The Federal Trade Commission has sent warning letters to 21 companies marketing or generating leads for health plans regarding concerns over deceptive or unfair claims during open enrollment.
The FTC warned Dec. 10 that misrepresenting healthcare benefits, costs, or incentives, or falsely claiming affiliation with major insurance or government programs, can result in significant legal consequences. The letters do not accuse the recipients of wrongdoing, but they urge companies to review their advertising and lead generation practices for compliance with federal law.
The agency cited past enforcement actions, such as those against Simple Health and Benefytt Technologies.