Sen. Wyden introduces bill that seeks to crackdown on rogue insurance brokers

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) is among a group of senators that introduced a bill to apply criminal penalties to rogue insurance brokers who are profiting off of deceptive marketing schemes into health care insurance plans.

The Insurance Fraud Accountability Act would hold fraudulent insurance brokers and marketers criminally responsible for these deceptive practices.

Some of the practices include misleading advertising, such as touting free government subsidies, to target low-income individuals and enroll them into insurance plans without their permission. Also, brokers switch customers’ Affordable Care Act insurance plans without ever contacting them. These changes leave customers with uncovered medical expenses, loss of coverage, disruptions in care, and tax liabilities.

“Predatory health insurance brokers are stealing money out of families’ pockets by leaving them with uncovered medical expenses, unexpected tax liabilities and more by fraudulently changing or enrolling Americans in health insurance plans in the federal marketplace,” Wyden said. “It is critical for these bad actors to be held criminally responsible and implement common sense consumer protections so working families can confidently purchase quality, affordable health insurance that works for them through honest brokers. My bill will crack down on fraudulent tactics that cheat hard working Americans out of getting the health care they need. The solution to fraud is to go after fraudsters, not to take away middle class tax credits for health care.”

The bill creates new civil penalties for agents and brokers submitting incorrect information due to negligence and knowingly submitting false or fraudulent information. It also makes them criminally responsible for knowingly and willfully providing false or fraudulent information. Further, it creates a consent verification process for new enrollments and coverage changes, which would include notifying individuals when there has been a change in their enrollment or agent of record and takes additional steps to bolster consumer protections and transparency.

The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

The bill is endorsed by AHIP, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Kidney Fund, American Lung Association, Arthritis Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Cambia Health Solutions (Regence BCBS), CancerCare, Centene Corporation (Ambetter), Child Neurology Foundation, Chronic Disease Coalition, Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, eHealth, Epilepsy Foundation, Families USA, Hemophilia Fed of America, Immune Deficiency Foundation, Lupus Foundation of America, Muscular Dystrophy Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), National Health Council, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Patient Advocate Foundation, QuoteVelocity, Susan G. Komen, The AIDS Institute, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, The Mended Hearts, Inc., UnidosUS, and WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease.

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