Excellus, parent company of Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New York, has put together a searchable website where you can see if any of the checks it is holding is for you.
I wouldn’t normally focus in on a single state like this, but New York has such a big population and so many people go there for just a year or two to work, that this seems worthwhile. Excellus says it is holding more than $2.1 million dollars for 10,400 individuals and businesses! This is money that was paid for claims or refunded premiums. It rightfully belongs to the company’s members and providers and I want to make sure you have a chance to claim it.
If citizens don’t claim by August, the money will be turned over to the Comptroller of New York. It will end up in the state’s unclaimed money pot, but you can avoid a lot of hassle by claiming your money before that happens.
I tried the Excellus search tool and all you have to enter is your last name and the county in New York where you lived or worked. If you get a hit, the system then tells you the address the check is associated with, so you can tell if the money is really for you. I didn’t find any money under “Leamy.” But there were 87 accounts for people with the last name Smith and 39 for the Joneses. You can also search by entering your company name.
If you find a listing for yourself or your firm, you simply email or call Excellus to start the claim process. I will provide all of the contact info you need to do a search and claim your money from EasyMoneySHow.com/52.
To Claim Abandoned checks from Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield of New York:
Via e-mail: contact Customer Services or Provider Services
By phone:
•If you are currently a health plan member, please call the phone number on your member card
•If you are no longer a health plan member, or if you are calling on behalf of the estate of a family member, call Excellus BlueCross BlueShield: 1-800-499-1275.
•To claim a check after September, contact the NYS Comptroller’s office directly at 1-800-221-9311