Protect yourself from Medicare fraud

The Insurance Commissioner’s Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) program is Washington state’s Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP). A federally funded and volunteer-based program, SHIBA/SMP volunteers provide education on how to prevent, detect and report Medicare fraud.

Medicare is the national health care plan for all U.S. citizens age 65 and older. It also covers people younger than age 65 who receive Social Security Disability Income and people who are diagnosed with certain medical conditions.

In Washington state, SHIBA/SMP volunteers help protect seniors and fight health care fraud, leaving more money in the system for everyone. Our state’s volunteers educate beneficiaries on how to avoid becoming victims of health care fraud, and how to report abuse or fraud, related to their Medicare benefits.

We all pay a price for Medicare fraud, waste and abuse, which contributes significantly to rising health care costs. There are three things you can do to help fight Medicare fraud:

1. Know your rights. As a person with Medicare, you have certain rights and protections designed to help protect you and make sure you get the health care services the law says you can get.
2. Protect your identity. Identity theft happens when someone uses your personal information without your consent to commit fraud or other crimes. Keep this personal information safe:
• Your name.
• Your Social Security Number (SSN).
• Your Medicare number (or your membership card if you’re in a Medicare Advantage or other Medicare health plan).
• Your credit card and bank account numbers.
3. Get involved with other seniors with the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP). The SMP educates and empowers people with Medicare to take an active role in detecting and preventing health care fraud and abuse.

You can find more Medicare fraud tips on our website. If you suspect Medicare fraud or have questions about your bill:

• Call OIC’s Statewide Health Benefits Insurance Advisors (SHIBA) at 1-800-562-6900 or email us at shibahelpline@oic.wa.gov.
• Contact your local SHIBA office.

Have a quick question? Try our new live chat

This week is National Consumer Protection Week and the OIC is one of the many government agencies that helps protect consumers from financial harm.

A huge part of the work we do is helping and educating consumers about all things insurance, from answering questions to looking into complaints against insurance companies, providing help with filing appeals for claim and coverage denials and everything in between.

We recently launched a live chat feature to help consumers get answers to their quick questions about insurance and their rights. Consumers can chat with one of our consumer advocates Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to noon and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. If your question needs more attention, we will direct you to the right place to get the help you need.

Consumers can reach us:

• By phone at 1-800-562-6900
• Online
• Through our social media channels 
• File a complaint against an insurance company or professional. Our complaint system is optimized for mobile devices.  

Helping Washington consumers is our mission

This week is National Consumer Protection Week and the OIC is one of the many government agencies that helps protect consumers from financial harm.

Consumer protection is part of our mission, which is reflected in the way we do business. Our consumer advocates can help:

• Answer questions about home, auto, health, life, annuities, business and other insurance. 
• Understand your insurance rights, including your health insurance appeal rights and the process. 
• Look into complaints against insurance companies. 
• Provide you with information about your insurance options. 
• Verify if an agent, agency, or company is authorized to sell insurance in Washington state. 

In 2015, our consumer advocates fielded 6,130 consumer complaints and helped recover more than $9.1 million in insurance billings, refunds and other claims-related issues for Washington citizens. Read more about the ways we helped consumers in 2015.

We share information of interest to insurance consumers on this blog and through our social media channels. Many of our blog posts are generated by questions our consumer advocates receive from Washington citizens.

More resources for consumers:

• Reach us by phone at 1-800-562-6900 or online.
• File a complaint against an insurance company or agent. 
• Read more about consumer advocacy at OIC.
• Read more about your insurance, including home, life, auto, health, annuities and business.

How to get health insurance if you missed open enrollment

If you missed open enrollment and didn't sign up for health insurance by Jan. 31, 2016, you may have to wait until next year's open enrollment period, unless you have a life event that makes you eligible for a special enrollment or you qualify for Apple Health (Medicaid).

Such events include, but are not limited to:

• Losing health insurance, including an employer plan or individual health plan
• Losing Apple Health (Medicaid) because you no longer qualify
• Giving birth to or adopting a child
• Permanently moving to a new area where your current plan doesn't provide coverage
• Your employer not paying your COBRA premiums on time
• Your COBRA coverage ending or reaching the lifetime limit
• Your dependent turning age 26 and losing their coverage on your employer plan
• Getting married or entering into a domestic partnership
• Getting divorced or ending a domestic partnership
• Cancelling your Washington State Health Insurance Pool (WSHIP) coverage
• Your health plan no longer being offered for sale in Washington state

Most special enrollment periods are limited to 60 days from the qualifying event. Keep in mind that you won't qualify for special enrollment if you voluntarily cancel your health insurance or if your insurer cancels you because you didn't pay your premium.

If you don't qualify for special enrollment, here's some resources that may help you afford medical care.

Next year's open enrollment for individual and family coverage starts Nov. 1, 2016.

Who determines how much my totaled car is worth?

We hear from many consumers who are trying to resolve their auto total loss claims with their own insurer or another insurer. A total loss is when a vehicle is in a collision and the insurance company determines it would cost more than the vehicle is worth to repair it, so they “total” it.

Once an insurer declares a vehicle a total loss, they owe you the retail market value of your car, plus sales tax. But how do you know if the amount the insurer offers you is a reasonable estimate of the retail market value? Many consumers don’t know they have the right to, and should, ask the insurance company for a total loss valuation report, which shows the comparable auto data the insurer used to calculate your vehicle’s value. Most insurance companies don’t automatically provide the report to consumers and there’s no requirement that they provide it without being asked.

Insurers can either give you cash for your vehicle’s retail value or offer to replace your vehicle with a comparable vehicle in your area.

Read more about auto total loss on our website. Questions? You can contact our consumer advocates online or at 1-800-562-6900.