« Research suggests many primary-care physicians cannot get mental healthcare for their patients | Main | Study indicates more Americans reporting frequent mental distress »
April 29, 2009
Consumer Reports investigation finds many individual health plans offer meager coverage
CQ Healthbeat (4/14, Attias) reports, "Many people are unaware that their health insurance plans will not adequately cover their expenses and could leave them in substantial medical debt if they fall seriously ill, according to the May 2009 issue of Consumer Reports."
The investigation found that "the most problematic insurance plans are individual plans that people can secure on their own if they are self-employed or lose their job-based coverage." Consumer Reports found through interviews with insurance experts, and people with individual plans "that in many states, people with modest incomes may not have any good options for individual coverage."
AARP spokesman Adam Sohn "says the sales and marketing of these fixed benefit indemnity plans have been suspended since November of last year, after Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) sent a letter questioning the marketing practices."
Posted by admin at April 29, 2009 05:28 PM