North Carolina State University

My daughter is a current student at North Carolina State University and they refused to let her out of her contract with them for health insurance coverage without reason.My daughter is 21, lives at home, a full time student and works a seasonal job. She is covered under our family health insurance plan which started this year. North Carolina State charged her $688 for this semester and she asked for an appeal and a waiver because she is already covered and she was denied. This money is being taken from her financial aid grant which she uses to help pay for school and books.We called them after their appeals committee denied cancelation and refund which was done within the deadline date. When we called them to find out how they can force insurance when the student has insurance which we pay out of our pocket, I was told that once the `committee' makes a decision it is final. I would like to know is this legal? What rights do we have? What steps can we take next? Thank you for your help and your time.Product_Or_Service: [redacted]Account_Number: XXXXXXDesired SettlementWe first and foremost do not want to continue with paying and having health insurance with North Carolina State University. We want a refund of the monies they took this semester and to stop them from taking any more money for insurance that is not required or desired from this institution. If we are forced to use their health insurance coverage we want to see both State and Federal law that requires students to have health insurance when they are fully covered and live at home.Business Response Per mandate of the UNC Board of Governors, all students are required to show evidence of an existing creditable coverage health insurance policy or enroll in the UNC System Student Health Insurance Plan. Students are allowed a waiver period to provide this evidence by January 31, 2014 for the Spring 2014 semester. The effective date of an existing health insurance policy must have been no later than February 1, 2014 in order to meet the waiver requirements. If they do not waive coverage by this time, the students are automatically enrolled in the student health insurance plan and charged the appropriate fees. Students were allowed to appeal this fee by March 5, 2014. In the matter that is of concern in this complaint, the student failed to file the waiver by January 31, 2014, and was thus enrolled in the student health insurance plan. An appeal was submitted to NC State University Insurance Waiver Appeal Review Committee on March 3, 2014. The appeal showed that the student did have health insurance; however, the insurance policy did not become effective until March 1, 2014. Thus, the appeal was denied. NC State has communicated to the student and the complainant that, in the future, the insurance policy listed on the form should be approved if a waiver is properly submitted during the waiver period.

I was billed $58.78 by [redacted] for natural gas service after requesting disconnection from [redacted]. I may still be subject to monthly bill.I live on the campus of North Carolina State University (NCSU). In December of 2013. I disconnected my gas service from [redacted] because I had an unusually high bill. (3-4 times my normal bill). I had no problem with the disconnection at [redacted] for account #[redacted]. This is at [redacted]. The problem I'm experiencing is with [redacted] the Manager for[redacted]. Each resident is responsible for setting up and paying for utilities. There are no price breaks or exceptions to deposits for connection or service. The [redacted] Gas Company mandates the same rules as any private residence. The management at [redacted] has made some unusual rules to the normal legality of service with [redacted]. Gas is only needed for cooking in this apartment. I have a meal plan as a student at NCSU and do not cook at home very often. I requested a disconnection of the above account on 12/18/14 through [redacted]. I disconnected service because my gas bill was unusually high. I received my refund check from [redacted] and paid my final bill. The gas company never came out to disconnect the service. The service is still currently on. Electricity is my main utility for heat, etc. and I may use it to cook if needed. About onr month later I received a bill from the [redacted] Office Manager, [redacted], stating that I need to pick my gas bill from the office that I owed them for gas service because they refused to disconnect service when I requested it. When I moved to thia apartment in August 2013 I was informed by the management that I had to give them my personal account information for gas and electric. This is an illegal authorization!! I am responsible for these services privately! [redacted] has a group account# because it is located on NCSU property, however, the only people that should receive continuous service without setting up a personal account are persons rentong a hotel room on the premises or residents who have issues with establishing service. I did not give them my account information for them to violate my privacy rights and break the law. I've enclosed copies or emails between myself and [redacted]. Normal billing for service with [redacted] is $10.00/per month without use. My bill was never much higher than that amount expect during the winter holiday. I'm resolved with [redacted] but I want the billing to cease immediately by the [redacted] office. I do not use my stove any further even though the gas is still on.[redacted]Feb 10 (13 days ago)to me As of Feb. 3rd, you had not established a [redacted] account in your name. Please know that we have billed your [redacted], [redacted] account for the Dec. 18 to Jan. 18th bill for the gas used in your apartment. You may drop by the office to get a copy of these bills if you would like. Thank you.[redacted]Feb 10 (13 days ago)to [redacted] I am sorry you troubled your self with this issue. I have been the target of a hate crime prior to living at [redacted] and I intentionally disconnected the gas service because I felt I was overbilled for the last billing cycle. Now they did not come out and disconnect the service and I am not re-establishing service because it was cheaper for me to disconnect than to hire a Lawyer to resolve this problem. YOUR DECISION TO CONNECT IN MY NAME WITHOUT MY PERMISSION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!!! It will result in a legal battle because I chose the easiest route for me to avoid being sick and continuing to suffer every time I could not resolve issues easily. I will not pay any bills you generated after the disconnection date because YOU refused ([redacted] STAFF) to obey the law. You do not establish service for me and you do not pay my bills. I will pick up the bill but I will also file a complaint against an unfair practice because you do not establish this legal relationship between myself and [redacted]. NO BILLS IN MY NAME WITHOUT MY AUTHORIZATION!!!Desired SettlementI want the billing to cease immediately!! I don't anyone authorized to undermine people like this. [redacted] could have contacted me for an appointment to discuss what the problem was. (see email above). This apartment is serviced like any private residence. I want [redacted] to SHUT OFF THE GAS! I will not pay for services I can not use acceptably. The office is in violation of my right to privacy. I give no one my personal account information that I must establish under my social security number. I am being billed in the NCSU account under account # [redacted]. They have no right to continue to bill me after service disconnection from [redacted]. I have explained my extenuating circumstance to them enough. I enclosed the last email that I could not fit in the complaint area.[redacted]Feb 11 (12 days ago)to [redacted] me [redacted],Per your apartment agreement, you are responsible for the electricity and gas used in your apartment while you are occupying the premise. Please know that regardless of whether the gas in in your name or switched back into our [redacted] account, you are responsible for the cost of any gas used during the billing period. The gas is individually metered per apartment and this was the cost of the gas used for A-12. We have not established any account in your name. These are bills that we received directly. Also, failure to pay the amount is a violation of your [redacted] agreement and could result in termination. If you have any questions, please come in our office to discuss this further.Last statement from [redacted] Customer Service reply@messages.[redacted]12/20/13to me To view this email as a web page, go here.[redacted]Service Address: [redacted], [redacted] Account Ending In: [redacted]Credit Balance: -$64.21Date Due: No Payment Due[redacted], Your new [redacted] bill is now available online. Simply visit www.[redacted] and sign in to view your new bill. [redacted] Customer Service reply@messages.[redacted]12/17/13to me To view this email as a web page, go here.[redacted]Service Address: [redacted]Scheduled Date: 12/18/2013Service Type: Gas[redacted], This is a reminder that your service is scheduled to be stopped as of the date listed above.To complete this request, please make sure your meter is not blocked by plants or gates. Pets and animals should be confined and away from meter area. I want this service bill to cease Immediately!! The management does not need more personal information! There are persons on this campus that are aware of my circumstance. It is ILLEGAL to Bill for disconnected service.Business Response Per the Housing Agreement at [redacted], every resident is responsible for the utilities for their assigned unit. For the one bedroom units, the style occupied by [redacted], the resident is responsible for both electricity and gas. In the apartment, the gas fuels the stove/oven, the hot water tank, and the furnace unit. [redacted] is incorrect in her understanding that the gas is only for the stove/oven.The gas account with[redacted] for [redacted] is a bulk account. When apartments are unoccupied, the invoice for any used gas is in the name of [redacted] and sent to the office for payment. This insures that the utilities in the apartments are always on and ready for new residents. Upon check-in, residents are instructed on how to transfer the utilities (including the gas) into their name so that the invoice is directly sent to the resident for payment. We provide each resident with a form that we ask them to complete and return as confirmation that they have transferred the accounts. [redacted] did return this completed form on August 13, 2103. At no time has [redacted] connected the gas in [redacted]' name. In fact,[redacted] policies would not allow this.In this situation, when [redacted], contacted[redacted] to cancel her account, the meter defaulted back to the [redacted] bulk account. At no time did [redacted] inform our office of her concerns with[redacted] or her intentions to cancel her account with[redacted]. While [redacted], may not have been using the gas to cook, she continued to use the gas for the hot water and heat in the apartment. As stated, per the Agreement, the resident of the apartment is responsible for the utilities while occupying the unit. Subsequently, when the [redacted] Office received the invoice for the meter assigned to [redacted]' unit from[redacted], the we placed the charge on her University student account. [redacted] received correspondence from the office of our action and a copy of the invoice was provided to her when she came into the office concerned about the charge to demonstrate that the account was not in her name.Final Consumer Response I have a copy of this lease and the landlord is still violating my legal rights. I do not have to pay any gas bills that have a discrepancy until the discrepancy is acceptably resolved. I will be contacting[redacted] to have them come out to disconnect service once again. It is outrageously uncivil when the landlord [redacted] cannot resolve a normal dispute. I am still being billed for gas on this property. The bill is outrageously high. Higher than any other gas bill I've received since I've been here. If we cannot resolve it here , I will seek legal action and they can pay the legal fees.Final Business Response The [redacted] Apartment Agreement clear indicates that the resident is responsible for all "utilities not provided by NC State." For [redacted] Apartments, as stated by the Agreement, the resident is responsible for Electricity, Gas, and Internet. Again, the resident cannot completely shut-off the gas for her apartment. Accordingly, the resident continues to be responsible for her outstanding gas bills resulting from the ongoing use of gas in the apartment to supply the unit's furnace, the hot water tank, and the stove/oven. NC State views this matter as closed and no further correspondence will be forthcoming.