Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
FCC Seeks $225 Million Fine, Its Largest Ever, For Alleged Robocall Insurance Scammers
The Associated Press: Feds Seek $225M Fine For Pair Who Made A Billion Robocalls
The U.S. communications regulator on Tuesday proposed a $225 million fine, its largest ever, against two health insurance telemarketers for spamming people with 1 billion robocalls using fake phone numbers. The Federal Communications Commission said John Spiller and Jakob Mears made the calls through two businesses. State attorneys general of Arkansas, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas also sued the two men and their companies, Rising Eagle and JSquared Telecom, in federal court in Texas, where both men live, for violating the federal law governing telemarketing, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. (Arbel, 6/10)
CNN: FCC Seeks Record Fine Against Alleged Scam Operators Who Made 1 Billion Robocalls
The record-breaking penalty, announced Tuesday, is the largest proposed fine in FCC history. It targets Texas-based Rising Eagle for allegedly spamming consumers in more than a half-dozen states, including Arkansas, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas. The calls, which took place in the first half of 2019, allegedly attempted to sell consumers fake, short-term health insurance plans from major insurance carriers such as Aetna and Cigna. Victims lured in by the alleged scam were then pitched policies from other providers that were Rising Eagle's clients, the FCC said. (Fung, 6/9)
