r/HealthInsurance • u/One_Combination5776 • Feb 07 '25

Claims/Providers UnitedHealthcare Deletes Incriminating Chat

I had a certain medical appointment. I used the chat function about a month ago to verify that it was covered and what my out of pocket total would be. I provided all information such as facility name, address, Tax ID, and NPI number. They explicitly said that it is in network, is covered, and what the total is.

Fast forward a month and it was NOT covered. I knew someone somewhere told me it was but forgot who I talked to. I then scrolled up and saw it was in this chat that I verified the confirmation. I took pictures of the chat on my phone and called them out, telling them they told me in the chat it’s covered. I will have to have the medical office re-submit to insurance under a different code or something.

I then went back to look at those messages where they claimed to cover it. They were GONE. Just 30 minutes later. They weren’t the oldest or newest messages. Right in the middle. Messages before and after were still there.

I then called them out saying those messages are gone and I have screenshots proving they said the appointment is covered. And guess what, they are back an hour later.

I checked through the chat over and over to make sure my eyes were not deceiving me and that I wasn’t crazy. I also had my wife verify too.

I truly believed they made that section of the chat not visible to me, so I wouldn’t have proof of them saying it’s covered. Once I called them out and said I have proof, they brought it back. The coincidence is too large.

Has this happened to anyone else? Is this something they can do?

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u/rockymountain999 Feb 07 '25

I have a different insurer and the chats always delete after a short time. It’s not about you. It’s just how it works.

6

u/One_Combination5776 Feb 07 '25

Their retention policy is 13 months. I was able to scroll back and see my oldest chats from December. Why would those chats be visible, but not this one conversation that took place after that and was in the middle of a hundred of other messages, all still present. The logic would be the oldest messages delete, as the new ones come in. Not a random conversation in the middle.

1

u/rockymountain999 Feb 08 '25

Wow. That is shady. I would guess there is a QA process and they are hiding chats from YOUR view if the rep didn’t score well. I doubt that it’s specifically about your issue and I’m sure they can still see the chat.