An Ohio state judge has temporarily barred a Texas-based insurer that sold health insurance plans to retired law enforcement and fire personnel from operating in the state due to violations of insurance laws.
On June 25, a Franklin County judge granted a temporary restraining order against Thin Blue Line Benefits Association requested by the state’s insurance department, effectively prohibiting the insurer from collecting premiums, enrolling new members, or acting as an insurer in Ohio.
The order comes after a lawsuit filed by the Ohio Department of Insurance on June 24 accused Thin Blue Line of failing to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical claims for nearly 3,400 retired law enforcement officers, firefighters, and their families across the state.
The lawsuit alleges that Thin Blue Line marketed itself as an insurer for retired first responders who are not yet eligible for Medicare. Despite collecting monthly premiums ranging from $778 to $3,005, the insurer failed to pay claims for medical care and left members with high out-of-pocket costs.
The lawsuit also claims that Thin Blue Line was operating in Ohio without an insurance license. The state is seeking to preserve Thin Blue Line’s assets through a conservatorship, and a hearing for a permanent injunction is scheduled for July.
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