I got mine in the mail also with no previous knowledge of signing up for it. I used it just a few days later. It saved me $7 on one prescription. I am planning to keep using it.
If you look at the envelope, it says that it was mailed from zip code 14240, which is Buffalo, NY. I looked up the address that they give on the envelope, 4410 Mass. Ave #106 in Washington DC, on Google Maps. It looks like a college campus. The primary building at that spot is the Katzen Arts Center.
It strikes me as mighty odd that eleven (presumably different) people, over a five month period, joined just to post in this thread. Only three of their posts could be written of as shills. Mighty strange.
If you look at the view count, it is really really high. I just did a google search for “health benefits network”, and this thread actually comes up as number one. So, figure people just find this thread though google.
Oh, and to add to the topic, I actually received one of these in the mail myself. Threw it away before it even got in the house. I also had someone try using one at my pharmacy, it didn’t save them any money. The Rite Aid discount card we already used was cheaper. All it did was waste 5 minutes of my time trying to rebill their script.
You detective work is correct, but I don’t think it is strange. Google indexes SDMB so fast it knows about my posts before I post them. There are services out there (sorry, don’t have a link) that will email you if a post or page is made anywhere in the world on a specific topic or with specified keywords. Don’t you think merchandisers, especially unscrupulous ones, are taking advantage of that?
I note that three posters with something good to say about the HBN all have posted only once, and they provide no useful information other than unverifiable anecdotes. I suggest caution.
I have not received such a card, or if I have, it went in the dumpster with the other potentially worthless offers.
ok…so I just got one of these in the mail too…
The Loeb Enterprises logo on the back lead me to look them up…http://loebenterprises.com/selected-ventures/
It seems this is a venture capital company that has their hands in many things…
Michael Loeb, was a founding member of the Synapse Group Inc…in CT
And Jay Walker of priceline.com are the partners who started this company…
There’s no clear explanation of the reason for the card, other that that they are giving them away-but it isn’t overtly evil…
I joined this to post this response on here. These are the links to the two companies by the name Health Benefits Network in the zip code listed on the envelope from the letter and card that I received today and what the BBB has to say about them.
http://www.bbb.org/greater-maryland/business-reviews/insurance-health/health-benefit-network-in-columbia-md-90098220
http://www.bbb.org/washington-dc-eastern-pa/business-reviews/not-elsewhere-classified/health-benefits-network-in-washington-dc-175958860
Hope this helps. The whole thing looks shady. The BBB has apparently been given the runaround by this “company” more than once. I don’t trust this company and will not use this card. I also agree with the person above who mentioned that when searching the address, it appears to be a building on a college campus. Something is fishy with this. Again, I will not use it and I strongly recommend that others don’t until more is known about this “business” and their discount cards. They may be technically bound by HIPPA to keep your business private, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they do.
I first became aware of this card yesterday, when a patient called us. She said she called the number on the back of the card, and the guy she talked to sounded sketchy. She was worried her privacy might have been abused by the Health Benefits Network. Not five minutes later, a gentleman came to the pharmacy and handed us a pharmacy discount card. It happened to be a HBN card that the woman had just called us about. We went to the company website and viewed their privacy policy. We are still trying to determine if this is a legitimate company or a scam. However, I would advise anyone who doesn’t want their personal information sold to third parties not to use this card. From what I understand, this company states they are not bound by HIPAA if information is posted to their site, and third parties can access this information, in which these other companies have their own privacy policies. Sounds like your privacy will be breached if you use this card. So, to keep your information private, don’t use this card, and don’t register on their website. Simple as that.
When I was doing my SDSAB report on mail-order companies, I found out that some companies compile and then rent or sell mailing lists of their customers to generate extra income; and it seems possible, if not likely, that some companies exist for the sole purpose of generating mailing lists. I’m thinking that this Health Benefits Network outfit exists just for that; they may be selling their users’ names to other health-care companies, or facilitating others (like pharmacies) to do the same. Since you generally can’t use a false name to get a prescription filled, it’s difficult to do the false-name gambit I suggested in my article. I’m not sure where HBN would get their lists from, though, unless it’s an entity that wouldn’t be covered by HIPAA.
If this is true, it’s an example of TANSTAAFL (There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch). You may get a nice discount, but is it worth your privacy?
I’ve gotten 2 of these in the mail. Shredded the first one and second one I took the time to read and now researching.
BBB definitely will keep me away from using this card but I do not get it.
- Why are local pharmacies accepting it.
- Why is the legal system not all over this
- How is it possible to make possibly hundreds on each and every persons information if it is being sold in order to recover cost difference of prescription purchased?
I did as some others suggested here… Shred the card and the envelope and paperwork that comes with it.
This appears to be a sophisticated phishing/potential identity theft scam. Your medical and pharmaceutical privacy is at risk if you use this card.
Somebody behind this is making a ton of money on the paltry discount you may receive by potentially unauthorized use of your information. We all have so little control over our private information anymore, best to err on the side of caution.
If it is too good to be true, it isn’t !
I can answer your questions.
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Local pharmacies want your business. If you’re a cash-paying customer, the discount offered by the card will save you money, but the pharmacy still makes a profit. Consequently, it’s worth it for them to accept it. (You can’t use this card if you’re using health insurance. It’s strictly on a cash-and-carry basis.) Many pharmacies, including local ones, now offer a large number of generic drugs at a very low price, so the discount is minimal anyway. The pharmacy I use, for example, will accept this card, but not if the price of the prescription is below a certain threshold. I think it’s $10, but I’m not sure and since I have health insurance that has a very cheap co-pay, there’s no reason for me to use this card.
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Depending on where they’re getting their mailing lists, it’s probably legal.
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Mailing lists generate income on a per-name basis, but it’s not likely to be hundreds of dollars per name unless the same list is sold over and over. But if you sell a list of 10,000 names at a buck each, that’s $10,000 more than you had when you started. Some of these lists are much larger, and some – especially those that target specific groups – are smaller but potentially more valuable, if the group is especially desirable for some reason.
I don’t think it’s a phishing or identity-theft scam, but I do think it’s a skeevy business.
This is a quote from the BBB sight, hope this helps the curious:
Based on BBB files, this business has a BBB Rating of No Rating. The reason is as follows: This business has no rating because BBB has information indicating it is out of business.
Health Benefit Network was brought to BBB’s attention in May, 2008. HBN claims an address of 8775 Centre Park Drive, Columbia, MD, 21045 on their Web site www.healthben.com, and has also given this address to a consumer. Jennifer Stephan with Continental Realty, the company who manages the suites at this address, verified with BBB that there is no Health Benefit Network located at 8775 Centre Park Drive, Columbia, MD, 21045.
When BBB contacted HBN at their toll free number a representative gave HBN’s address as 300 International Drive, Suite 100, Williamsville, NY. HBN explained to BBB that their marketing company, Prime Liberty occupied the MD address listed. They stated a supervisor would get back to BBB, thus far no one from HBN has contacted the BBB representative back.
BBB then verified with Continental Realty that there is no Prime Liberty located at the 8775 Centre Park Drive, MD address. A legitimate Healthcare Discount Company, Prime Liberty, occupies the Williamsville, NY, address given by HBN to a BBB representative, and this company claims no association with Health Benefit Network.
Reportedly, HBN contacted a consumer via telephone and attempted to sell him a Healthcare Benefit Discount Plan. They informed him that there was a one time non-refundable fee of $129.99 and they would need his credit card information. According to the consumer, when he asked for some type of documentation or contract the representative refused and said he would receive this information after they charge his account. The consumer claims extreme profanity was used against him and then he was hung up on.
I also received a card from this business. I checked with the BBB and Health Benefits is not accredited. The Network has not supplied management or business type information to the bureau. It may be an information gathering system. My guess is they’re collecting data to sell to other companies. This isn’t illegal, of course, but it’s not something most people are amenable to.
I received a free Pharmacy Discount Card in the mail like so many other people, and when i checked on the name on the back (LOEW Enterprises)that backs lots of different companies and enterprises such as in China…it didn’t seem to be a really legitimate card…especially since I didn’t ask for it…I’m not going to use it even if it has discount…because I don’t want them to access any of my pharmacy info or anything else personal…
So, I too received the same card by snail mail… I was reluctant to use it but thought twice when the $350 a month, ins. policy, I can barely afford, refused to cover any of my mental health medications:mad: Being they were not considered “needed” by some random all knowing power that be. (This would be Restat prescription coverage.) “They” seem to know better, than my Dr. and my body what is best for my specific situation…
Needless to say, I went ahead and used the discount card at CVS. The normal cash price I pay out of pocket a month is $264… for 3 uncovered medications. With the discount card, I walked out having only paid $172. The most expensive med, a generic adhd, normally runs me $145… I only paid $62, which was the most significant discount.
With that said, today I went to fill some refills and now Cvs is saying my insurance will not cover ANY MEDS… BUT, I can use the discount card. I paid 2X as much for my scripts today, although they were still cheaper than the normal cost…
Any thoughts on how this could happen? I’ve been on hold with my insurance company for almost 45 mins… noone has an explanation.
I’ll be back with the results!!
I to received a Health Benefits Network Pharmacy Discount Card in todays mail. This must be a mass marketing ploy gathering some type of information.
I wanted to say that the address used on the envelope I received is different then I saw above.
Mine is:
4110 Mass Ave #106
Washington, DC 20016
It appears that there is no Mass Ave #106 when searched. They have it listed on google as their address but it doesn’t seem to exist. It also appears there is no Mass Ave…However there is a Massachusetts Ave…
When I looked on their website at their privacy page, it’ not reassuring.
Something stinks here and I will certainly avoid it. I am not interested in handing my information to scam artists…At least let them work for it…lol…
I have recieved three of these carrds, today was the third one. I have not read that anyone else had a name of a drug that they may be using. In my letter in the upper right corner was the name of my drugs, which I had just gotten filled a month ago. The first cards I recieved I called and told them I did not request the card and to take me off of their list. Cut the cards up. Todays letter said it was my LAST CHANCE. I called the pharmacy that I use, thinking that they sold the info. to another company. The manager gave me the corp. number and I talked to a person there. They assured me that they don’t sell info. especially drug info. They suggested that I call my local police and report it. The lady at the corp. office gave me a ref. number and that they were going to investigate from their end. If anyone else has recieved a letter with drug info on it , that is personal info. that nobody should have except you and your dr. The other thing with this card is if it cvost you nothing to use it, how does the company make money? I don’t believe that there is a company out there just giving it away.
I received one of these cards today and it also had the drug I use printed in the upper right corner of the paper attached to it. I would really like to know how these people got this information! The only people that have this information is my pharmacy, my clinic, and my husband! How was this information obtained? if you find out anything, please let me know!
NYC has a card like this. It’s called the Big Apple RX Discount.
Duane Reade, CVS and Walgreens all accept it. They say it’s most helpful for people who don’t have insurance.