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       #Post#: 4373--------------------------------------------------
       Surprise health plan switches
       By: agate Date: April 7, 2024, 2:03 am
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       From MedPage Today's "investigative Roundup" (April 3, 2024):
       [quote]
       [font=berninasansweb]Surprise Health Plan Switches[/font]
       [font=berninasansweb]Some patients with health coverage through
       the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are finding out that someone else
       has switched their health plan -- without their permission or
       knowledge, according to [/font]KFF Health News.
       [font=berninasansweb]This "unauthorized enrollment or
       plan-switching" is rampant in some parts of the U.S., the report
       found. The new plans might not offer the same coverage, which
       means that patients can show up for appointments or procedures
       only to find out the care isn't covered or that they'll have to
       pay more.[/font]
       [font=berninasansweb]Agents told KFF that Texas, Georgia, and
       Florida are "switching hotbeds," and states that have their own
       marketplace are more successful because state ACA markets often
       require more information. But otherwise, rogue agents only need
       a person's name, date of birth, and state to access a person's
       health coverage.[/font]
       [font=berninasansweb]Take for instance Florida resident Michael
       Debriae, who canceled his ACA plan when he got insurance through
       a new job. A broker in Florida signed him up for another plan
       without his knowledge, and Debriae may be on the hook for the
       $2,445 in tax credits paid to the insurer on his behalf,
       according to the report.[/font]
       [font=berninasansweb]Adam Bercowicz, a licensed independent
       broker in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, told KFF that he has
       literally watched his dashboard of clients and seen some being
       switched to different plans in real-time. He's lost 300 to 400
       clients this way.[/font]
       [font=berninasansweb]"If I saw one of my clients was stolen from
       me at, let's say, 11:57 p.m., I put myself back on," Bercowicz
       said. "And by 11:58 -- a minute later -- they were already
       switched back."[/font]
       [font=berninasansweb]As of last June, brokers are supposed to be
       required to record policyholders' consent before making changes,
       but that's rarely enforced, experts told KFF and NPR.[/font]
       [font=berninasansweb]A CMS representative didn't answer KFF's
       specific questions, such as if protection like two-factor
       authentication would be added to the site.[/font]
       [/quote]
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