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Tactics by insurers' in marketing drug plans draw complaints.

Article Excerpt
The federal government has indicated hat they have received scores of complaints about the aggressive tactics used by some insurance companies and agents to market Medicare's new prescription drug benefits. Officials said they would take disciplinary action if they found that the tactics had broken federal rules. Possible violations reported to Medicare officials include uninvited door-to-door solicitation of business and misrepresentation of insurance products.

Federal and state officials said they had also received complaints that some insurance agents identified themselves as working for the Social Security Administration of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In addition, they said, some insurance agents have asked beneficiaries for personal information like Social Security numbers and credit card or bank account numbers. "These steps are illegal, totally inappropriate and unacceptable," said Patricia P. Smith, who works with health plans as director of the Medicare Advantage group at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "They not only endanger the...

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