About Those Discount Health Plans ..........

You have seen the ads. If you have a fax machine you have probably had unsolicited faxes

coming in with "too good to be true" claims.

Health care coverage - No one is refused
Low monthly fees
$10 doctor copay's

Well, it seems the FTC has been following these offers and they don't believe them either.

Consumers were charged $50 up to several hundred dollars initially, the FTC said, and then a monthly fee of $40 to $1,000 for the purported health insurance. The phony trade association was called the Independent Association of Businesses (IAB).

Those who bought in got supposed discounts for such things as identify-theft protection, roadside assistance and "some discounts and reimbursements on visits to certain doctors or hospitals, subject to broad exclusions and limitations," the FTC said. They did not get health insurance.

CBS News

Not health insurance?

Say it isn't so!

Defendants included in the permanent ban are: IAB Marketing Associates, Independent Association of Businesses, HealthCorp International, JW Marketing Designs, International Marketing Agencies, International Marketing Management, Wood LLC, James C. Wood and his sons, James J. Wood and Michael J. Wood, and his brother, Gary D. Wood.

A $125 million judgment was imposed along with the ban, but much of that will be suspended, the FTC said. The suspension of the remainder will take effect when the defendants turn over to the government nearly $2 million. Among the assets: a Lamborghini, two Mercedes, a Porsche and an MG Roadster.

Nice ride!