AMEX not accepted or surcharge

[RB]

I don't quite understand. Why wouldn't there be any recompense if the wheels fell off?

I booked a Cosmos tour fro US travel agent, received documentation from Cosmos and had travel insurance in place as I purchase a yearly policy.

I am not trying to sway people's decisions but I got 2-3 quotes from Australian travel agents and the price they wanted was a total rip-off.

I believe the area that I was referring to is known as the travel compensation fund.

"The Travel Compensation Fund is a body formed to protect the travel consumer in the event that a travel agent experiences business or financial difficulties. The TCF regulates travel agents, provides compensation to consumers, and ensures that travel agents have and will continue to have sufficient financial resources to secure the right to trade. "

I recall some Aussies booking overseas to save money & then finding they had no recourse where others who booked in Aust were covered. Obviously different circumstances will bring different outcomes & I was just raising some awareness

 

[lovestotravel]

I wonder if there will come a time when Platinum Visa/MC start to get surcharged.

I already do

Platinum VI/MC are pretty standard nowdays!

I surcharge 2% for Amex and Platinum VI/MC

 

[mannej]

Got a message on my voicemail today to call Medibank to discuss the changes. Has anyone else been contact by MBP, and if so what have they discussed?

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Although this isn't about Medibank, it seems that Strike Bowling Bar in Brisbane CBD (Wintergarden) no longer have a 3% surcharge on Amex - all signs relating to their previous surcharging system and EFTPOS minimums have been removed (used to be 3% surcharge for AX/DC, $10 minumum for sav/chq, a 50c fee if the txn was under $10 etc etc etc).

 

[sparoy]

Got a message on my voicemail today to call Medibank to discuss the changes. Has anyone else been contact by MBP, and if so what have they discussed?

Yes, I've got a call from MBP and I basically told her to tell the management that I will move to another health fund if they won't reinstate Amex.
4 top cover memberships at stake here (myself, my in laws and my 2 adult children), so it's worth quite a bit in MR points as well as MBP risk losing our memberships.

I just can't understand that health funds spend millions in advertising to gain new members as well as trying to convince members who moved to another fund to come back, and yet upsetting current loyal members for not accepting Amex anymore.

 

[kyle]

I too have sent a feedback to Medibank re Amex saying now I'm more inclined to switch.

 

[lovestotravel]

Yes, I've got a call from MBP and I basically told her to tell the management that I will move to another health fund if they won't reinstate Amex.
4 top cover memberships at stake here (myself, my in laws and my 2 adult children), so it's worth quite a bit in MR points as well as MBP risk losing our memberships.

I just can't understand that health funds spend millions in advertising to gain new members as well as trying to convince members who moved to another fund to come back, and yet upsetting current loyal members for not accepting Amex anymore.

Management/Amex have no doubt tried to come to an agreement and failed, hence the decision to stop accepting Amex.

The large majority of people do not care if they use Amex or not and wont' switch health funds or complain. Of course most of on here think differently as we are all trying to maximize our points!

99.9% of the time I only shop at a business that accepts American Express, I am always looking for a logo/sign/sticker/symbol that indicates that the business will accept Amex. If they don't I walk in nearly every single case!

A recent trip overseas, walking down the street, looking for a restaurant, if there was no Amex sticker on the door I would keep on walking.

So I wouldn't be holding my breath for MBP/Amex to start happening again.

 

[xt_20]

I submitted an online feedback form expressing my disappointment with Medibank.
I have started looking at other options and found out that MBF may be slightly cheaper and suits my needs. They don't do Amex direct debit, but they can issue an invoice and I pay it using Amex at the Post office (Postbillpay?) without any charges. Hope this arrangement lasts!

 

[ChrisFlyer]

I submitted an online feedback form expressing my disappointment with Medibank.
I have started looking at other options and found out that MBF may be slightly cheaper and suits my needs. They don't do Amex direct debit, but they can issue an invoice and I pay it using Amex at the Post office (Postbillpay?) without any charges. Hope this arrangement lasts!

They actually do accept Amex for direct debit Just use this link to set it up:

http://www.mbf.com.au/MBF/Health Insurance/Forms/autopaydirectcredit.pdf

 

[xt_20]

They actually do accept Amex for direct debit Just use this link to set it up:

Perfect Medibank will lose my $1200 annual payment. Have been with them for about 10 years, and have never claimed more than $150 per year. My only vice was using Amex -- thought I was a good customer!

 

[JohnK]

They actually do accept Amex for direct debit

That may actually explain why I have not received a letter or a telephone call from Medibank Private. My payment has been direct debit from Amex for a while now.

 

[xt_20]

That may actually explain why I have not received a letter or a telephone call from Medibank Private. My payment has been direct debit from Amex for a while now.

ChrisCh was referring to MBF, not Medibank. I'm with Medibank on Direct Debit and got a letter. Interestingly enough I just had a missed call from their customer resolution team.

 

[JohnK]

ChrisCh was referring to MBF, not Medibank. I'm with Medibank on Direct Debit and got a letter. Interestingly enough I just had a missed call from their customer resolution team.

Hmmm. Totally misread that post.

Anyway it is strange that I have not yet received a phone call or a letter from Medibank Private. Or did my brother confuse Medibank for Mastercard?

 

[hollydavid69]

OMG here here.
I got a letter from Medibank the other week, stating that from late next month they will no longer be accpecting American Express :evil:.
I'm like wtf.
So i'm going to give them all call up & complaing (even though i know there's nothing the operator will be able to do about it - but at least i'll feel better).

 

[mannej]

Just got off the phone with medibank, and they said this move is saving them $1million a year.

So far they feel that the negative feedback doesn't warrant a change in policy...


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly

 

[lovestotravel]

Just got off the phone with medibank, and they said this move is saving them $1million a year.

So far they feel that the negative feedback doesn't warrant a change in policy...

I am not sure that a phone monkey would know the savings that ditching Amex would mean to the company. I am sure only high up Manager's would be aware!

However, as I have said, they have seen a way to save $$ and unfortunately at the end of the day the large majority of people will just pay with the good old Visa or Mastercard.

So let's assume the difference in Amex vs VI/MC is 1%

So for a $1 Mil saving, that's $100,000,000 being charged on Amex cards each year through Medibank..... that's about $8 Mil a month, which let say each policy is $125 per month. That is 64,000 policy holders using Amex. Yes these are all VERY rough calculations based on a figure from a phone monkey.

I am sure Amex is NOT happy about losing $1 Million a month in merchant fees either! But would 64,000 policy holders cancel because of this change ? NO

So it's :evil::evil::evil: for us and Amex and :mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen: to Medibank for saving money!

As a side note:
I have lost track of the number of times where I have been told about an Amex surcharge or discourged from using Amex to pay for something.

Most people are shocked that I am happy to pay 1/2/3% to use Amex, as they tell me that everyone else just pulls out the Visa and pays that way.

 

[straitman]

I am not sure that a phone monkey would know the savings that ditching Amex would mean to the company. I am sure only high up Manager's would be aware!

True but they would have been given this as a line to spin without knowing the full truth about it.

 

[kamchatsky]

Most people are shocked that I am happy to pay 1/2/3% to use Amex, as they tell me that everyone else just pulls out the Visa and pays that way.

i.e. find the Visa/Mastercard which still earns high level of points (Not that there are many around)!

 

[JohnK]

So how much commission does the Post Office earn for paying Medibank invoices?

Anyway I am starting to worry now as I am home and still no letter from Medibank or a phone call. Will I still be covered next month?

 

[serfty]

...
Anyway I am starting to worry now as I am home and still no letter from Medibank or a phone call. Will I still be covered next month?

Probably - my letter indicated that if I failed to nominate another CC, they would commence "invoice" us.