Ohio Issues Warning On ACA-Related Fraud

The Ohio Attorney General and Insurance Director have issued a joint advisory warning about scams connected to the Affordable Care Act.

The statement, issued by Attorney General Mike DeWine and Insurance Director Mary Taylor, cautioned that several Ohioans have already complained about being taken in about scams related to the ACA.

“Because the federal law and the exchanges are new and complicated to consumers, Ohioans should be even more cautious about potential scams and fraudulent behavior.,” said Taylor, who is also the state's lieutenant governor. “It’s imperative Ohioans understand the facts about the ACA and the federal exchange so they can best protect themselves.”

No specifics about ACA-related scams were released by either official, other than disclosure of a few complaints from Ohioans asking for personal data connected to issuance of a new Medicare or “ObamaCare” card.

Warnings about the potential risk of identity thefts have been prevalent in states whose leadership has been hostile to the ACA. Although Ohio Gov. Mike Kasich has been supportive of expanding Medicaid coverage in the Buckeye State, he has yet to get approval from the GOP-controlled Legislature.

Ohio is among the most populous of the Northern States that is not yet operating its own insurance exchange. Its Insurance Department website is also one of the few that does not link to the federally-operated exchange.

"Scammers often pretend to be associated with the government to make their ploys seem real,” DeWine said.

Both DeWine and Taylor warned residents to be on the lookout for bogus websites that may look like the state's health insurance exchange and recommended they ask healthcare navigators for proof of certification. They also asserted that any offers of a free medical device may or requests for upfront fees may be part of a scam.