|
|
|
|
|
Low premium alternative to medical insurance, Discount medical care Life in the US and Discount Medical Health Care Cards Discount Medical Insurance Fraud Bulletin Discount Medical Plan Fraud Gateway to an Affordable Discount Medical Service Plan A Guide to Discount Medical Services Cost of Medical Insurance and Discount Medical Plans Medical Benefit Plans Affordable Alternative to Health Insurance Medical and Dental Discount Plans are Available |
Discount Medical Plan Services |
||||
Discount medical plans help people who can't afford medical insurance get access to affordable medical care. It's a good idea, but such plans are often misleading. Investigator Julie Brantwood of the South Miami-Dade Exponent is always watching out for possible fraud. She tells us about one discount medical plan that patients say took their money and ran. Filling the insurance gap, Florida Discount Medical Network was up and running, patients and providers say it filled a medical insurance gap and gave hundreds of locals access to deeply discounted medical care. It was great while it lasted. Florida Medical Care Network in Miami recently closed there doors.
Hundreds of South Floridians who recently found their discount medical plan had closed up shop. Their provider, Florida Dental, could no longer offer them the affordable dental care they'd contracted for, but the Hernandez's were still being billed by the defunct plan. "After everything was closed down, we were still getting ripped off. Our account, our credit card, was being looted for the monthly fees. Smile Dental got concerned and involved when they could no longer verify eligibility for their 73 Florida Medical Care Network patients. "We care a lot about our patients and I think that it's our responsibility to notify them and let them know when there's anything suspicious going on." Florida Medical Care Network head honcho Robert Norstous has been involved in suspicious business practices before. Two years ago, this now-vacant storefront was home to Discount RX. It was a drug importation business we exposed after customers complained they were misled about where their medication was coming from. A patient received medication from India and was really shocked. If she would have said to me, this medication is coming from India, is that okay? I would have said, no way! Norstous' explained, "We're an order processing center. We provide a service. So, we really can't guarantee." Better protection from the state of Florida is needed. Help is finally on the way. The state insurance division has had no authority to help consumers. Florida Medical Care Network isn't a true insurance plan, On October 1st, a new law takes effect that will regulate discount medical plans, and help the Davis' with the next step in their medical care. Interesting events have happened since we started asking questions about what happened to Florida Medical Care Network. Though Robert Norstous never returns calls, his attorney says the company is still serving existing customers, though not soliciting new business. They have to register with the state insurance division as of Saturday and comply with numerous provisions of the new law if they are indeed up and running again. We've confirmed they have not, and will be referred for investigation come Monday.
Medical discount plans are not insurance, even though they are frequently confused with medical insurance. Sometimes, plans use marketing ploys and insurance terms to lead consumers into believing they are purchasing an insurance policy. Consumers who purchase medical discount plans (provided the plans are legitimate) receive discounts for certain medical care services, but are still responsible for all medical bills. “Medical consumers must keep in mind that medical discount plans are not insurance. Because of this confusion, regulation of these entities is crucial. Although there are legitimate discount plans, there are too many illegitimate plans taking advantage of Florida’s consumers who are desperate to find assistance with their medical care costs", Julie Brantwood says. Cautioning that consumers should understand how medical discount plans work, Brantwood added, "Consumers are also advised to ensure that their medical care providers will accept the discount card. They should also review the plan materials carefully to be certain the benefits are worth the cost." Too good to be true? It just may be. Things that look too good to be true often are just that. With the cost of medical insurance so high, some illegitimate discount medical plans are trying to lure you by promising you the world, for cheap. Don't be fooled. Check before you write a check!
Discount medical plans can have pitfalls. Companies selling discount medical plans may not guarantee advertised services. Some discount medical plan provider lists may not be current. Make sure providers honor the plan. Some discount medical plans may not be discounted as advertised. Hidden fees, such as administrative fees for each use of the card, may reduce or effectively erase the advertised discount. Ensure discounts available exceed the cost of membership in the discount medical plan. Managed care plans require insurance companies to guarantee access to medical care providers, a guarantee not given to buyers of these plans.
Things To Do Before Purchasing A Discount Medical Plan 1. Read all promotional material carefully. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
A gargantuan number of people have had mediocre experiences in the past with medical discount card schemes. We welcome you with arms wide open to real health insurance that will accept you for who you are.
VisitGuaranteed Issue Health Insurance Leads for solutions to your medical problems. |
|||||
 |
|||||
Discount Medical Service for nice folks
