Healthcare company sends woman over 500 letters in 5 days

A Maine woman says she received more than 500 letters from UnitedHealthcare in five days and the company is now warning her to expect as many as 1,000 more that are still en route.

The letters were sent to Stephanie Lay's 19-year-old son Bryce in Windham, but were addressed to Maine's Department of Health and Human Services — in Cincinnati, Ohio.

(Photo courtesy Stephanie Lay)

Most of the letters said the company was denying payment of $54. Some say $0. The claims go back to 2016 and she never made them. Lay began receiving the letters a week ago.

Lay first thought it was a joke.  The small business owner says she's spent countless hours trying to figure out how this happened.  She estimates she has spent 10 hours on the phone with UnitedHealthcare in the past two days.

Lay owns Maine-Texas Salsa, which provides employment for people with autism.

"Having a child with autism is very difficult.  There is a lot of bureaucracy you have to deal with but this is way beyond what I've had to deal with," Lay told FOX 5 NY on Thursday afternoon.

She estimates that between the paper, envelopes, stamps, delivery, thousands of dollars were wasted on the mailings.

Lay says she was especially amused by a line written at the bottom of every single one of the letters that says, "Go Paperless!"

She says that UnitedHealthcare asked her to hold onto the letters and a representative would come pick them up.  When that will be remains unclear.

Lay says the company told her that 20 people were trying to rectify the debacle.

She says she doesn't want any compensation from UnitedHealthCare but suggested to a company employee that they should search online for "autism salsa" to find her company and place an order.

500 Letters

(Courtesy Stephanie Lay)

With the Associated Press.