Humana to pay Missouri $161,000 for false ACA statements

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A health insurance company is agreeing to pay Missouri more than $161,000 for falsely claiming a state law required customers’ policies be replaced with Affordable Care Act benefits.

The Missouri Department of Insurance on Tuesday announced Humana Insurance Co. agreed to pay a $161,800 to the Missouri State School Fund for the misstatements.

A Humana spokesman had no immediate comment Tuesday.

A statement from the insurance department says the company sent notices to 1,618 Missourians in August 2013 stating that their policies would be canceled and replaced with Affordable Care Act benefits.

The department says Humana falsely claimed the changes would be made because of a Missouri law.

No such state legislation exists.

Humana contended in the settlement agreement that the notices were false but not intentionally misleading.

This story was originally published January 7, 2015 at 8:29 AM with the headline "Humana to pay Missouri $161,000 for false ACA statements."