Friends, the last year has been a long arduous journey for me. Until recently, I have been totally unable to afford any insurance whatsover. After researching options offered by viable insurance companies, I know I have no alternative but to go without insurance. The monthly premium I would pay out for a policy to cover my health is more than I could spend on any average six-month period for visiting a doctor for regular problems and preventative care. Considering that along with the monthly premium, I'd have to pay a 5 to 10,000-dollar deductible before any help kicks in for me, it is beyond my or my husband's earning capabilities. This coverage by the way, is without any benefit towards a doctor's visit, diagnostic tests, or prescriptions.
So what does a person do, like me, who is more than likely facing biopsies and possible surgery? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
I live with every-day aches, pains, and illnesses. Other than my chiropractor, I haven't been to a bonafide doctor in about three years now. I'm not a hypocondriac. It took me quite awhile to find a specialist who would see me and would take my money (up-front) for one visit to diagnose my situation. I am so very grateful I found one.
I do not blame health-care providers wanting insurance, or for needing money to pay for their monstrous education loans, offices, nurses, equipment, business operations, mal-practice insurance, and their own health-care plans. I do not blame insurance companies for needing money to pay for premiums and high health-care. I do not blame the government for not subsidizing any neglect I am responsible for in my normal, regular health care. The government is the people of America, I do not blame you. I do not expect my church family to pay for my health-care (though they have been generous to support us in many ways in the past--when my son and father died, when my husband had his heart attack). However, I do wish there were someoptions for folks like me who need help when a medical condition is not a result of my lust for Oreo cookies dipped in milk...or, any other controllable factor on my part. I don't smoke. I don't drink alcohol. I take vitamins and avoid taking too many over-the-counter medicines.
I'm just getting older and the body is naturally deteriorating. I have a plan for the after-life. I do not worry about where I am going should my health threats become a reality. But it behooves me to write about the skanks in life who prey upon people like me who need help and take what little money I have for a doctor's visit and a generic prescription and steal it with promises to provide help they have no intention of providing. Those who perpetrate scams and fraud should be put in jail for the rest of their natural lives. They have no place in society. No more than a child-molester, rapist, or murderer. They belong behind bars. I don't mind paying my fair share to keep them locked in their well-earned cages.
Today I was contacted by, probably the twentieth person, trying to sell me an insurance plan. I didn't want to talk to anyone else. I'd heard all the pitches from those promising the moon. I'd read all the plans offering little but wanting everything. But for some reason, this guy...Gilbert, sounded so sincere. He advised me to cancel my hard-sought doctor's appointment for March 29th and to move it past the April 1st point of when I could be covered under their Affiliated Workers Association health-care plan. All I had to do was call him back (today), after I researched his website (wow was it pretty), and check for my doctor's name on their PPO list, and allow him to withdraw 408-dollars from my checking account for the first months premium and one-time-only enrolment fee.
Gilbert's plan offered me far more than I could ever dream of receiving. I told Gilbert that it sounded too good to be true. He calmed my fears with words describing how the new government regulations allow for them to help folks like me. Yeah. So as I go to his website, my gut growls and says "something just is not right". I looked for the hard address of AWA and there was none. How does one find out if this company is legitimate/ Well, friends...it's nigh onto impossible. But, after several Google searches, and a call to my doctor's office, I did find that no one had ever heard of them. And I also found a little website and the information shared by Dr. Stephen Barrett who offered warning signs for fraudulent insurance plans (see below after the break).
After realizing Gilbert's phone call and spiel about his insurance plan and association, fell under the majority of the good Dr. Barrett's warning signs, I decided to contact the BBB. Well the Better Business Bureau couldn't give me any information without a hard address of the folks offering the plan. So I am back to square one. I decided to check with Oklahoma Insurance Commission--(ha..easier to stick a pencil in my eye and stitch it up afterwards). However, I finally found a place to report fraud and they actually had a person to talk to on the other end of the phone. They gave me a phone number to contact for high risk insurance availability for folks like me. We were going over everything when AT&T dropped my call for the 100th time in 24 hours (I exagerate...it was more like 50th time.) I tried to call the insurance guy back and my cell phone said I could only make emergency calls. I gave up (I'll deal with AT&T tomorrow, say's Scarlett). After I sat down and cried for about 2 minutes and had a 4-minute pity party, I decided to write all this stuff out and give you an idea of the kind of scumbags that are out there in this world preying upon the vulnerable, the desperate, and the needy.
Stay away from: AWA, Affiliated Workers Association/link and their claims to cover everything from hangnails to open heart surgery, and death benefits of 10,000 dollars to your loved ones for the low low cost of 305-dollars a month plus a one-time enrolment fee of 99-dollars. Don't get swept away by their fancy dancy website and smooth talking, sincere blather. Do the best you can with what you can and leave the rest to God. He will take care of you. He really will. One way or the other...you will be comforted, you will be healed, you will be provided for. selahV
GAO Warns Against Unlicensed Health Insurance Plans by Stephen Barrett, M.D.
The General Accounting Office has issued two reports about the sale of health insurance plans that lack legal authorization. These plans place the buyer at risk for financial disaster if serious illness strikes. One report focuses on consumer vulnerability [1]. The other notes that from 2000 to 2002, 144 unauthorized entities enrolled at least 15,000 employers and more than 200,000 policyholders who got stuck for over $200 million in unpaid claims [2]. The investigators found that many of the entities bore names similar to those of legitimate companies
In response to the report, the Health Insurance Institute of America again the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to create an on-line database of licensed health insurance companies so that anyone can easily check the legitimacy of companies offering health insurance products. Meanwhile, the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud offers ten warning signs of a possible swindle:
- The coverage costs 25% or more below the norm, yet promises generous benefits and a large provider network.
- The plan readily accepts people with serious illnesses and other medical conditions that other plans normally reject.
- The insurance has few or no underwriting guidelines—the agent or rep appears almost too eager to sign you up.
- You're approached by an insurance agent, phone or direct mail. Honest group plans normally are sponsored by your employer—and aren't sold directly to individuals.
- The plan isn't licensed in your state, and the agent (falsely) assures you the federal ERISA law exempts the plan from state licensing.
- The plan seems like insurance, but the agent or rep avoids calling "insurance," and instead uses evasive terms such as "benefits."
- The agent or rep doesn't have clear answers to your questions, seems ill-informed, or avoids sharing information.
- You've never heard of that health insurance company—and nobody else has, either.
- You have to join an "association" or "union" to obtain the health coverage. But you get no voting rights, receive no bylaws or other material, and aren't involved in the group's activities.
- Your hospital keeps calling you to complain that your health plan isn't paying your medical bills. Often the plan's reps keep making flimsy excuses, or stop returning phone calls altogether [3].
References
- Private health insurance: Employers and individuals are vulnerable to unauthorized or bogus entities selling coverage. #GAO-04-312, Feb 2004.
- Private health insurance: Unauthorized or bogus entities have exploited employers and individuals seeking affordable coverage. #GAO-04-512T, March 3, 2004.
- Scam alerts: Phony health coverage. Coalition Against Insurance Fraud Web site, accessed Jan 20, 2008.
Rick Wagnon
Chief Investigator
Oklahoma Insurance Department
P.O. Box 53408
Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3408
To report fraud: 1-800-522-0071
Karen Dixon
Director–Workers Comp Fraud Unit
Oklahoma Office of Attorney General
4545 North Lincoln, Suite 24B
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
To report fraud: 405-522-3403
BLESSINGS MY FRIENDS. Beware of wolves who come in sheep's clothing.
