In this day of electronic data transfer, there is NO EXCUSE for the time it takes for COBRA confirmation of benefits to happen.

My husband lost his job on 9/4/09. Because I am on life sustaining medication (Type 1 diabetic) we completed our COBRA paperwork at the first available opportunity, the DAY we received it. We paid electronically (to speed things up) again, the FIRST day we were able to do so -- on 9/21/09 -- and the funds were taken out of our bank account on 9/24/09. Yet, when checking on Ceridian's site to see if our money was received and our coverage was in effect, there was no indication that any payment had been received. Numerous phone calls later, an "urgent update ticket" was opened on October 1st.

Unfortunately, because of the way the Ceridian agent opened the ticket, on 10/5/2009 our payment FINALLY posted, but although we had paid through 11/5/2009, our account reflected that we only had paid for coverage through 10/4/2009. So, effective 10/5/2009, our account showed we were paid through... 10/4/2009. Therefore, even if Ceridian HAD somehow communicated with our health insurance provider that we had paid, our coverage would already have expired and we would have not had any coverage if we tried to fill our prescriptions.

So, speaking of Ceridian communicating with our insurance provider, UHC, that payment had been received, we have another FAIL. Again, during the 10/1/2009 "emergency/Urgent update" ticket call, I was assured UHC would have everything they needed to show we had coverage with 24 to 48 business hours. During yet another follow-up call AFTER the 48 business hour mark passed, in which a really nice Ceridian supervisor (Patty) got involved, I had both Ceridian AND UHC on the phone together so they could share needed information so that our coverage could resume. (UHC even got us to a special department who could handle this) but, unfortunately, Patty wasn't able to access all of the information UHC needed to process the urgent request. (Only Ceridian's Eligibility Department who works with "a third party vendor" that Ceridian was NEVER able to name, has that data...) She said she'd research it, get the info, and get back to me in 2 hours.

After no word, four hours later, I placed yet another follow-up call. Account Supervisor Melanie was the rudest thing I've ever dealt with. She talked to me like I was an idiot and said things like, "Well, it's late in the day, YOU SHOULD HAVE CALLED EARLIER IN THE DAY..." (What?!) I explained that this was a follow-up to a conversation that took place 4 hours ago which was a follow up to the EMERGENCY UPDATE TICKET that was opened -- again, because I am on life sustaining mediation -- on 10/1/2009. She was SO put out when she said, "It typically takes us 2 - 4 weeks to process information, but it takes 24-48 BUSINESS hours to process emergency request." When I pointed out that it had been well over 48 business hours since the 10/1/2009 emergency ticket was opened, she repeated that I had "just talked to" supervisor Patty "a couple of hours (it was over 4 hours) ago". I repeated the dates. So, dear Melanie, in the most condescending, you're-an-idiot tone imaginable, speaking slowly as though I was mentally impaired, loudly and firmly said, "Ma'am... we ... have... a... PRO-CESS. We... HAVE... to... WAIT... for U...H...C... to GET... us... information." I explained that, during the three-way calls I'd had with Ceridian and UHC just four hours previous, that it was determined that CERIDIAN needed to get UHC information. She then completely changed her story and then said it was all my husband's employers fault. She rattled off crap that she pulled out of no where that did not match ANYTHING I had been told by either company. She also said, "We JUST got your payment on 9/28", although I was sitting there looking at the screen which showed they got it on 9/21 and cashed it on 9/24, which was information that CERIDIAN employees had already confirmed... she just MADE stuff up, again, all the while talking to me like I was the biggest moron that ever lived. Only because I have to have the medication, I had been frustrated up to this point, but all conversations had been cordial. I understand there are processes and these things take time. After talking with Melanie, however, I was down right pissed. Furiously pissed.

SO... on 10/5/2009 they finally corrected the mistake make by the rep on 10/1/2009 so that their system showed we were paid through 11/4/2009 but, guess what, ANOTHER 24 business hours later, they have STILL not sent the information that UHC needs so that the coverage that WE PAID FOR ON THE VERY FIRST DAY THE BILLING / PAYMENT INFORMATION WAS RECEIVED, is reflected by UHC.

I called Ceridian YET AGAIN this morning only to have an agent answer the phone and in their best "try to make this sound like a recording" voice, announced that their system was down and to please call back later. After complimenting the agent on how realistic his recording voice sounded after he read the spiel, I asked if he could transfer me to Supervisor Patty. "I can't. With our system down, I don't know who Patty is. Please can you call back in an hour?"

Horrific, horrific, horrific. Neither my husband NOR I have EVER been unemployed for a day, and to our astonishment, we are BOTH unemployed at this time. It is over a month since he lost his job, and although we are (finally) showing paid through 11/4/2009 on Ceridian's system, we cannot use any of our medical or prescription benefits.

Add to it the pity that after talking to a couple of wonderful, COURTEOUS Ceridian reps (John, Patty) that a SUPERVISOR (good old Melanie, who HAS to know just how much the company fails due to the sheer number of complaints she must get) would deal with people who are already in a bad situation with such abusive discourtesy.

To all of you corporate employers out there who are looking for a third party vendor out there to handle your employees benefits, look somewhere else, because Ceridian, from their lack of systems to their lack of dealing with unacceptable behavior from their supervisory ranks, sucks.

Signed,

An ex VP of International Operations