Insurance Scams: Top Three Telltale Signs and How to Respond
The process of finding and enrolling in the right health insurance program for you and your loved ones can seem overwhelming and complicated. That’s because it often is. Sifting through all the available options and considering the pros and cons of each is difficult enough to start with. Now, add to that scam artists trying to sell you fake insurance products, and you start to understand how easy it could be to jump on the wrong band wagon and wind up in a mess. The best way to make sure you avoid these underhanded schemes (in lieu of working with a licensed health insurance agent) is to know what to look for while shopping for plans and providers. Preparedness is key. In that spirit, here are the top three telltale signs that you’re dealing with a scammer and what you should do to protect yourself in these cases.
Claim #1: A costly medical or prescription discount program will save you money in the long run.
If the representative promises that an expensive discount card or program will cover or greatly reduce the cost of health services and programs and save you in the long run , be wary. Free coupons from GoodRx can help you afford many expensive medications as you need them.
You should: Get in touch with your state’s insurance commissioner’s office. They’ll know if the health plan is legitimate. Afterwards, you should still scour the company’s website, checking out all their terms and FAQs.
Claim #2: Purchasing insurance is required by law.
First, it’s not. However, a con artist might claim that there has been recent health care reform, requiring it or that you’ll only be able to get the deal they’re offering for a limited time.
You should: Hang up. Or, delete the emails from these scammers. There are certain terms fake health insurance representatives might mention in order to try to convince you that they know more than you do. Don’t fall for it. Visit healthcare.gov and click ‘find local help’ to link with a trustworthy representative.
Claim #3: I am a government employee.
No federal government representative will ever reach out to you with a request for private information, such as your social security number. You may receive something in the mail, but they will never call you on the phone demanding such information.
You should: verify the company or agency immediately before providing any information. Ask for the representatives contact information so that you can call them back once you’re done with that.
If you suspect that you have knowledge of or have been a victim of healthcare insurance fraud, you should reach out to the local and federal agencies who have been instituted to help you. They exist for just this purpose, so it’s important you get in touch with them if you have information of this nature. Your state will always have a department of insurance website and an insurance fraud bureau. On a federal level, your best resources are the National Healthcare Anti- fraud Association, the U.S. government's site for Medicare, and the Federal Trade Commission.
With all the paperwork and fine print associated with enrolling in a healthcare insurance program, it’s no surprise that con artists have taken note. That’s why it’s so important to connect with a trustworthy, knowledgeable healthcare insurance agent to guide you through the process.
