JACKSON, Miss.–Both the State Insurance Office and the Attorney General’s office are warning consumers in Mississippi to be on the look-out for scams.
Enrollment for Obamacare started on Tuesday with much confusion and many people were not able to log into the system at all. If a person is uninsured or buys their own health insurance this now allows them to go through the online Federal Facilitated Health Insurance Marketplace.
“We see scammers try to take advantage of such transitions, in this case hoping to take advantage of people who are not familiar with the nation’s new health care law,” said Attorney General Jim Hood.
This online portal allows people to compare and select plans based on their needs according to State Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney.
Tips to avoid scams
- The government will not call or email you to solicit enrollment plans. Your Marketplace options and additional information are available at www.healthcare.gov
- Anyone who claims they’re enrolling you for coverage through the Marketplace should be verified by contacting www.healthcare.gov or caling 1-800-318-2596
- Guard your personal information. If a caller claims they are with the government verifying personal information for a new government health insurance or Medicare card, hang up. (Medicare isn’t part of the Marketplace established under Obamacare, so you don’t have to replace your Medicare coverage with Marketplace coverage.) The information they may seek could include social security numbers or bank account information for “direct deposits.”
- Be wary of sound-alike government or company names, especially if they list a toll-free number other than the Help Center’s number at 1-800-318-2596
