Transcript for: Undercover GAO Special Agent Seeking Health Insurance for
the Pre-Existing Condition of Diabetes - Audio Recording 1

Description: The sales representative appropriately referred us to a
PPACA-compliant plan.

Related GAO Work: GAO-20-634R, Private Health Coverage: Results of
Covert Testing for Selected Offerings

Released: September 2020

[ Title on on screen: ]
Undercover GAO Special Agent Seeking Health Insurance for the
Pre-Existing Condition of Diabetes

Audio Recording #1

[ Title on screen: ] 
The sales representative appropriately referred us to a PPACA-compliant
plan. 

[Sales Representative:] Are we looking for individual or family coverage
today?

[GAO Special Agent:] I'm doing myself, individual.

[Sales Representative:] Okay, perfect. Yeah, I can help you. I just have
to let you know that my call is being recorded. But do you have any
coverage now or no?

[GAO Special Agent:] I'm not sure. I just moved to the area, man, and I
went -- I came in about two weeks ago, and my -- I ended up in the
hospital for my diabetes. And they told me that I wasn't covered, so I
guess since I moved from a different state, I'm not sure if I'm covered,
so I'm trying to get another policy.

[Sales Representative:] What were you in the hospital for?

[GAO Special Agent:] Well, my diabetes. Something kicked in. I don't
know if it was the insulin that I was taking or whatever.

[Sales Representative:] Okay. And what state are you in now?

[GAO Special Agent:] Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

[Sales Representative:] Okay. All righty. So I'm a broker. That's why
I'm asking you all these questions. So I work with a number of different
options throughout the state. And it's my job here, narrow that all
down, find you the best plan to meet your overall need and your overall
budget. Can you give me an idea of what the estimated household income
is? So you, a spouse, anybody who brings in income?

[GAO Special Agent:] It's just me. Anywhere between 25- to 30-. Say, 26
five, something like that.

[Sales Representative:] And you said you take insulin?

[GAO Special Agent:] Yes, sir.

[Sales Representative:] Okay. So here's the bottom line. Can I help you?
Yes, I can find you a plan. It'll cover things that you need it to
cover. But it would be very lacking in the hospital, and it'd be
somewhere around, like, $350, $360 a month. But because you just moved,
you would have a qualified life-changing event and that would allow you
to purchase an Obamacare plan, which is more along the lines of what you
probably need. And because your income, if it's in that 20- to $30,000
range, you'd probably qualify for a subsidy, which means you'd get a
much lower-cost plan. So here's what I would recommend. Call them. If
you don't like what they have to offer to you, and you want to come back
and speak to me, see what the private market has, then I can help you.
But I'm not going to get you the type of coverage you may actually end
up needing where Obamacare would. Do you follow?

[GAO Special Agent:] Yeah. So that's fine. Would you have a direct line
so since you've been helping me out -

[Sales Representative:] Yeah, yeah. Let me give you -- I'm going to give
you two phone numbers. Just let me know when you're ready.