Don't Become a Victim of Health Insurance Fraud

Unfortunately, health insurance fraud is rampant in the US. It's difficult to protect yourself from being victimized. As a matter of fact, people who are scammed might not even know it, until such time as they submit a claim. Only then do they discover that the once their claim is denied, that they have been victimized.

Is there a chance to prevent health insurance fraud from happening to you? Would you be aware of what to look for? There are many different characteristics of this fraud, but one in particular for you to watch out for: health insurance coverage being offered at a ridiculously low cost.

Be cautious of spam mail that promotes cheap health insurance, especially if you've never heard of the company offering it. Before you take any action, it's best to research the company's credibility. You can find ratings of health insurance companies at http://www.ambest.com. You can also verify that the company is licensed to transact business in your state, by contacting your state insurance commission.

Even if the company seems legitimate, you still should read and understand the offer. Check out the fine print. And to be wary of an offer that asks you to pay the total premium in advance, or insists you pay in cash.

Another step you can take is to contact your local hospital or family doctor and ask them if they accept this insurance. In fact, ask them if they'd even heard of it.

If you feel that you are a health insurance fraud victim, take the following three steps:

File a complaint with your state insurance commissioner.

Get in touch with your bank to prevent any scheduled future automatic insurance payments.

Speak to your local law enforcement officials.

Prevention is the best way of protecting yourself from health insurance fraud. If you are careful to begin with, you will avoid much anguish afterwards.



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