On April 6, 2010, the US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius warned consumers about the proliferation of scam artists already taking advantage of individual consumers under the guise of the new health care law. Sebelius urged State Attorney Generals and Insurance Commissioners to “crack down” on people seeking to defraud consumers. According to Sebelius, media accounts of the scams include door-to-door sales making claims of “Obamacare” policies and limited enrollment periods made possible by the new law.
Mary Jo Hudson, Director of the Ohio Department of Insurance warns Ohioans that products that are time limited, offer limited benefits and advertise being necessitated by health insurance reform should send up a red flag, and she provides several tips to avoid becoming a victim of any such scam.
As a consumer, do not sign a contract to purchase any policy without carefully reviewing each and every provision. If you do not understand a term of the policy, ask the agent for clarification and seek advice from an attorney. While you do have the right in Ohio to cancel a door-to-door sales contract within three days of signing the contract, if you already paid the premium, it is unlikely that you will see your money again!
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