In Brief: DMHC Bars Health Insurance Agent For False Applications

The Department of Managed Health Care has taken the rare step of publicly barring a licensed insurance agent after he allegedly engaged in submitting false applications for coverage.

The DMHC barred Marc Howard Shields of Carlsbad from soliciting health insurance plans on Nov. 29, records show.

According to the DMHC, it initiated an investigation of Shields last year after a complaint was lodged by one of his clients stating he had been enrolled in a Medicare Advantage health plan against his will. The investigation discovered Shields had enrolled three other individuals into a Care1st Medicare Advantage plan after all had died. Shields had allegedly falsified the signatures of four individuals on applications for coverage. Shields has told DMHC investigators that the signatures had been obtained directly from the applicants of their own free will.

“It would be against the public interest to allow (Shield) to act as a solicitor in the State of California in that (his) conduct is deceptive and demonstrates a lack of integrity, truthfulness, and honesty in his interaction with health plans and the public,” the DMHC concluded.

Shields' LinkedIn profile says as of this week he is still a senior life and health insurance broker.