There has been some kerfuffle lately about 760,000 names having been dropped from the Affordable Care Act rolls. I found the editors’ of the Washington Post’s explanation reassuring:
First, none of the accounts had a Social Security number or an immigration identification number. Second, all of the accounts had premiums covered 100 percent by taxpayers. That makes it easier for fraudsters to sign up unknowing enrollees, who don’t see money leave their bank accounts. Third, the plans had not been used. No claims had been filed. And finally, the insurer offering the plan never had contact with the enrolled individual.
Even if the account met all of these requirements, the insurer was still required to reach out to the individual via two forms of communication. Only when insurers received no response after 30 days was the account removed, according to CMS. Insurers had strong incentives to reach these people because the companies were receiving premium payments from the government for each account.
It seems to me that plenty of safeguards are built in to this action. Indeed, as far as I can tell the biggest scandal is that such purging of accounts isn’t a normal, regular practice.
So, what’s wrong with it?
