Universal Health Card Not What It Seems
You may have recently come across a newspaper advertisement with the headline “Cut off set for free Universal Health Card.” The advertisement at first glance seems like a legitimate news item, when in fact it is a paid advertisement touting the Universal Health Card (“Card”), which purportedly gives you free “affordable care provided by 561,000 doctors, dentists, pharmacists and hospitals.” But the Card is not free; you have to pay an $18 “registration fee” to get a 30-day “free” trial. Thereafter, you must pay $49 per month to continue using the Card. Moreover, the Card cannot be used as a supplement, or replacement, for traditional health insurance. Rather, it can be used only to obtain a small discount at participating doctor’s offices, hospitals and pharmacies.
Many State Attorneys General have received complaints about the Card, including from people who were told that their doctors participate in the program only to find out their medical providers do not accept it. Some consumers have even dropped their regular health insurance policies for the Card thinking it was cheaper, not realizing that the Universal Health Card is not health insurance, and that most doctors and hospitals do not accept the Card anyway.
A story broadcast on WAFF-TV in Alabama reports on the advertisement’s deceptive claims. The reporter contacted a number of the medical providers listed on the Universal Health Card website, and found that they did not accept the Card. The broadcast also noted that the Alabama Better Business Bureau contacted some of the Card’s listed medical providers and found that most did not accept the Card. WAAYYTV in Huntsville, Alabama broadcast a similar investigative report, and the Massachusetts North Adams Transcript has a story on insurance scams generally, including deceptive claims relating to the Card. The ombudsman of the North Carolina News & Observer even took his newspaper to task for accepting the Card’s advertisement, as he found the claims made in the ad were either deceptive or outright false.
If you have a purchased the Universal Health Card, please contact us to discuss your legal options.
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