How to Avoid Health Insurance Scams

Scams exist everywhere and the health insurance is not immune,  with an increasing number of fraudsters and malevolent elements learning how to make a fake health insurance card, it has become imperative to enlighten the public on healthcare scams and how to  spot a fake health insurance policy. According to The Fitzgerald a writer for the CNBC , “Scams cheat older Americans out of almost $3 billion a year”. These crooks use many scenarios, here are 10 common phone scams currently making the rounds.

1. Threatening calls from the IRS.
2. Technical support calls.
3. Fake charity appeals.
4. Lottery scams.
5. Family members in peril.
6. Bank fraud calls.
7. Insurance, health care, and debt scams.
8. Website password requests.
9. Fake customer requests.
10. Other urgent requests.

Scams whether in the Medicare OR Medicaid, NHS or NHIS deprive innocent people of the care and medications they desperately need and divert scarce resources into the pockets of a few greedy and self-serving individuals. Bogus policies have cost victims millions and system manipulations by many custodians have diverted billions of dollars from health schemes, while the crooks smile to the banks, families are left to suffer and it is, therefore, our responsibility as a public health information site to help you identify such scams.

There are several signs which point you to the fact that you are dealing with a fake health insurance firm, agent, or representative some of these include:

How to Spot A Fake Health Insurance Scheme:

 

1. You receive a persistent barrage of phone and email messages: Fraudsters are desperate and if you are patient, you will always get them in the tracks. If you are getting a persistent barrage of phone calls and email messages, something may not be right because it’s unprofessional to act in such ways.

 

2. Incredibly low-priced deals: Not all low-priced deals are fraudulent, but if it’s too good to be true, then it’s too good to be legal. Double or triple-checking such offers will ensure you never fall prey to such healthcare scams.

 

3. You’re pressured to “sign up now”: If you are being pressured to sign up then you need to pause and re-evaluate such offers, it could be a healthcare scam.

 

4. He or She Claims To Be Working For A Government Agency Or Working On An Officially-Sanctioned Program: The use of terms like “Obamacare” to describe the service or claiming to be working for a government agency or working on an officially-sanctioned program is a warning sign that the agent you are interacting with is a healthcare scammer.

 

5. The Sales Rep Is Cagey Or Evasive About The Details Of The Policy: If an agent or sales rep is evading questions on the insurance policy he or she wants you to sign up or claiming the information you need is in the brochure, that is a sign that something is fishy, you must get all the information you require before signing up on any offer.

 

6. You Must Join An “Association” Or “Union” To Get The Coverage You Need: This is another lie being peddled by healthcare fraudsters. These organizations may not even exist or may not be relevant to your interests, some exist only in the imagination of the fraudster but the use of the name seems to make the deal seem more credible.

 

7. Scam Websites Always Look Official Or Well-Designed: This is usually a ploy to give them the appearance of respectability and honesty and get people to sign up on policies with sketchy details. Before committing to any health insurance firm, it is important to get feedback from people who had purchased or used such plans previously. Ensure you don’t also fall for fake health insurance reviews in the process.

 

8. Your Supposed Insurance Card Or Policy Does Not  Show Up: Effective customer service is the hallmark of all genuine health insurance companies, if your supposed insurance card or policy does not show up, most likely you might have been scammed. Sometimes fraudsters use fake health insurance card templates to produce worthless insurance cards.

 

9. The “Insurer” Fails To Pay Your Medical Bills Promptly: Virtually all healthcare marketplace scams have this in common when you inquire or complain, the company often blames accounting errors or other delays. That is a red flag you must not ignore.

 

10. Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA ) Excuse For Lack Of State Licensing

When an agent or representative contends that the policy is exempt from the need for state licensing because of special federal law, such as ERISA.  It means they are lying and it is a  clear sign of a healthcare marketplace scam.

The Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) has warned about the need for consumers to be on the lookout for identity theft and insurance scams related to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). An increasing number of Scammers tend to pose as government employees claiming they are mailing out a national Obamacare card and they need your personal information.

This is an attempt to steal your personal information such as your Social Security Number and bank account numbers using a bogus scheme. No government representative or official sells insurance over the phone, door-to-door, or by email. Rely on official sources for information.

 

The Truth

There are no Obamacare cards, nor are there new Medicare cards, as a result of the ACA. If you get a call from anyone who claims to be from a government agency or institution who asks for your bank account number or full social security number, hang up! It’s a scam! A person who has submitted an application for health insurance to the Health Insurance Marketplace will normally receive a phone call in a situation where their application is incomplete or if their family structure is complex. As part of such calls, the employee in order to confirm they have the correct consumer on the phone will verify the last four digits of the consumer’s social security number.

Questions on this type of call should go to the Marketplace Call Center (800) 318-2596.