What's the deal with SOGAZ's DMS plan and coordination between services?

SOGAZ seems to be going out of their way to avoid coordinating anything at all, making it a nightmare to navigate their system.

I'm considering switching to SOGAZ DMS, but I'm worried about the lack of customer support. What can I expect?

SOGAZ's customer support is non-existent, and it's a major issue. You'll be left to navigate their complex system on your own, with little help.

I've heard that SOGAZ's DMS plan covers preventive purposes. Is that true?

Yes, the policy clearly states that fluorographic examinations are covered for preventive purposes once a year. But it's not worth the hassle of dealing with SOGAZ's incompetent employees and lack of coordination.

I'm not happy with my experience with SOGAZ DMS. Can I return it?

The return policy is a joke, and I wouldn't recommend SOGAZ DMS to anyone. You'll be stuck with their subpar service.

What are the benefits of SOGAZ's DMS plan?

The policy promises a more comprehensive program, but it's not evident in my experience. The lack of coordination and incompetent employees make it a total letdown.

I'm worried about the shipping and delivery of services with SOGAZ DMS. How does it work?

SOGAZ's system is complex, and shipping and delivery of services are a major issue. You'll need to navigate their system on your own, with little support.

I've heard that SOGAZ's DMS plan has some good features. What are they?

The policy has some good features, but they're not well-executed. The lack of coordination and incompetent employees make it a total letdown.

I'm considering switching to SOGAZ DMS, but I'm worried about the build quality and ease of use. What can I expect?

SOGAZ's system is complex, and the build quality is subpar. The lack of coordination and incompetent employees make it a nightmare to use.

SOGAZ DMS Review: A Recipe for Disaster

Name: Avoid SOGAZ DMS at all costs - it's a blood pressure nightmare!
Item: Sogaz
Rating: 1
Author: AlexMorrow2

I recently had my first experience with SOGAZ's DMS plan, and let me tell you, it was a disaster. I was with Alfa-stroke insurance for years, and everything was smooth sailing. But this year, SOGAZ won the tender, promising a more comprehensive program. We'll get into that later.

One thing that's clear is that not all insurance services are coordinated, especially when it comes to personal preferences like vitamin D tests or general anesthesia during a colonoscopy. However, SOGAZ seems to be going out of its way to avoid coordinating anything at all.

I first encountered issues when I needed to get a fluorography done. It was required for admission to another hospital under OMS, and I checked the insurance program - it was there. The policy clearly states that fluorographic examinations are covered for preventive purposes once a year. Citing: "Performing a fluorographic examination for preventive purposes - once a year".

I reached out to the chat in the app, where I could get a fluorography done near a particular metro station. They responded with questions: Who appointed it? I explained that it was indeed in the program, for prevention, not on appointment. They claimed there was a technical glitch, but it seemed like they were just trying to avoid covering the service.

They then told me that only X-rays are covered under DMS, and fluorography is only done under OMS. I pointed out that if that's the case, why is there a phrase "FLUOROGRAPHIC EXAMINATION" in the program if it's not covered under DMS.

The people in the chat were so incompetent that I had to write a complaint to the HR department, describing the situation. They called me back the same evening, scheduling an appointment for the next day.

It's astonishing how they seem to be doing everything by the seat of their pants. If they're obligated to provide the service under the program, why are they making it so difficult?

Later, situation number two occurred. I called the hotline and asked where I could get a mole removed in a nearby center near a particular metro station. They told me that it's not covered under my DMS program.

Citing: "Removal of moles, warts, lipomas, and nevi - up to 3 instances during the contract period".

I had a mole that was catching my clothes and causing trauma. I scheduled an appointment with a dermatologist, showed it to her, and explained. She called SOGAZ to coordinate the removal and biopsy. The doctor explained that if you're not bleeding to death, you're healthy, and you don't need treatment or procedures. But okay, they somehow coordinated it.

But the thing is, they told me on the phone that removing moles isn't part of your program. Like, come on, how does that work? Another technical glitch, just like with the fluorography, or maybe it's a deliberate distortion of the information to avoid providing services?

And the cherry on top of this whole DMS nightmare from SOGAZ is when you need to visit a therapist. I've been dealing with insomnia for a month now, and I'm apathetic and exhausted. I wanted some medication to help me sleep and calm my nerves, because it's affecting my work performance – not being able to sleep properly for a few days is just not something you can deal with.

Citing my policy excerpt: primary, repeat, and consultative visits: ... therapist (1 visit).

I booked an appointment online at the clinic I'd already been to for dermatology, and when I called the DMS hotline to confirm, they told me that this clinic is a direct access point, so I wouldn't need to call or confirm. So, this time, I just went to the clinic for my appointment.

But when I got there, they told me that my appointment needed to be confirmed with the insurance. I started calling, and they started calling, but for five minutes, nobody answered, and we're just sitting there listening to music, before the phone finally rings – first, the receptionist girl talks, and then she passes me the phone.

The questions start pouring in – who sent you here? I tell them I came on my own initiative for medication. They respond that I need a referral from a specialist. I tell them that it's not mentioned anywhere in the policy, it's just been mentioned by other doctors that I need to see a therapist, and so on.

They respond with: DO YOU HAVE A REFERRAL IN YOUR HANDS? I tell them no. They: DO YOU HAVE ANY DIAGNOSIS AT ALL? I tell them maybe I do, maybe I don't – what does that even have to do with it? They give me a hundred reasons why I won't be able to get an appointment, because there's no reason for it, no referral to a specialist.

I tell them to book an appointment with a therapist right now, and I'll go get a referral. In short, I'm already at the clinic, and I go see a therapist, explain the situation, and I'm already freaking out – my hands are shaking, the doctor writes down my symptoms for the therapist, starts taking my blood pressure – it's 140/90.

Given that I'm a hypotonic and my normal blood pressure is 90/60, I'm just shocked. The doctor is pretty uncooperative, takes ages to fill out the visit card without asking me anything, then calls SOGAZ to confirm the referral to a therapist, and they tell him that the referral is DENIED.

I'm already in tears, sweating, and feeling this intense fear – I've never experienced anything like it. I tell the doctor to prescribe me something, anything, just so I can sleep or calm down, but he tells me that it's a therapist's profile, and he can only recommend corvalol. And that's it – 'see you later'.

I left the office, called SOGAZ, and instead of music, I was greeted with a hold message. They picked up right away, told me something about a VIP line, and gave me my name. I said to them, 'Why are you refusing to cover my therapy session when it's clearly listed in my policy? My doctor just sent me there, are you joking?'

All this was said through tears that just started streaming down my face. I'm not a complainer, it was just the state I was in at the time.

They told me to hold on, and after a few minutes, they said they were going to check on it. I was on the phone for another three minutes, and then they told me they were going to send a guarantee letter to the medical center.

I went to the reception desk, told them I was waiting for the letter, and they said it was being sent to the call center. I asked if they could just call them to check on it, since my appointment was already scheduled, and I needed to get there as soon as possible.

But they just told me the doctor had already left. I said, 'My appointment is scheduled for an hour, and it's already been 27 minutes. You guys told the doctor I was coming, and now you're having some issues with the insurance company?'

They claimed they had reminded the doctor, but she just said she had to fill out some paperwork, so she waited 15 minutes and then left to go do her own thing.

What am I supposed to do? I turned around, took off my slippers, and left the place. I'm not going to go into what happened next, but I was in a pretty critical state.

I have a lot of questions for both the doctors and the medical center, but most of all, I'm frustrated with SOGAZ. They just seemed to be stalling and trying to avoid covering the therapy session, even though my employer had already paid for the policy.

Thanks to SOGAZ, I had a sudden spike in blood pressure, which could have had serious consequences, given that I'm a hypotonic person. I wish people would treat themselves with a bit more care, but if something like this happened to a family member, I don't know what I'd do.

The policy clearly outlines the services that are supposed to be covered with mandatory agreement from the insurance company.

It only mentions primary and repeat consultations with specialists, laboratory and diagnostic tests, and treatment procedures in the 'Ambulatory-Polyclinic Care' program, only at profiled medical scientific centers (NIIs) of the Russian Federation by referral from a treating doctor or the insurance company.

But now, they're touting this improved program they won in a tender. Let me tell you, it's not all it's cracked up to be. The program is basically the same, and some of the medical facilities I used to go to when I was with Alpha Insurance are no longer available. It's actually gotten worse, because the company doesn't want to cover the services and will do everything to make you pay out of pocket, even if you've already paid for the DMS.

And the incompetence of the staff when you call or use the app? Forget about it.

It's like they just grabbed someone off the street and said, 'Answer all the questions, and if they push back, we'll deal with it later.'

Not many people will bother to dig deeper and figure out what's going on. They'll just take what they're told over the phone and do it themselves, even if it's not covered by the DMS.

And that's exactly what's supposed to happen, according to SOGAZ. It's all just a big scam, and I'm not going to stand for it.

I wanted to add to my review: once again, I've had a great experience with SOGAZ. My endocrinologist ordered hormone tests to determine the direction of the disease, but the insurance company wouldn't cover it. When I asked why, they said it wasn't an acute condition or an exacerbation of the disease.

Alpha is a clear winner when it comes to DMS with SOGAZ - I wouldn't recommend any company to buy insurance from them (especially not to private individuals), as it's just as expensive, and the program is worse for consumers, with poor customer service.