no one injured me.
It’s been this way forever. All insurance companies do this in both the public and private sectors. Colgan has been retained by BCBS for over thirty years. Look closely at your mail next time. Sheesh…
Insurance company they can subpoena records or a talk to the insurance company but if that questionnaire included any questions regarding your medical stuff it could be a HIPPA violation.
This is not anything new. I think this is the City’s way of recouping money paid out on a claim if you were involved in an accident and plan to sue or receive Workman’s Comp.
Best advice is absolutely what they said above: call them. I’m active CPD out with an injury and went the letter route and the delay caused by the letter ended up with me going several hundred dollars out of pocket needlessly.
Oh and also do yourself a favor and actually follow up with Blue Cross Blue Shield and make sure that they received the letter/information and ACTUALLY PROCESS it. That takes another couple weeks.
We’re all a bunch of whiners. I’ve received these letters. A two minute phone call resolves the issue. Nobody’s trying to take your insurance, but be reminded that you are a part of the process, so make sure you follow the rules.
If you somehow get injured in your home, make sure your story at the Dr Office or ER is that you fell on the cracked sidewalk or slipped on the unsalted street.
Just saying for a friend.
A-TEAM
They can't cancel your coverage due to non response of the letter. They can refuse to pay your claims, if you don't respond which puts the financial burden on you.
Just dial 222-2222 and you'll get it sorted out and a spot on tv.
Don’t worry he has no chance, people don’t like him.
typical nlawyer bullshit
Not quite true on the vendor. Blue Cross has their own contracted Subrogation vendor, called Equian. Because the city is calling the shots as a "self-funded" group (meaning BCBS is only the middleman for claims/membership processing and provider network), the city carved out this function to go directly to Colgan.
My wife tripped and fell, all they wanted to know was if we were suing anybody for medical bills and what not. We weren't suing anyone so all was good. They just want someone else to pay.
Heyyyoooo!
Woohoo.
Now, kees me you fool!!!!
The Subrogation process is fully automated, and is kicked off during processing if your claim Diagnosis Code(s) line up with one normally associated with an accident. Then the letter gets spat out to you. Happens all the time.
If you tell them in the response that it was caused by an accident (you fell on ice at at someone's house or was hit by a car), then Colgan will go after the other homeowner/driver - or more appropriately, the *insurance company* for the other homeowner/driver - as that's where the money is.
You can look it up
Testify, brother.
Well played Sir !
I received one of those letters when I went into physical therapy for ongoing chronic neck pain. I was retired but still on the city's insurance. They wanted to know if it was related to an injury and wanted information. I think this is just another form of ambulance chasing aided by the city to provide revenue to law firms via referrals. Kickbacks or favors involved for sure.
What do you mean jump thru the hoops…I received them on 3 or 4 separate occasions after I had some slip and fall accidents at home…just asked if it happened in a car accident or someone’s property… it took a 2 sentence response and the matter was over… this is fear mongering and has been in place for years
I got the same letter going back 20 years for slip and fall accidents I had at home… just wanted to see if a second party was involved…took 2 minutes to answer ..,
My son tripped and fell. The law firm letter came. I filled out and sent it back within two days. The put a subrogation hold on the entire family. For a few weeks, while they investigated, every doctors offices acted like we had no i surance. A few cancelled our appintments and gave them to someone else. Now keep in mind, this wasn't even for the child who was injured. Also, we had ro call multiple people on for hours to find this out. Ther was no communication at all. I posting this just fyi.
Been this way for at least 15 years that I can recall
When you go to the hospital, let’s say for a broken leg, from a car accident, you then hire a liar ( lawyer ) he sues for 3x the medical costs … example medical bills are 100k, he sues for 300k… liars get 1/3.33 PLUS EXPENSES,( let’s say 125000)..next the 100k medical bill gets reimburse for your health insurance… you get what’s left 75k…might be wise, not to respond to the inquiry, and in the above example you get 175k after liar takes his third Plus.
"What happened was..While I was fondling myself.." lol
They send the letter if there is an accident so that the city can sue the other person or their insurance company if they are a fault. That because the city is self insured. Blue Cross only administers the plan
You think wrong. City does this to get reimbursement if you sue Not sure on this part but the city might sue the other parties insurance if the were at fault even if you didn’t sue
Thei a bunch of jagoffs
This is no big deal. They just want to know if anyone else could be responsible for your bill, if it's work related. Just call the number or answer the questions and it's all done
Just answer the questions about whether a third party was involved, like a work accident. If that's not the case, they don't send anymore stuff.
If it is sent by first class mail, you better always read it. Phishing or ambulance chasers usually use "standard" a/k/a junk mail to pay for their postage.
Relax big guy. If you want to be unnecessarily combative for no reason, go ahead, you’ll just cause yourself more pain for no reason. It’s been this way for a very long time, they’re not trying to take away insurance or jam you up. Takes 90 seconds to do. My understanding is they want to know if it was an accident to see if they can recoup their money from the responsible party, if you yourself aren’t going to be suing. They’re not your enemy in these situations. I’ve had it sent to me when I got injured outside of work, it’s not a big deal. You don’t have to fight everything and everyone all the time. Sometimes people just want to know if you would like fries with that, you don’t need to turn it into world war 3.
Sir, this is a Wendy’s.
Same here. To make it worse I moved out of Illinois after forced retirement and BCBS screwed up and gave me the wrong info, so I've had no health insurance since 2018.
I was 50 when I retired so I got a few years to go before I can get help. Tiny Dancer did me in but in spite of him, I'm doin ok.
Bless all you still out there doing the Damn Thing and Stay Safe!
I hear that funky noise! LOL!!!!
Received the same letter a few years ago. Chill out!!
They’ve been doing it for years. I had it happen at least twice while I was still on the job- it had nothing to do with retiring. Once was for a back issue (just overuse- no car) and another was a foot surgery (again just wear and tear no accident). Most people don’t know they do that. I ignored it the first time bc I thought it was junk mail. The insurance company should at the very least give you a call, but they don’t.
I understand that the taxpayer (City is self insured) shouldn’t have to pay for our medical bills if other at fault driver has insurance. Nor should an injured member be able to sue an at fault party but double dip and keep it all while the City pays all the bills. My son fell, needed stitches, took him to the ER, thought that was the end of it. Got one of those letters, misread it and as it was not from an auto accident threw it out. Got a second one, threw it out, my fault. Six months later getting a routine exam I find out my family no longer has insurance and I owe money to the Doctor. Call BCBS, they say at the request of the law firm my insurance was suspended. Called the law firm and they said regardless of it not being auto accident related I still had to fill it out but could now handle it over the phone. They asked a bunch of questions, date of occurrence, where’d it happen, how etc. When I told him he was playing with a friend and fell they immediately asked it it was at our house and wanted my homeowners policy information. I told them it was at his friend’s house. They then wanted his friends parents information and homeowner’s insurance information. I told them he was in the street on City property when he fell and that I guess the City could go after itself. End of conversation, insurance reinstated within days. Son went to private school, had a minor sports injury, got the same letter. Called them as some of the questions weren’t as routine. They told me what they needed and it was difficult getting all the info from the school as it was now summer break. But managed and took care of it. Happened again years later but now in high school. I again called the law firm and as she started giving me a list of questions to ask the school, I simply said, here’s the date it happened, here’s their phone number and told her to call the school herself, they have all the information as to incident and insurance. Was not going to do their job. Insurance was never cut off.
Rahm has “no chance?” Muslims knocked down the two tallest buildings in New York. This week the VOTERS of New York elected a socialist Muslim as their mayor. NEVER underestimate how short the public’s memory is, AND, how democrats rally to get out their voters.
Bravo dad, f@#k these insurance companies. In the present all insurance companies is a scam. We all pay top dollar for every stinking car, home, etc and when you call to make a claim, they do it on purpose to make it so hard to get payed.
Rahm has no chance oh wise prophet? They said the sane about Brandon Johnson becoming mayor.
Its a letter, not fear mongering. Takes a few seconds to fill out to find out if someone other than the City is responsible for paying your bills.
Maybe they didn't get your letter in the mail. It's happened before. Phone call can't be lost.
Stop asking SCC or anyone else to look stuff up for you. How fucking lazy are you?
Medicare does the same. Had a fall. Lawyer got a 1/3 medicare 1/3 and me 1/3
Prediction. Rahm will become president. Leo will become fbi director (another pension). Madison square garden will become a mosque. An Irish tranny bar will open on western avenue.(“the green rocket”.). Nostroshamus of Beverly has predicted these things.
Maybe they didn't get your letter in the mail. It's happened before. Phone call can't be lost.
Nah, when wasted more time calling the law firm months after the accident. The nice person on the phone told me this was standard practice. She nicely told me this was "standard practice" and no bills would be paid this they finished there investigation. They were still waiting for medical records from the hospital. The law firm was looking for someone to sue for negligence to recovery the costs of my son's injuries. Now, this happened in another state, not Illinois. My son tripped a few running along a State highway. I politely told her that fact, and by state statue the State highway department enjoys immunity from being sued and enjoys the full defense from tort liability from acts of negligence. I cited the State precise statue and Supreme Court law applicable to my son's injuries.. She then questioned my legal analysis. I then promptly informed, how I was licensed attorney in said State and the firm would have nobody to sue. The line was then disconnected. Also, the firm "does not conduct business over the phone" and mailing back the form is the only to clear the subrogation hold. I still do not think she understood they put a hold on the entire family, my wife included and maybe she was avoiding giving me a change to bring this fact by ignoring it.
Post a Comment
<< Home