Workers' medical bills go unpaid

Employees didn't know Turbine Airfoil Designs had stopped paying their insurance premiums, and they racked up thousands in costs.


Sunday, September 06, 2009
BY DAVID WENNER
Pennlive.com

How does it feel to have health insurance contributions deducted from your paycheck and then find out you didn't actually have insurance and now are expected to pay thousands of dollars in medical bills?

Ask employees of Turbine Airfoil Designs Inc. in Harrisburg.

TAD stopped paying toward its Capital BlueCross group plan in October.

TAD employees said they didn't know that.

For five months, their coverage remained in effect. Or so it seemed, since their insurance cards remained valid.

In March, Capital sent TAD employees letters saying their coverage had been canceled retroactively to Oct. 9.

Now some TAD employees face five months' worth of medical bills. Some have bills totaling $10,000 or more. State agencies are investigating.

"I have collectors calling here pretty much on a daily basis," said Jason Beachler, 39, of McAlisterville.

He said he has $3,000 in bills from incidents including an emergency room visit after his wife got glass in her eye.

Gary Murdock of Monroe Twp. has $12,000 in bills stemming from medical care for his two children.