Sen. Bob Casey scored a victory for health care consumers in Pennsylvania and throughout the country by motivating Google to take action on the issue of “junk plans.”
These low-cost, low-benefit insurance plans have plagued the market and confused consumers during the Affordable Care Act’s open enrollment period, which runs until Dec. 15. Attracting buyers with low prices, the junk plans do not adhere to the tenants of the ACA — for instance, they need not offer coverage to those with pre-existing conditions.
A report released by Mr. Casey on Oct. 29 used screenshots from search engines, including Google, to illustrate how these plans appeared in results alongside comprehensive health coverage programs that meet the ACA requirements. The companies backing the junk plans often paid for deceptive ads, placed above plans found on the HealthCare.gov marketplace, that mislead consumers. Google reacted quickly to Mr. Casey’s reports, announcing Nov. 12 that it is taking steps to remove the ads.
Google was rightly lauded by Mr. Casey for its quick action to combat the false advertising. Bing and Yahoo, who were also identified in the senator’s report but have not made public statements about efforts to curb the issue, should follow Google’s lead.
But the problems caused by the proliferation of junk plans cannot be solved solely by search engine companies. Instead, federal lawmakers must work to rein in the issue.
Junk plans were initially envisioned as a stop-gap measure for people who needed temporary coverage, after losing a job for example. The Obama administration limited the adoption of such plans to just three months.
But the Trump administration revised the rules to allow people to purchase junk plans for up to 36 months. The president may not like the ACA, but he should work with lawmakers to create a replacement plan that affords people adequate coverage. Weakening the current program only serves to put consumers at risk, and junk plans are a decided risk to buyers who may not understand that they are not receiving comprehensive coverage.
Unless and until the ACA is repealed and replaced, consumers looking to purchase an insurance plan through the HealthCare.gov marketplace should feel comfortable negotiating the internet without being scammed into buying inadequate coverage. Congress should restore the strict limits on low-benefit plans to guarantee they remain a rare and temporary option.
First Published: December 4, 2019, 11:15 a.m.
