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By TImes staff writer
Published February 11, 2007

A scheme unravels Feb. 6

Screen your investments

It's fascinating to read about this sort of thing state investigation of Orlando's Lou Pearlman. It's amazing how people will drive 10 miles to save a little on their groceries but will throw their life savings at a venture without doing the most rudimentary screening. Keep up the good work.

Pete Wilford, Holiday

How did scheme go on for so long?

Your reporting has kept many of us abreast of what is happening in the Lou Pearlman Ponzi scheme that has been going on for way too long. I cannot believe that it has gone on as long as it did without anyone being suspicious or giving it serious consideration. I am aghast at the State of Florida for not catching it before this. For what are these people being paid?

I certainly hope the sales people, as well as Lou Pearlman, pay a price for what they did to us.

Charles Wick, Madeira Beach

Overseas visitors want red carpet back, column Jan. 24

No pity for those with two homes

Will someone tell the snowbirds and U.K. visitors we, the residents of Florida, are tired of them moaning about the expenses they incur with their second homes in our beautiful state? Many Floridians are in the service industry and must live in apartments off U.S. 19 year round. These are nowhere near the beaches of South Pasadena. Others like myself can only pipe dream about a second home. Please show them the door back to sunny South England and somewhere in Michigan.

B. Whitehurst, Clearwater

Ease tourists' entry pains, officials plead Feb. 1

More than hassle keeps tourists out

I was surprised to read the report that overseas travel to the United States is slipping because of long delays obtaining visas and long lines at U.S. airport checkpoints staffed by grumpy federal agents. The truth lies elsewhere. British tourists do not require a visa to visit the United States for less than three months, and there have always been grumpy (at Chicago O'Hare) and some friendly (at Tampa International) federal agents. As a naturalized U.S. citizen, I hear frequently from my numerous British and Australian friends and family. What I hear is that these people have a deep disgust for our administration and its continued failed policies, especially in Iraq. This has led to a lack of respect for the United States. This week, I received a letter from my nephew, age 30, in Australia. He ends the letter, "Give my love to everyone, and tell them I hope to see them again one day soon; However, I refuse to go to the states while George Bush is president." Therein lies your answer.

Catherine Conover, Clearwater

Florida losing 38,000 more home policies Feb. 3

Policies dropped despite big profits

I read about the Hartford Insurance Co. notifying Florida regulators that they will not be renewing the policies of 38,000 homeowners in 2008. I got online and found the following financial information about their operations: Net income for 2006 was $2.7-billion, up 21 percent from 2005. The biggest payout they had in Florida was in 2004 for Hurricane Charley for $91-million.

The insurance companies are crippling Florida's economy for the benefit of stockholders and CEOs. How can they justify this nonrenewal decision to the Florida regulators? Something has to be done!

Collin Linkletter, Seminole

Gecko's rivals are green with envy, letter Jan. 28

Lighten up on insurance ads

In response to Marilyn Bunzel's letter, I think Geico's television commercials are the best. I have recently read that apparently others feel the same way because their sales have skyrocketed. Maybe Marilyn "just got up on the wrong side of the rock."

Don Renfroe, Hudson

Help us buy a car - please! Jan. 22

Warranties are too restrictive

Loved the article, particularly the disclaimer: "after $3,000 cash down payment." We were fooled by that, when the disclaimer was actually written so tiny, black on a red band around a full page advertisement. We got the money from the bank and went back to the trader. We didn't want credit. They wanted our cash, but then we found out about the down payment. Hey, we were paying for it all, no down payment required!

One big piece of advice, though. Those 100,000-mile, 10-year warranties aren't all they seem, either. To keep covered, you have to take your vehicle back to the dealer for regular services - no cheap deal there - and inevitably they will find something that needs doing not covered by the warranty.

Surely, if you are capable of doing your own service for a fraction of the price, why should that invalidate a warranty? And how do we trust these experts when they tell us something needs repair? Most people don't know and believe, but we're much more skeptical.

Why don't they put the sale price on the vehicles? Makes you think they are weighing each customer up and deciding what they think they can afford!

Jackie Gentry, Dunedin

HMO thrives amid complaints Feb. 1

Universal Health Care says company was misrepresented in article

I am compelled to write in response to Kris Hundley's article on Universal Health Care, which presented an inaccurate and incomplete portrayal of our company. First, let me correct the report by noting Dr. Zach Zachariah of Fort Lauderdale was not a co-founder of Universal. He joined our board in 2006. The article reported that a senior advocate "was unable to get Universal executives to return his calls." Neither I nor our other executives have a record of a call from that individual. It is not at all accurate to represent that we take our member's concerns lightly. Your article noted that a member had been "rebuffed" after calling me. Untrue. I did speak with that person and referred that case for medical review to ensure that we were providing the most appropriate options. The concern in this case was certainly not ignored.

Our "ANY ANY ANY" plan provides an innovative benefit design allowing access to any doctor anywhere, any time, while at the same time providing for Medicare B Premium to be returned as cash back to our members. This is a Medicare "private fee for service" plan, only recently introduced into the Medicare program. While we have joined with Medicare and others to help educate the public and providers in how these plans work, they are often misunderstood and can lead to complaints. We take any reported marketing violation very seriously and have a zero tolerance policy regarding any misrepresentation of any of our health plans.

As a testament to quality, Universal has earned a three-year accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance, the recognized "gold standard" of quality for health plans in the United States.

The article noted that some members have had a delay in receiving their Part B cash back, but did not mention that in those cases where there is a delay in the payback process we continue to work with the member until the payment is provided. Medicare beneficiaries have recognized the enormous value of our plans and are enrolling in record numbers.

Those record numbers did put a strain on our telephone system capacity at the peak of the Medicare open enrollment period. In preparing for this period, we increased our incoming call capacity to five times greater than in 2006. As it turned out, there were times in the middle of January when it was difficult to reach us, but our system certainly never "crashed" as reported, and the capacity problem was recognized and corrected quickly. Our staff planned well in advance for a significant growth in Medicare membership effective Jan. 1. To imply that we have not been paying attention to business and that my interests lie elsewhere is doing a disservice to us all.

Finally a correction is warranted with regard to our attention to customer service. We clearly recognize the vital importance of listening attentively to our members and to responding to their concerns. While the article implies that we have adopted a policy of "routing (these) calls to India," this is not an accurate statement. Over the past four years, we have developed a close and effective working relationship with an Indian-based company assisting with these calls. Our call triage system effectively routes some questions through this arm of our organization and directs others to our headquarters here in St. Petersburg.

We have developed innovative health plans, based here in St. Petersburg, that are bringing real value to seniors. At the same time we have created over 400 new jobs in our state. By keeping our overhead low, we allow many of our members to enjoy substantial "cash back" savings from their Medicare Part B premium - over $1,100 a year - that they can use for whatever they choose. While we have experienced occasional issues and areas where we implemented improvements, on the whole we are reassured by the positive letters and calls we receive from our members and from the continued growth that attests to our effectiveness. We plan to continue to grow and to carry out our mission to make a positive difference in the lives of seniors.

Dr. A.K. Desai, St. Petersburg

President, CEO, Universal Health Care

Editor's note: The Times stands by this story. The description of Dr. Zachariah as a co-founder was based on information supplied by Universal chief operating officer Phil Sheesley, as were references to a company policy of routing customer service calls to India.

Call to UHC was never returned

I had a billing problem and when I called customer service, which was rerouted to India, the people sounded like robots. Every question I asked they replied with the same answer. When I received no help they transferred my call to their billing department. The phone must have rung 15 times. Then there was a recording saying to leave my name and phone number and I will get a return phone call. That never occurred.

My primary care physician whom I've had for six years dropped out of the plan because he cannot get any satisfaction from management.

Ilene M. Rainone, Clearwater

Health benefits routinely denied

Your article on Universal Health Care noted various problems with this company, including denied medical treatments. The problems we faced getting treatment for my disabled son were due to a clear pattern of misrepresentations by UHC staff and specious policies and procedures.

In November 2005, I met with UHC managers who told me the company had never denied chemotherapy for my son. Just days later, we received two letters of denial. In May, UHC staff assured me my son's admission to Moffitt for treatment of a brain tumor had been approved. This was not true and authorization had not been given. Out of desperation, I contacted Dr. Desai. He repeatedly stated he could do nothing and I should call his staff. I explained that I had, numerous times, but none of my calls were returned. He informed me my son could change insurance companies each month.

In March, a UHC case manager called to say their contract with Moffitt had expired two weeks earlier but my son's treatment could continue. Yet, UHC later used this termination as a basis to deny coverage. Denials of treatment often came without a reason making it difficult for our medical providers, or us, to challenge. UHC's failure to provide specific, consistent and unambiguous information, especially in writing, made it difficult for my son to get the benefits to which he was entitled and for which Medicare pays.

In July, we took Dr. Desai's advice and switched insurance companies. The salesman who sold us the UHC plan called to ask why we dropped them. When we told him it was because they kept denying benefits, he said, "They can't do that!" Apparently, they can.

Patricia Petrizzo, Wesley Chapel

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[Last modified February 9, 2007, 23:33:16]