I just had a frustrating conversation with an employee of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance company. I cannot believe what I was told.

Anthem has paid for only 7 out of a possible 12 yearly covered visits to a chiropractor. Yet, the insurance company will not cover further treatments for me this year, claiming that my yearly quota has maxed out.

This makes no sense, since they have only covered 7 out of 12. The reason for the discrepancy? I made several visits, paid out of my own pocket, to a chiropractor outside Anthem’s preferred provider list. So what? Since Anthem refuses to cover those expenses, I should be okay, right? Wrong!

Because I dared submit a claim, even though they didn’t pay a cent, Anthem Blue Cross counted them against my allowable benefits! Anthem penalized me for simply asking for their help and then being refused. How absurd! How blatantly unethical. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield has unethical business practices.

After telling the employee how wrong this policy was, she said she would not discuss the immorality of Anthem policies. I asked her if she enjoyed working for Anthem, and she answered she loved her job and would never leave it. She stated that if I had not submitted those claims, it wouldn’t have been a problem. I can’t believe she could say that to me with a straight face (I assume). Be quiet and you’ll be okay. That is the message.

Anthem is a shameful company. I’m sure that Anthem and other American Insurance Industry companies implement this bait and switch trick on thousands of unsuspecting customers who dutifully pay their insurance bills.