FTC Distributes Almost $7 Million in Refunds to Consumers Affected by Medical Discount Plans Misrepresented as Health Insurance.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is set to distribute nearly $7 million in refunds to individuals who, expecting health insurance coverage, ended up with medical discount plans promoted by Consumer Health Benefits Association (CHBA).
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In its complaint against CHBA, its affiliated entities, and proprietors, the FTC asserted that the company deliberately targeted individuals searching online for information on affordable health insurance plans. Allegedly, CHBA telemarketers made false claims to consumers, asserting that the discount plans were widely accepted and would yield comparable cost savings to legitimate health insurance providers. Additionally, consumers were purportedly misled about the company’s refund policies.
FTC
As part of six final orders with defendants including Guarantee Trust Life Insurance, Vantage America Solutions, Inc., Century Senior Services, Richard Holson, III, Barbara Taube, Jeffrey Burman, Ronald and Rita Werner, John Schwartz, Louis Leo, Wendi Tow, and Consumer Health Benefits Association, National Benefits Consultants LLC, National Benefits Solutions LLC, and National Association for Americans, the FTC successfully recovered close to $7 million.
Refunds are being disbursed to 47,166 consumers, who are advised to cash their checks within 90 days, as stipulated on the checks. For inquiries about their payments, recipients can contact the refund administrator, Epiq, at 888-350-1458 or visit the FTC website for frequently asked questions about the refund process. Importantly, the FTC emphasizes that it never requires individuals to make payments or provide account information to receive a refund.
To provide a detailed breakdown of refunds in cases, the Commission offers interactive dashboards for refund data, including a state-by-state analysis. In 2022, the FTC’s actions resulted in over $392 million in refunds to consumers nationwide.
The mission of the Federal Trade Commission is to foster competition and safeguard and educate consumers. More information on consumer-related topics can be found at consumer.ftc.gov. Individuals can report fraud, scams, and unethical business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The encourages following their social media accounts, reading consumer alerts and the business blog, and subscribing to receive the latest FTC news and alerts.
