The Latest Scams Circulating the Consumer World. Be warned. Be informed.
September 2007
Health Insurance Scams
Our nation is facing a health crisis. Financially, our health costs are higher per person than any other developed country, and physically, Americans are just in bad shape overall.
Affordable health insurance is hard to find these days, which is why 15.8% of our population doesn’t have any health insurance at all. For people who have mediocre health insurance or no insurance at all, it is easy to fall victim to a low-cost health insurance scam.
The Pitch
Join a low-cost “union” health plan. You don’t have to be a union member to join and you don’t have to pass health standards required by other policies. You must join now because the rates are low and the benefits are high.
The Scam
The health insurance might pay on claims initially, but then they delay payment and eventually stop paying altogether. The scam artists who sell  these policies, collect premiums from many people as quickly as possible, and then skip out, leaving consumers with lots of unpaid medical bills.
According to the September 2007, edition of Consumer Reports:
Fake health insurance has been a big business, especially as the cost of legitimate health plans has skyrocketed. A 2004 Government Accountability Office report found that 144 companies were selling bogus health-insurance policies without the required approval of state insurance commissions, and left about 200,000 policyholder with at least $252 million in unpaid medical claims
Don’t let this happen to you!
Play it Safe
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Beware of an agent selling insurance who says the health plan is exempt from state insurance laws or that he/she doesn’t need a license.
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Contact your state insurance department to make sure the company, the agent, and the policy are all properly licensed.
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Source: www.consumerreports.com
Source: www.clarkhoward.com
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