Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Hawaii Medical Service Association's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 30 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 8 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:06/02/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am filing a appeal concerning a formal complaint against your employers career opportunities advertised online. For decades, your company has been known to repost deceitful postings online to obtain information of advocates in the area, practicing interviews of candidates, and curating articles to hack human identities of people in various districts in ********, Hawaii. Your organization is seen on career websites seeding information of companies legacy and various social content to manipulate the interest on various websites (such as, Adzuna, LazyApply, Linkedin, ZipRecruiter, etc).Please type on googles search engine: - careers - Job titles - Titles of Employers To help refine more information regarding my complaint You as a colleague and staff member should investigate who is curating these fraudulent interviews by utilizing branding to promote your company productivity while on the job.Your staffs MANAGEMENT are creating (seeding job postings) numerous fraudulent jobs posting (virus) of career opportunities advertised online. Various candidates detailed resumes are being extracted from websites of young advocates seeking career opportunities in ********, Hawaii. Despite the fact that your company is posting fake profiles of career opportunities. Your company is responsible for information being intercepted by con-artists manipulating data to create fake profiles for collective data used by your organization (they utilizing ideas of the dark web to demonstrate their intentions). Our community, are at risk by the actions of your organization promoting fraudulent data for untrained individuals who are unaware of the existence of fraudulent records placed into an unauthorized database. I hope your company isnt using these websites for company and commercial purposes.
Business Response
Date: 06/03/2024
Thank you for contacting the Better Business Bureau.
I received your complaint regarding - Contract Disputes, appearing to be related to employers career opportunities advertised online. I tried calling the number you provided, ************, but the telephone number is not in service. I will also try sending you an e-mail to the one provided - ****************************com.
You may contact me -
************************ - HMSA Customer Relations Manager - ************
**************************************
Initial Complaint
Date:04/23/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
My son was seen at ***************** on Thanksgiving day 2023 he had to have emergency surgery and we have not gotten a membership report or reimbursement for this service from HMSA it affecting my credit score and continuous time wasted on the phone with ****** and HMSA to find out the status. Asking for help to clear this miserable mess that started on Thanksgiving.Business Response
Date: 04/24/2024
Thank you for contacting the BBB regarding your questions on your son's November 23, 2023 claims.
I do show HMSA has received and paid four claims for services rendered on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 2023, for *****'s acute appendicitis,
****** Foundation Hospital $37,598.75 Paid $20,426.27 on 3/28/2024 to provider
**************** Griniger $1,678.00 Paid $884.93 on 3/1/2024
********************** Devisser $834.00 Paid $180.86 on 1/26/2024
****************** *************; $389.00 Paid $164.31 on 1/26/2024
********************** Hedemann $1,200.00 Paid $396.76 on 2/1/2024
I will also contact you regarding the details of the claims
************************ - Manager, HMSA Customer Relations
Initial Complaint
Date:04/01/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I have been calling HMSA to ask a simple question about my plan. I have been trying to resolve my issue for over two weeks. the best answers I receive are, "Current hold time is 165 mins",,,," I can submit a call back request and you can receive a call back in 7 business days". Another option I have is to fill out a webform and receive a response in 10 business days. This is unacceptable and a health care provider needs to provide better customer ********************** and provide answer or assistance within a timely manner. The customer ********************** process is terrible. I don't go around and complain about businesses but this drove me to send this to you. HMSA needs to answer customers questions in a timely manner.Business Response
Date: 04/01/2024
Thank you for contacting the BBB with this issue.
HMSA is working hard to fill all our servicing positions with quality, local representatives. We are committed to regain our previous servicing performance levels of an average of five minutes or less. We are also working with our telephone systems to improve our call back feature. We have an on-line inquiry service available on HMSA.com for you to send an e-mail to our servicing center as another option and on HMSA's My Account there is the e-mail option Ask HMSA form.
We do show we received your inquiry regarding your claim dated 8/11/2022., regarding the coverage listed as secondary, and confirming if any payment is needed.
I will also have a representative contact you and help with any open questions you may have.
We apologize for the frustration and inconvenience you encountered.
************************ - Customer Relations ManagerInitial Complaint
Date:01/29/2024
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
They no longer answer the phone at any if their contact numbers. They also will not respond to email requests. This is in regards to a more than $400 billing error. I cannot contact them as I have spent cumulatively more than a dozen hours on hold only to be eventually hung up on.I have contacted them on their website (as per their instructions) under my account but they will not respond. The medical facility continues to send me a bill (which I have not paid yet) but HMSA has refused to respond in weeks.Business Response
Date: 01/31/2024
Thank you for contacting the BBB with this issue.
HMSA is working hard to fill all our servicing positions with quality, local representatives. We are committed to regain our previous servicing performance levels of an average of five minutes or less. We are also working with our telephone systems to improve our call back feature.I also do not show any receipt of an e-mail regarding your claims billing error of more than $400.00.
We will contact you and help with any open questions you may have.
We apologize for the frustration and inconvenience you encountered.
********************* - Customer Relations Manager
Customer Answer
Date: 02/13/2024
Apparently, this file has been closed on your end without a resolution. Just as an update, I actually did receive a call (a message on my phone) from an HMSA customer ********************** representative. I have returned that call (twice) without any actual contact as the message tells me that the person who left me the original message will call me back and then hangs up. As of this morning, I still have not been able to communicate in ANY manor with HMSA to ask questions as to how I might resolve this issue.Business Response
Date: 03/12/2024
We have contacted the provider to refile the two claims, 10/31/23 for total charge $500.18 and 11/6/23 for total charge of $1,121.17 with the referring physician. Then HMSA can reprocess the claim.
********************* -
Customer Relations Manager************
**************************************
Customer Answer
Date: 03/12/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
***************************Initial Complaint
Date:01/29/2024
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am currently a college student attending school out of state and was involved in a car accident (pedestrian) in September 2023. Shortly thereafter, HMSA sent me paperwork regarding TPL payment information. I filled it out via their online entry. Ive repeatedly followed up (spoke to call center staff, went into the neighborhood center, sent in inquiries via Ask HMSA). I also expressed during these visits/phone calls that my hospital bill was being sent to collections due to nonpayment by insurance. Im continuing to follow up to see whats needed (giving sufficient time to settle my case prior to being sent to collections). They continue sending me paperwork that I already filled out. They also are not providing additional information as to what I need in order to settle with the hospital and doctors fees. They also continue telling me that I need to file with my no fault insurance. *** explained that I dont have a vehicle and so no fault doesnt apply. Ive also indicated on the form that workers comp doesnt apply since i was not injured during work. This case has been ongoing since October and Im unable to get resolution as to what specifically is needed. Ive also submitted the settlement letter from the ********** ********** for the vehicle that struck me). This continues to go back and forth without any resolve.Business Response
Date: 02/22/2024
Thank you for bringing this to my attention.
We have been able to update the Third Party Liability information that No Fault was not applicable, and we have reprocessed the claims.
Payments were paid to the participating, mainland providers, as noted on the attached.If you have any questions, please give me a call.
************** Unger - Customer Relations Manager
************ or **************************************
Customer Answer
Date: 02/26/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
******************************Initial Complaint
Date:01/23/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I have PPO health insurance through HMSA. I had an emergency room visit while I had HMSA insurance. The date of service was 2/09/2023. My claim # is 23277E0029544. I am receiving a bill from ******** *** for $2,408.00. I called HMSA back in October 2023, and they said that they would apply the insurance to the *** bill, and then ******** *** would send me a new bill with the insurance applied. ******** *** originally sent me the $2,408.00 bill with no insurance applied, so I just need my insurance to be applied to the bill and to receive a revised bill with the insurance applied. I called ******** ***, and they said that I need to call HMSA. I have been on hold for 3 hours with HMSA and I cannot get though to anyone. I just need this to be resolved so that I can pay my ******** *** bill, and HMSA needs to apply the insurance that I paid a monthly premium for. I have spoken with HMSA several times about this, but they will not apply the insurance, so I need help from the Better Business Bureau. I am receiving late notices from ******** ***, and I just want my insurance to be applied so that I can pay my bill. Thank you.Business Response
Date: 02/02/2024
Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention.
Looking at the claim 23277E0029544 for service date 2/9/2023, I do show that HMSA did make payment to you on 10/11/2023, check number M702932 for $1,926.40. This left you with a co-share or member liability of $481.60. We will contact you to make sure you received the check.
Also, we do apologize for the long hold times.
HMSA is working hard to fill all our servicing positions with quality, local representatives. We are committed to regain our previous servicing performance levels of an average of five minutes or less. We are also working with our telephone systems to improve our call back feature. We have an on-line inquiry service available on HMSA.com for you to send an e-mail to our servicing center as another option and on HMSA's My Account there is the e-mail option Ask HMSA form.
Thank you -
************************, Customer Relations Manager
Initial Complaint
Date:01/05/2024
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I have called HMSA four times with no proper result (Dec 8, 18, 29) being on hold for an extended period of time, each call. Today, Jan 5, I have been on hold now for over 1 1/2 hours and soon need to hang up. Also, emailed HMSA today, on Jan 5. I repeatedly requested a **** GUIDE TO BENEFITS for RETIRED **** members with ******** to be mailed to me. I have received two 2023 editions. I have many doctor visits coming up & surgery and need this guide. I need your help to get me the proper guide.Customer Answer
Date: 01/13/2024
After a few more calls, I have finally received the booklet that I requested. This complaint has been resolved to my satisfaction. I would like to close this complaint. Thank you.
Initial Complaint
Date:01/05/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I have been on hold for over 2 hours to ask a basic question about my medical benefits that I cant find an answer to online. This is unacceptable for a for-profit company making $735/mo on my premium. Where is all that money going? Not toward hiring phone staff, apparently. It would seem to be lining the executives pockets. I demand either better service or a reduced price that better reflects the poor quality of service.Business Response
Date: 01/19/2024
Thank you for contacting the BBB with this issue.
HMSA is working hard to fill all our servicing positions with quality, local representatives. We are committed to regain our previous servicing performance levels of an average of five minutes or less. We are also working with our telephone systems to improve our call back feature. We have an on-line inquiry service available on HMSA.com for you to send an e-mail to our servicing center as another option and on HMSA's My Account there is the e-mail option Ask HMSA form.
I will also have a representative contact you and help with any open questions you may have.
We apologize for the frustration and inconvenience you encountered.
************************ - Customer Relations ManagerCustomer Answer
Date: 01/19/2024
Complaint: 21104634
I am rejecting this response because:This is the stock response that HMSA has been giving to complaints on this issue for months now. Instead of getting shorter, the hold times continue to get longer.
The fact that it was a stock response and not an individual response does not give me faith that the business is actually working to address this issue.
Sincerely,
Naga NatakaInitial Complaint
Date:12/31/2023
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am enrolled in HMSA insurance as a retiree. ******** is, therefore, my primary insurance and HMSA is secondary. I received services from a physical therapist in May of this year. ******** paid its portion immediately, but it is now 7 months later and HMSA, even with regular prodding, has not processed its portion.Desired resolution is for them to finish processing the claim or let us know what is causing them not to be able to do so. We are not permitted to communicate with the claims department. I have been told that customer ********************** cannot communicate directly with anyone there either. In requesting updates, I receive automated responses promising an update in 2 weeks, but I have yet for them to respond at any time in the past several months.Customer Answer
Date: 01/02/2024
Thank you for your attention to this complaint.
Since filing the complaint a few days ago, I have learned through other channels that HMSA has finally processed the claims and approved payment. Please dispense with this claim. All I wanted was for them to process the claims.
Sincerely, ****************
Initial Complaint
Date:11/15/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Like many others apparently, I have been trying to reach HMSA on the phone for the past three days with hold times of over one hour. When I select the call back feature, I receive a call asking me if I'm ready to speak to a representative and when I say yes I am then PUT BACK ON HOLD for over 30 minutes before giving up! This is incredibly unprofessional. The old 'we don't have enough staff' excuse is not acceptable. Step into the 21st Century and implement a chat feature or get it together to call back your customers who are paying your salaries. I have two questions about my coverage that I need answered so I can receive health care NOW. My time has value, too.Business Response
Date: 11/16/2023
Thank you for contacting the BBB with this issue.
HMSA is working hard to fill all our servicing positions with quality, local representatives. We are committed to regain our previous servicing performance levels of an average of five minutes or less. We are also working with our telephone systems to improve our call back feature. We have an on-line inquiry service available on HMSA.com for you to send an e-mail to our servicing center as another option.I will also have a representative contact you and help with any open questions you may have.
We apologize for the frustration and inconvenience you encountered.
*********************** - Customer Relations Manager
BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.
BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles.
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period, except for customer reviews. Customer reviews posted prior to July 5, 2024, will no longer be published when they reach three years from their submission date. Customer reviews posted on/after July 5, 2024, will be published indefinitely unless otherwise voluntarily retracted by the user who submitted the content, or BBB no longer believes the review is authentic. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. If you choose to do business with this company, please let them know that you checked their record with BBB.
As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation. BBB charges a fee for BBB Accreditation. This fee supports BBB's efforts to fulfill its mission of advancing marketplace trust.