IRG/AIM Health Solutions

[adamlehrman]

Employers Mutual, yes yes, we all know about that kind of stuff. I have never offered a mini-med to someone that was able to get something better, and I sure wouldn't offer it in place of major-med. And, DEFINITELY not to a group.

If you want to turn your clients away or sell them a mini-med with a $6,000 surgical benefit and a (celebrity?) spokesman, go right ahead. When you want me to find out about the AIM plan and it's approval in your state, let me know.

This is a last-resort product. If you have to have a mini-med in your arsenal, assuming it's approved in your state, why not have the one with the richest benefits?

 

[eastbend99]

Hello...I recently applied for coverage with AIM Health Solutions, did a Google search, and found this forum.

I have insulin dependent diabetes, am currently with Anthem due to being HIPPA eligible when I enrolled with them, but am paying an enormous premium. I tried getting something better (thinking I was still HIPPA eligible), only to discover I'm not because I have individual insurance rather than group.

My plan was to get the AIM insurance for 18 months, get HIPPA eligible again, then try an HSA, mainly wanting catastophic coverage at a hopefully reduced cost. Right now I can't change my Anthem plan at all(again due to being HIPPA ineligible).

AIM says it is group insurance and that I would be HIPPA eligible after 18 months with them; is this correct? The contract says I will be issued an individual policy though, so it's confusing. Attempts to get this clarified (with something in writing stating it is creditable GROUP insurance) have proved unfruitful.

Would appreciate any assistance and/or comments. My concern is if I give up my current Anthem coverage and don't become HIPPA eligible through another plan, I'll be really screwed.

Thanks...

 

[glrocky]

AIM stands for Association of Independent Managers. It is a HIPAA compliant group health insurance plan.

AIM is a true impaired risk catastrophic health option. The one drawback: Their claims administrator sucks. I've got a client who has submitted invoice after invoice only to be told that the paperwork can't be found. The 2007 administrator finally paid their share of his 2007 invoices. The 2008 administrator is still screwing around with him.

While your strategy might work, you're playing Russian Roulette with your health. AIM won't cover any preexisting issues for 12 months. It is an option, but only the very last option you should consider. Good luck...

 

[eastbend99]

Thanks glrocky for your comments. I should be ok on pre-exisiting as I have a cert of creditable coverage (over 2 years) from Anthem (who I'm still with), but I mainly wanted to know if it's a group health plan or not, since it was confusing to me.

 

[somarco]

It is a HIPAA compliant group health insurance plan

AIM is NOT HIPAA compliant no matter what they tell you. And it is not group insurance. There are questions in many jurisdictions if it is even a legal plan.

I have insulin dependent diabetes

Unless you are in a guaranteed issue state, or have access to a risk pool, you are not going to be covered by any carrier offering medically underwritten major med. Your other choice is an employer group plan.

 

[bcbroker]

I feel compelled to chime in here since I'm Adam Lehrman of LehrmanGroup.

healthagent, I want nothing to do with anything shady or illegal, so if you know something that I don't, please let me know why moonlightandmargaritas should run and not walk to the nearest exit.

Also, I used your link for the NY State business and corporation search, typing in "IRG" and there is a company that comes up called IRG Brokerages, LLC. That is them.

Good Job!

 

[eastbend99]

Interesting...I just got off the phone with Virginia Bureau of Ins., and they have no license or registration issued for AIM, and said due to that they would not be recognized as an insurance company by the state. As such, they have no enforcement ability over them.

The woman I spoke to also said she couldn't see how they'd be HIPPA compliant given they are not even considered an insurance company, and coverage under them wouldn't be recognized as "creditable coverage."

That's pretty aggravating, given their website has this big "HIPPA Compliant" logo on it.

I'll guess I'll have to stick with Anthem for now and pay the huge premium...

 

[magagent]

We may have already conclued this, if we have please forgive me for asking this. I know an indvidiual who is selling AIM, teamcorp, and "Value Health", "Value Med" which are both through AIG.

This is the question why do none of these outfits show up under their list of companies on the state website that they are contracted with.

 

[TexasAgent]

I received this email today from the TDI (with the 4 page letter to AIM attached to it):

RE: Your inquiry received July 29, 2008
Advertising Unit received August 7, 2008
File ID: 36416
Complaint ID: 836351

Thank you for making the subject material available to us. We have reviewed the advertisements for compliance with our Advertising rules. On August 26, 2008, we sent a letter (a copy is attached) to the Association of Independent Managers indicating the objections we had to the advertisements that you submitted to us. After also reviewing their website, we sent a letter on August 29, 2008 to the Association of Independent Managers indicating the objections we had to their website. We have not received a response to either of our letters.

As we indicated in our attached letter, we found no record of the Association of Independent Managers or the Insurance Resource Group as being licensed with the Texas Department of Insurance to do insurance business in Texas. We also found no record that they are registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to solicit a discount health care program in Texas.

Since we have received no response from the above-referenced entities, we will be referring this matter to our Enforcement Division for consideration and appropriate action.

We do appreciate that you took the time to send this matter to us for our review. We are closing our complaint file at this time. We rely on agents like you to help us gather information which will enable us to regulate insurance advertising effectively. If you have any additional information or comments, please feel to contact me.


Janice Mosher
Insurance Specialist
Consumer Protection/Advertising Unit
Texas Dept. of Insurance
[email protected]

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

I also contacted the Maryland DOI -I gave them every name imaginable - IRG, AIM and both of their underwriting companies. MD has never heard of these guys and no AIM plans are filed in this state.

Even after all that AIM maintains they are eligible for sale in my state. I asked for the policy form number - zero response.

I remember some AIM guy telling me that plans are not filed under "AIM." The chief compliance officer said that in order for their marketing to be complaint that plans would have to be filed under the AIM name.