Politics & Government
5 Tips for Avoiding Obamacare Scams in Pa.
Be careful before you give out personal information as open enrollment begins under the Affordable Care Act.
This week marked the beginning of open enrollment for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane is warning Pennsylvanians to be careful of scams and protect their personal information during this open enrollment period.
Those eligible for the coverage have until Dec. 15 to enroll for the coverage that would begin Jan. 1. Here’s the link to sign up.
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The Attorney General’s office offers these tips to help Pennsylvanians avoid handing over sensitive, personal information to the wrong person:
Be wary of illusory government and company names claiming to help with enrollment, especially if they list a toll-free number other than that of the official help center. Enrollment is simply an option available to consumers, who will not be contacted by the state or federal government in person or by phone, email or text.
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Guard your personal information. If you get a call or email asking to verify personal information for any government health insurance plan or for a Medicare card, hang up the phone or ignore the email. You will not be contacted and Medicare is not a part of the marketplace.
Do not be influenced by the mention of special rates or discounts, as none exist beyond the cuts set by the marketplace.
Ignore any correspondence asking for a fee. There is no fee to submit an application to enroll in a plan in the marketplace, and the people trained to help consumers with the ACA transition will not ask for money.
Licensed insurance brokers and agents can seek compensation from insurers or consumers consistent with state law. You can check to see whether a broker or agent is licensed by going to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department website at www.insurance.pa.gov or by calling 1-877-881-6388.
Pennsylvanians who believe they have been victimized by a rollout-related scam can file a complaint with the Office of Attorney General by calling the Health Care Section's toll-free hotline, 1-877-888-4877, or by visitingwww.attorneygeneral.gov.
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