The bureaucrats at the United States Department of Health and Human Services aren’t the only ones gearing up for the launch of President Obama’s signature health care law. Scammers and peddlers of health insurance-like products that sometimes dupe unsuspecting consumers are also in heavy preparation mode, eager to capitalize on the confusion policy experts say will accompany the Oct. 1 launch of the new insurance marketplaces that are a core feature of the Affordable Care Act. “This is already starting and it’s only going to accelerate,” says Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute. In addition to illegal schemes to defraud consumers, “There are companies and [insurance] brokers that might take advantage of consumer confusion and some of the misinformation out there about new coverage options under the Affordable Care Act,” she says. Elizabeth Abbott, director of administrative advocacy for the consumer group Health Access California, puts it more bluntly. “There are people licking their chops and saying, ‘A sucker is born every minute,’” she says. (MORE: President Trumpets Obamacare Rebates as Deadline Approaches) Understanding the details of a standard health insurance policy is hard enough. From co-pays and co-insurance to deductibles and generic versus name-brand drug coverage, the process of insuring one’s health can be a confusing jumble of paperwork and red tape. And polls show few Americans understand how the major healthcare law will affect them. This lack of awareness, coupled with numerous Obamacare regulations — especially the requirement that most Americans have health insurance or pay federal fines — is expected to create prime opportunities for illegal scammers and legal products that consumers mistakenly confuse for legitimate health insurance. Of particular concern to consumer advocates are so-called “discount medical plans.” These products, which are often billed as affordable alternatives to standard health coverage, are not insurance at all. For an upfront enrollment fee plus a paid monthly subscription, consumers supposedly get deep discounts on medical services from doctors, hospitals and dentists within the companies’ networks. In reality, the discounts are often no more favorable … Continue reading Scams, Fraud Among Obamacare Concerns