Our friends over at AARP wanted us to pass along some pretty serious information. Groups are targeting young working families who are looking for affordable health insurance, and selling them fake insurance plans. These plans generally don’t provide insurance coverage and don’t directly pay hospital or doctor bills. People dont realize these plans are bogus until they need to access the supposed coverage. The problem is especially prevalent in the state of Wyoming, but it is something we think everyone should be aware of.

Beware of advertisements for health plans making the following claims:

• “New Health Plan! Designed for employees, individuals, and families”
• Offered to “an entire family for only $89.95 per month for a limited time only.”
• Refers to “Medical, Dental and Vision” and includes a “$15.00 generic prescription card co-pay”
• States that “all preexisting conditions accepted, no limitations on usage, no age restrictions”
• Claims that other benefits in the plan include doctor visits, hospital stays, emergency room and “much more.”

Please report all suspected insurance fraud to the National Association of Insurance Commissioner’s Online Fraud Reporting System.  They will investigate suspected insurance fraud occurring in Wyoming and across the country.

There is a regulated health insurance plan available for people pre-existing conditions. This plan, the federal pre-existing condition insurance plan (PCIP), part of the Health Care Law, offers affordable premiums, and is available to those who have been without health insurance for the last six months.  Visit HealthCare.gov for more information on PCIP.

As always, if you have other questions on health reform that you would like explained, email us at Questions@YoungInvincibles.org.