Woman billed hundreds for unwanted insurance

TULSA - In a midtown Tulsa home, you'll find Norma, who at 97 years old, still lives on her own.

Her son and daughter, though, are there whenever she needs help.

That was certainly the case when a $740 insurance bill arrived.

"Do you know I was so worried about that, that my blood pressure went up to 198 when I was a worrying about it," Norma says.

The bill came from Aetna, for three months of supplemental medical coverage, that Norma says she never signed up for.

She remembers getting notices from Aetna last November and December, offering the coverage, but she never returned any paperwork, since she's been covered by medicare and medicaid for years.

But in May, she received that big bill.

"I do pay my debts, I do, I've got a wonderful credit rating, but when I don't know what I'm paying for, I don't, and that was a lot of money."

Norma, along with her son and daughter, kept calling the company to get an explanation of why she was automatically signed up for the coverage without her consent.

"It sounded like a bunch of legal gobbely gook and I couldn't understand anything they said."

So we got in touch with Aetna, and found out what was going on.

The confusion began with the company Norma's husband worked for, before he passed away more than 20 years ago.

That former employer changed it's retiree health benefits, and Norma was on the list of those eligible for it's new Medicare Advantage plan.

Aetna says it sent three letters to Norma, asking if she wanted to opt out of the coverage.

Since they never heard from her, she was automatically enrolled.

But the situation's been corrected, the $740 bill erased.

"I'm so thankful to channel 2 for doing that, I really am."

And now, that motherly pat on the hand says it all, everything's finally ok.

It points up why it's so important to carefully read all offers you receive.

And keep up with all of your contracts to be sure you won't be automatically signed up for something you don't want.