Excellus BCBS seeks those due ‘forgotten funds’

DeWITT — More than 9,100 individuals and companies in New York have forgotten more than $1.1 million in checks issued by Excellus Health Plan, including by its d.b.a., Excellus BlueCross BlueShield (Excellus BCBS).

The money is in the form of unclaimed checks issued in 2009 to members and providers, the health insurer said in a news release.

A complete list of names of people and companies with checks to claim is available on the company’s website at excellusbcbs.com/forgottenfunds.

Rochester–based Excellus BCBS is Central New York’s largest health insurer.

The state requires insurers like Excellus BCBS to make a list of unclaimed checks that are at least three years old. The names are then placed in advertisements in local papers in an attempt to find the people who have money to claim.

If the property isn’t claimed by the end of August, the money is then turned over to the New York State Comptroller.

This is money that was paid for claims or refunded premiums, Christopher Booth, president and CEO of Excellus BCBS, said in the news release.

“If the money remains unclaimed, it will go to the state. It rightfully belongs to our members or providers, and we want to make sure they have one more chance to claim it before it goes to the state,” Booth said.

Most of the funds that have yet to be redeemed were allocated to Excellus BCBS members and providers.

The health insurer figures the checks have gone unclaimed for a number of reasons. The member may have moved and not left a forwarding address, may have died, or simply forgot about the money.

To claim a check before Aug. 31, a health-plan member can call the number listed on the member-identification card. Someone who is no longer a health-plan member, or are calling on behalf of the estate of a family member, can call Excellus BCBS at 1-877-757-3850.

Checks will not be mailed to claimants until after Aug. 31, the health insurer said.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com