Posted On: October 19, 2006, 12:11 am CDT

Posted By: Allison

I myself was a victim of health insurance fraud. Recently I was browsing the web searching for health insurance. I found a web site called ehealth insurance and I completed an online application. Within two days of submitting my application I was called by an agent from Amercana. The lady just reviewed what I had put on my application and informed me that she would return my call when I was approved. The next day I recieved a call and it was a girl who was telling me about affordable health care and prescriptions. I automatically assumed that this was the same company that I previously talked to. They told me I was approved and all the benfits that they mentioned were exaclty like Amercana. A manager got on the phone and told me that I would be recorded nad I needed to repeat everything he said when prompted. They gave me a price and it was thirty dollars less that my quote online. I questioned the man and he assured me that it varies from individual to individual. I was told that the most I would ever pay for a prescription was $40. The man told me that there was a one time processing fee and it was added to my quote. My total was $230. I gave him my checking account information. Within five days I did recieve a packet containing my "health care plan". I called in my prescription; that was the main reason in getting the insurance in the first place was to help me cut down on my prescription cost. I go to pick it up and the pharmacist came and told me that the prescrption was $156. " I said why ?" The pharmacist informed me that my prescription is non preferred. I was almost about to cry. I felt like I got ripped off so bad. I spent $230 on nothing. So I come home call Amercana and come to find out I dont have insurance with them. That my application hasnt even been approved yet. I told the operator that I had a card and everything.I also informed them of how I already paid for my appliation fee and my first month premium. However even though the web site ehealth insurance deals with alot of companys or providers. My insurance was not through them. I called the number on my card which actually belongs to a group of providers through the Integrated Health Plan.Inc. The lady who I talked to was not friendly acted too laid back and was very unprofessional. I told her the situation and she made me feel like an idiot. I still do. I should had pad more attention to the companys name and realized it was a scam. I told the lady I wanted my money back and that I want to cancell my policy. There is no refund. She rudly transfered me to the cancellation dept. I was pissed, severly. Then that lady tries to smooth talk me into keeping the policy till next month and then prescription cost will be lowered. I never really thought this would happen to me. Im a college student just trying to be healthy and have insurance.But what I cant figure out is how these people new my name, my home phone number and my address.Not only that I gave them my birth date and my social security number.It is a bad feeling to be sick and not be able to go to the doctor because you dont have insurance and you cant afford to go without it. But what about all those people out there that are worse than me. That have cancer or AIDS and dont even know it because they cant go to the doctor. I think about stuff like that, and it is scary. Does anybody else? I know how I feel and I could only imagine some of the other peoples situation. I was recently cancelled from my medicad because I turned twenty one and I dont have any children! I work, I go to school and I cant get insurance. From my experiences and in my opinion I believe if there was national insurance coverage for the US, provided from the government it would save alot of money on everyone, reduce crime in ways such as fraud and identity theft and even lower statistic rates of many preventable diseases and sicknesses nation wide. We spend so many millions of our tax dollars and we dont even know on what except the war. Why not spend it on a very serious issue millions of loyal united states citizens are suffering from daily. Insurance fraud is growing and unless something is done it will only get worse.