Founded in 2002 originally under the name Acclaris, the company was the first Medicare Exchange when they offered Chrysler retirees to move from an expensive, private health care insurance company into the more competitive Medicare market, where plans could be individualized.
Extend Health was acquired in 2012 by Willis Towers Watson for $435 million. While the name was temporarily changed to Exchange Solutions, then to OneExchange, it was changed once again in 2017 to Via Benefits. This change can be seen on the Extend Health website address.
The company received a patent for its call center technology, which shortens call wait times by matching the caller’s needs with a representative best suited to help the caller.
Extend Health/Via Benefits is the largest healthcare exchange in the US, with approximately 1.8 million subscribers. Consumers can choose from a broad range of the best coverage options available to them, receive comprehensive information that is clear and unbiased. The company is a member in good standing of the National Council on Aging, NCOA.
Extend Health/Via Benefits currently has headquarters in San Mateo, California.
Founded in 2002 originally under the name Acclaris, the company was the first Medicare Exchange when they offered Chrysler retirees to move from an expensive, private health care insurance company into the more competitive Medicare market, where plans could be individualized.
Extend Health was acquired in 2012 by Willis Towers Watson for $435 million. While the name was temporarily changed to Exchange Solutions, then to OneExchange, it was changed once again in 2017 to Via Benefits. This change can be seen on the Extend Health website address.
History
The company received a patent for its call center technology, which shortens call wait times by matching the caller’s needs with a representative best suited to help the caller.
Extend Health/Via Benefits is the largest healthcare exchange in the US, with approximately 1.8 million subscribers. Consumers can choose from a broad range of the best coverage options available to them, receive comprehensive information that is clear and unbiased. The company is a member in good standing of the National Council on Aging, NCOA.
Extend Health/Via Benefits currently has headquarters in San Mateo, California.
I am a former employee who had resign for ethical reasons.
You all are all correct about the level of service. The employees are hand cuffed by the policies in place.
I took the job due to my previous employer going out of business due to the economic impact of Covid. What sold me was the opportunity to help people. But that was far from the case.
I would often get reprimanded for actually trying to get issues resolved and not give scripted response. I always reminded myself that it was a person on the other end and thought of the service that I would like to receive. I would go out of my way to contact different departments directly (via chat or skype during the call) to circumvent the policies they had in place. I was under the assumption that the true goal was to help the customer and get the issues resolved. Nobody wants to call customer service so the least we could do was use all the resources available to resolve the issues. But we were judged on ‘sticking to the script’. It didn’t matter if it was illogical or repetitive. It didn’t matter if you could clearly see that the correct documents were submitted. You had to stick to the process. It got to the point where customers would specifically ask for me. I would provide my full name to provide to the agent just so they could transfer the call. I no longer gave a damn about the process, I wanted to help people.
The blunt truth is that they were just in search of warm bodies. They needed people that were just smart enough to follow a series of prompts, with no actual knowledge. The ‘supervisors’ would not take over escalations and it was a pass the buck mentality. They were hoping that the customers just gave up.
What they REALLY care about is the enrollment into the plans and the commission they receive for the plans being under VIA Benefits’ umbrella. After that they know they have you locked in because that is usually a requirement from the client to receive reimbursements in the first place. So what you’re left with is inept people on the first level (warm bodies) transferring you to inept people on the next level (warm bodies who outlasted the high turnover rate) who are following scripted steps as well. No logic or empathy is involved. I watched folks with a true passion for helping people get jaded after the first week because they knew they truly couldn’t. So what happens is those people leave and the low skilled script readers are what you are left with.
In transparency I only took the job as a stop gap due to my company going out of business. I was then told that there would be an opening for my true career. But I simply could not see myself working for a company with that kind of culture.
Sorry for the diatribe. I sincerely apologize for the level of service you all received. You deserve so much better.
I am a Senior. Did the research online. PepsiCo hired Towers Watson who has changed names, to now be VIA Benefits. Can’t believe they use this company. I was on hold for 3.5 hours and then hung up!! First gentleman was able to answer questions, but to make changes had to speak to another. Pathetic, never did speak to the human I was transferred to. We must use VIA to get reimbursements to use towards deductibles. I will not make insurance changes on line!! HORRIBLE!!!
Via Benefits is the worst. I am not sure why a company as large as Eli Lilly would of contract with them.
Why would they expect seniors to go online and compare insurance plans.
This is asinine.
After waiting in queue for thirty minutes the phone hangs up.
There seems to be no one to complain to at Via Benefits or Lilly.
Someone needs to help us with this problem !
This is the worst Company to deal with in the Health Care Business. Why Schlumberger choose them for Retirees is questionable. They are evidently under staffed and lack the personnel to adequately answer questions . My 3 hour wait time is unacceptable.
Incompetent company in the world. I have no choice since OPERS chose this place. Trust me if I wrote my dealings with them you would think I was writing horror story. You can never speak to a supervisor and everyone there gives you a different answer on the same question. If you send them a email, DO NOT EXPECT A RESPONCE. They have been on the local news stations here that do investigations, the better business bureau has complaints on them. If you search this so called company you will see that it starts with Tower Watson then to One Exchange and then VIA Benefits. From what I have seen in searching they are dealing more out of the USA. In a complaint wrote prior to mine the lady also mentioned about not getting responses to emails and them not getting information required to process claims. On that process of claims let me tell you that 1st week of February and the corona starting to spread I took the precautions and went and copied all the claims I was sending in. I wasn’t seeing anything on my account and called. The first young lady was no help, I asked for a supervisor and got connected to a smart ass guy who was not a supervisor and wouldn’t transfer me. I asked about the claims I sent in and was told that when they get the mail everything gets scan into their system and that the hard copies sent in by you and me gets thrown out. I was told they received 26 pages and I sent in 150 pages. When I told they scan everything into the system I stated well you have the hard copies and that when I found out that they destroy the hard copies. So I am the one getting screwed. They had on my account a few claims they were denying and I know for fact that all the required info was there in the 150 pages. I have serious health issues and this guy was upsetting me more and more to the point I asked him to stop already or I was going to hang up. Well I hung up. If you don’t keep track of your account and print things on it periodically you will see that things change and you will have no proof otherwise. COPY YOUR ACCOUNT PERIODICALLY. A friend of mine and I went to a seminar that VIA was part of, the seminar was for persons getting ready to retire and retiree’s. In short let me say this, when they opened the floor up to the attendee’s I had the opportunity to talk and the looks and gasps from the attendee’s hearing what I have been through were unbelievable and the people having the seminar couldn’t shut me up fast enough. I did manage to tell a lot of the horror of this place. The only thing I can say is to put claims into the BBB and also contact by mail your states governor and other state offices. Good Luck To Everyone
I am having trouble with Via Benefits in processing my Mediare Advantage plan. Because it is not being processed I am unable to submit claims for reimbursement. No one at Via Benefits of a supervisor capacity is willing to discuss this with me.
The worst company I have dealt with and I as well have no choice since Agilent Technologies hired this incompetent and incapable “company” to administer my reimbursement benefits. I am AGAIN today not able to log in. If trying 100 times over a day’s period one may be able to get a code to enter the website. However, the worst is that I am being hung up on, put back into the phone pool and more. The responses to my e-mail requests and complaints only result in a scripted response, but never providing the ONE THING I am asking. I should be able to receive my 180.00 per month reimbursement for medical “premiums” and have provided proof of being a Kaiser Permanente member and proof of my payments to them every month which worked until October 2019 – after that point they dropped the reimbursement of my Kaiser medical premium reimbursement stating that they need proof of payment. When asking them per e-mail (many times) WHAT EXACTLY ELSE THEY NEED, I am not able to get a valid answer, just scripted messages some as long as a book and to contact the Funding department which hangs up on me and puts me back into the phone pool. I am shaking I am so angry!!!!!
jACK MC CARTHY FEB 22 2020 I 100% agree with the first comment by Lou Meyer from January 7,2020 I have no choice my former company hired this extremely,useless company as a benefit adviser.customer services are rude,NOT TRAINED,DONT GIVE A DAMN!!! 30TO 60 MINUTE WAIT COMMON PLACE W/ NO RESULTS!!!!
I would rate you a “0” if I could. You don’t go any lower than 1. You are the worst company I have ever dad to deal with!!!! You employees are poorly trained, their supervisors are non existent and they have NO way to communicate with CUSTOMERS (if they even know what CUSTOMERS are.) I would never deal with you again if I had any other option.
Your call center is far from efficient. I have experienced drop calls numerous times with no attempt for a call back from the CS agent after being on hold for over 30 minutes. The agents are not knowledgeable about anything. Your company administers reimbursements for retirees from Pitney Bowes. It is an absolute nightmare in paperwork and time to get reimbursed for valid medical expenses. I have in the past and will again contact Pitney Bowes to voice yet another complaint on lack of efficiencies and accuracy in claim processing and overall service. Yet on hold for over an hour as I type this complaint after initial conversation with an agent regarding payment on an existing “approved claim.” No one can tell me why the funds were not transferred to my account upon approval of this claim. Still waiting……and waiting…..and waiting.
Your company is terrible My friend came to my house to register with you when she retired. The first call was made 4/10/2019 the person who did this got my name because of using my phone # and her address. My explanation of benefits receipts went to her address with my name on it out of el Paso Tx. I call and they say my name and address is correct but somehow it isn;t . Also they misspelled her address and just by luck she got it. This has been since May since I got my explanation of benefits. She has my Aug one but that is all. I want that man who took that call fired. My friend’s name is Marilyn Garrick. She still hasn’t got any information for her insurance and via benefits as yet. This better be fixed right now. I want it to be investigated how my name and her address.