Warnings for Nevadans besieged by health insurance robocalls
Jessie Bekker / Las Vegas Review-Journal
Her voice is cheery. Her pitch sounds promising.
But insurance experts warn that health insurance robocalls offering low co-pays and premiums to all are often misleading or false.
“If it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” says Heidi Sterner, president-elect and legislative chair for the Nevada Association of Health Underwriters, a group for licensed health insurance professionals.
With the annual open enrollment period for health insurance through the state exchange now open and running through Dec. 15, Nevadans are being bombarded by canned sales calls offering the opportunity to sign up at great rates.
One recent phone call claimed to offer Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna plans that would help consumers “save up to 50 percent.”
“Enrollment is easy, approval is guaranteed and all ages are accepted,” a female voice says. “Press ‘one’ to be connected.” It came from a local area code, but when a Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter tried to call the number back, it was disconnected.
Blue Cross Blue Shield did not respond to a request for comment, but an Aetna spokeswoman said in an email the company wasn’t responsible for the call and stopped selling individual plans in the non-Medicare market over a year ago.
‘Buyer-beware market’
Experts say the caller’s claims are misleading at best.
Nevada Division of Insurance Deputy Commissioner David Cassetty said he’s noticed an increase in the frequency of such calls since the Trump administration announced a rule in February extending short-term, limited-duration policies.
