IN THIS AREA IN INDIAN LAND AND
HIGHWAY 160 THAT HAS SERIOUS
INJURIES.
AS SOON AS WE GET MORE
INFORMATION IN WE WILL KEEP YOU
UPDATED.
HEALTH CARE INSURANCE IS SO
EXPENSIVE THAT MORE THAN A
MILLION PEOPLE ARE TURNING TO
ANOTHER OPTION CALLED HEALTH
CARE SHARING MINISTRIES.
WE TOLD YOU ABOUT THESE
BEFORE BUT IN AN ONGOING 9
INVESTIGATION OUR JASON
STOOGENKE FOUND SEVERAL STATES
ARE TRYING TO BAN ONE OF THEM.
THAT IS RIGHT.
I REPORTED ON THIS COMPANY
BEFORE.
IT IS CALLED ALERUM.
IT ADMITS IT ISN'T HEALTH
INSURANCE BUT AN ALTERNATIVE,
A KIND OF MEDICAL CROWD
FUNDING.
SOME SAY IT IS BETTER THAN NO
INSURANCE AT ALL BUT OTHERS SAY
IT IS MISLEADING PEOPLE.
MY HUSBAND IS SELF-EMPLOYED
AND OH IS VERY, VERY
EXPENSIVE.
Reporter: SO KELLY McFADDEN
SIGNED HER FAMILY UP WITH
ALIRA.
IT IS LESS MONEY PER MONTH.
Reporter: SHE TOLD ME
EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL SHE
TOOK HER CHILDREN TO THE DOCTOR
FOR WELL VISITS.
MY SON WAS BILLED $07 AND MY
DAUGHTER WAS BILLED $550 FOR
HER VISIT.
I SAID WHY
Reporter: THEN SHE NEEDED A
MAMMOGRAM.
SHE SAID SHE KNEW AS LONG AS
SHE WENT TO AN IMAGING CENTER
IN NETWORK SHE WOULD ONLY HAVE
TO PAY $55.
THE LADY GAVE ME THE NAME OF
ONE THAT IS FREE.
I WENT TO ONE ON EXIT 31.
Reporter: BUT ALIRA STILL
HAD HER PAYING $230.
THEY ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE
AND NOT PAYING WHAT THEY NEED
TO BE PAYING.
Reporter: HEALTH CARE
SHARING MINISTRIES HAVE YOU
PAYING A SET AMOUNT EVERY
MONTH.
THE MONEY GOES TO MEMBERS WHO
HAVE MEDICAL BILLS THEY CAN'T
PLAY.
THE PLANS ARE NOT HEALTH
INSURANCE AND TYPICALLY COVER
FAR LESS THAN INSURANCE.
NOW STATES AND CUSTOMERS ARE
GOING AFTER ALIRA.
WE HAVE A BUCKETFUL OF
COMPLAINTS COMING IN.
Reporter: THE WASHINGTON
STATE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER IS
SEEKING A MILLION DOLLAR FINE
AGAINST THE COMPANY.
IN HIS OPINION ALIRA SOLD
INSURANCE WITHOUT A LICENSE AND
MISLED CONSUMERS.
THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT
IT, THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE
BUYING REAL INSURANCE.
Reporter: A TEXAS JUDGE
ISSUED TEMPORARY RESTRAINING
ORDER AGAINST ALIRA,
PREVENTING IT FROM ACCEPTING
NEW CUSTOMERS.
COLORADO'S NEW CUSTOMERS GOT A
CEASE-AND-DESIST ORDER, SO DID
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE INSURANCE
DEPARTMENT.
I SKYPEED WITH THE LEAD LAWYER
HEATHER SILVERSTEIN.
IT LOOKS LIKE ALIRA IS AT
MINUTESTERRING CLAIMS OR ACTING
LIKE AN INSURANCE COMPANY WHICH
IS AGAINST OUR STATUTES.
Reporter: ALIRA IS NOW IN
THE FBI'S RADAR AFTER THE
GEORGIA'S ATTORNEY GENERAL
OFFICE PASSED ALONG CONSUMER
COMPLAINTS.
ALIRA SAID THEY WILL CONTINUE
TO VIGOROUSLY DEFEND AGAINST
FALSE CLAIMS MADE ABOUT THE
ADMINISTRATIVE, MARKETING AND
OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES WE
PROVIDE.
WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING WITH
REGULATORS TO ADDRESS THEIR
CONCERNS AND ARE HOPEFUL WE
WILL RESOLVE THESE MATTERS
SOON.
I WENT THROUGH THREE OF THEIR
BROCHURES.
YOU SEE A DISCLAIMER ON EVERY
PAGE THAT SAYS THIS IS NOT
INSURANCE.
STILL --
I DID EVERYTHING,
ESPECIALLY FOR MY MAMMOGRAM.
Reporter: KELLY McFADDEN WAS
SO UPSET WITH ALIRA SHE TURNED
TO ACTION 9. THE GROUP WOULD
NOT DISCUSS THE CASE WITH HER
DUE TO PRIVACY REASONS BUT 24
HOURS LATER AGREED TO COVER
EVERYTHING IN FULL.
NOW SHE IS GOING BACK TO ACTUAL
HEALTH INSURANCE.
IF CUSTOMERS HAVE A PROBLEM
WITH ALIRA OR ANY HEALTH CARE
SHARING MINISTRY, FOR THAT
MATTER, YOU CAN FILE A
COMPLAINT WITH THE NORTH
CAROLINA ATTORNEY GENERAL OR
THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT
OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS.
THE OTHER RECOURSE MAY BE TO
SUE THE COMPANY WHICH MAY OR
MAY NOT BE WORTH IT.
NORTH CAROLINA ATTORNEY
GENERAL JOSHSTEIN TOLD ME HE
IS INVESTIGATING COMPLAINTS
CUSTOMERRED FILED WITH HIS