Posted On: March 14, 2008, 5:49 pm CDT

Posted By: Eve

I am happy to hear that Montana has made Ameriplan accountable for its claims. However, the state of California needs to follow the same lead. Until our legislature holds Ameriplan accountable, they are going to pave the way for other "discount" health plans who claim to bring discounts to the "uninsurable" like AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE OPTIONS; who targets pregnant women. Unlike Ameriplan, AHCO targets the thousands of women ,who like myself, are PREGNANT, self-employed or on disability but with "too much" income to qualify for Medicare or Medical. At the same time, are "unisurable" by the private insurance companies like Blue Cross/Shield, Pacificare, Aetna..etc.. because "pregnancy" is considered a "PRE-EXISTING CONDITON".. Yes it's true!! I couldn't believe it when I was turned down by ALL the insurance companies known to man because my pregnancy was considered "a pre-existing DISEASE!!". Both Ameriplan and AHCO are wise to advertise that they ARE NOT AN INSURANCE COMPANY, because that means they can operate outside of the Insurance Laws' umbrella. WHO IS SET UP TO HOLD THESE COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR FRAUDULENT CLAIMS??? AHCO follows the same business plan as Ameriplan, except you have to be a pregnant woman. They too offer a discount card that claims to have thousands of providers in their list. However, before I fell prey to the same gimmick, I drilled the so called "agent" that contacted me via e-mail, (obviously a work from home agent) about all the policies and discounts that they offered and what the cancellation procedures were and so on and so forth. He was so eager to get me off the phone that he ASSURED me there was NO RISK involved, that there was a legitimate cancellation procedure in place in the event that they were not able to help me save at least 60% of my pre/post natal costs. I made him confirm that the hospital I was to give birth in was one of their providers...it wasn't true. I didn't find out that the hospital did not honor, nor were they aware that they were a provider until I went in for my fist ultrasound. Again, the hospital and my OBGYN offered me a lot more of a discount as a "cash" patient than AHCO claimed to be able to save me. When I tried to cancel, they made me jump through hoops and I'm still waiting (going on 8 months)to get reimbursed for the last few months of premiums they were not supposed to charge me because they failed to come through with their claim. Both Ameriplan and AHCO function under the same premise: The need to lower health care costs by thousands of people like myself who fall under a grey area and fall through the cracks of the health care system.