OLYMPIA, Wash. — Editor’s observe: The above video beforehand aired on KING 5 in 2019.
Washington Lawyer Common Bob Ferguson is warning shoppers to be looking out for web sites posing because the state’s medical health insurance market whereas open enrollment is underway.
The Washington Health Benefit Exchange stated it has obtained dozens of complaints since enrollment started from Washingtonians reporting faux web sites pretending to be the actual medical health insurance market web site.
Scammers use faux web sites to steal a shopper’s non-public data, corresponding to social safety numbers and birthdates, which might expose people to fraud and identification theft, in accordance with Ferguson’s workplace.
To keep away from getting scammed, the legal professional basic’s workplace is recommending shoppers observe these useful suggestions throughout open enrollment:
- Confirm the net deal with of the alternate: The one official internet deal with for the net market is www.wahealthplanfinder.org. Some other web site with a variation on the title or with an deal with that ends in “.internet” or “.com” shouldn’t be the state’s official market. In case you are uncertain whether or not you may have discovered the official web site, name Washington Healthplanfinder toll-free at 1-855-WAFINDER.
- Don’t pay without cost stuff: The official marketplace for the state of Washington is the one place the place you’ll be able to obtain tax credit, subsidies or entry to free protection by Medicaid or Washington Apple Well being. Washingtonians by no means should pay to join free or low-cost well being protection within the market.
- Attain out to free, authentic assist: Solely people who’re licensed by Washington Healthplanfinder or Medicaid to help you with the enrollment course of ought to request private data to finish your software throughout a scheduled go to. This assistance is all the time free. When you don’t know whether or not somebody is licensed to help you, name the Washington Healthplanfinder Buyer Help Middle at 1-855-WAFINDER. Neighborhood volunteers educated by Medicaid could be verified by calling 1-800-562-3022 or emailing AskMedicaid@hca.wa.gov.
“There’ll all the time be people who wish to make the most of our medical health insurance shoppers,” stated Michael Marchand, chief advertising officer for the Washington Well being Profit Alternate. “Our purpose is to ensure individuals enrolling in well being protection accomplish that solely with licensed people and go to the proper web site deal with at wahealthplanfinder.org.”
Open enrollment continues in Washington state by Dec. 15.
To report an internet site posing because the well being advantages alternate, file a complaint with the Washington State Lawyer Common’s Workplace.
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