January 20, 2010-Fargo Forum
Medicare beneficiaries warned of new phone scam
BISMARCK, N.D. — North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm warned consumers today that phone scammers are calling Medicare beneficiaries in North Dakota about Part D penalties.
By: Forum staff reports, INFORUM
BISMARCK, N.D. — North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm warned consumers today that phone scammers are calling Medicare beneficiaries in North Dakota about Part D penalties.
Phone scammers have called Medicare beneficiaries, saying the beneficiary owes a penalty for not having Part D (prescription drug) coverage.
The scam refers to the penalty that is imposed on people who are eligible for Part D coverage but don’t elect it and have no other creditable drug coverage.
The caller tells the beneficiary that he or she owes money for the penalty and that it needs to be paid right away.
“Medicare beneficiaries should never give financial or personal information to anyone who calls and says they are with Medicare,” Hamm said. “It is against Medicare’s rules to call beneficiaries and ask for that information.” Such calls must be placed by the beneficiaries themselves or handled by a follow-up letter to which the beneficiary may choose to reply.
Medicare beneficiaries should know:
• Medicare cannot call and ask for your financial or personal information over the phone.
• Always keep your personal information — including your Medicare number safe, just as you would a credit card or a bank account number.
• A Medicare drug plan may accept payments by phone, but they cannot call beneficiaries to request a payment be made. The beneficiary must be notified of the past due premiums via mail.
Any North Dakotan who receives a suspicious phone call regarding Medicare should immediately report it to Senior Medicare Patrol at 1-800-233-1737.
January 8, 2010-Bismarck Tribune
ND AUTO INSURANCE PREMIUMS REMAIN LOW
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm says auto insurance premiums paid by North Dakotans remain among the lowest in the nation.
Hamm says a recent report from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners shows that what North Dakotans pay for auto insurance on average is 28 percent lower than the national average.
Hamm says the report shows that the auto insurance market in North Dakota continues to be healthy and competitive.
The reports says the District of Columbia, Louisiana and New Jersey are the most expensive states for auto insurance. Iowa is the least expensive state, followed by Wisconsin and North Dakota.
January 1, 2010-The Dickinson Press
Dunn Center insurance agent’s license revoked
Adam Hamm, North Dakota insurance commissioner, has revoked Patricia Howard’s insurance license, he announced Thursday.
By: Ashley Martin, The Dickinson Press
Howard was a Dunn Center insurance agent who was allegedly knowingly involved in “deceitful and dishonest practices” against at least two clients, according to a press release from the North Dakota Insurance Department.
The clients reportedly believed they had insurance coverage when they didn’t.
“She was served with the cease and desist order on Dec. 17,” Hamm said, Thursday. “At that point she was no longer able to work with insurance consumers.”
Howard has reportedly signed a consent order, waiving her right to request an administrative hearing.
“It doesn’t prevent her at some point in time from attempting to resubmit an application for a license, but I haven’t reinstated anyone that I have revoked since I’ve been commissioner,” Hamm said.
The Insurance Department discovered a client who believed they had purchased a farm liability policy through Howard in September 2008, but later found out Howard had allegedly not forwarded the check to the insurance company, Hamm said.
“We became aware of it some time later,” Hamm said.
Howard also allegedly accepted a check from Craig Pelton, a Dunn County resident, for payment of insurance premiums for a ranch/farm liability policy, according to the consent order.
Howard allegedly failed to remit the funds to Nodak Mutual Insurance Company, and kept the money, according to the consent order.
“It was remitted to the state office, it was just not done in a very timely manner,” Pelton said.
Howard also allegedly created a document titled “ACORD Insurance Binder” and sent it to Wells Fargo Bank, according to the consent order. The document reportedly contained false information.
Howard allegedly intended to use the document to provide proof of insurance of a policy her clients thought they had secured through Howard, but it was never submitted to the intended insurer, according to the consent order.
Hamm said several of Howard’s former clients have recently called with concerns.
“We opened up files on those and we’ll be looking into the issues to determine whether or not they have coverage and if not, what can be done,” Hamm said.
It is unclear whether Howard was practicing when her license was revoked.
“We’re not aware of any lawsuits currently brought against her,” Hamm said. “Now, obviously, that could change at any time.”
Howard declined comment Thursday. Calls to Nodak Mutual Insurance were not returned Thursday.
Anyone with questions about insurance-related transactions involving Howard should contact the Insurance Department at 1-800-247-0560 or insurance@nd.gov.
January 1, 2010-Bismarck Tribune
New N.D. laws go into effect
By DALE WETZEL Associated Press Writer | Posted: Friday, January 1, 2010 2:15 am |
The New Year brings a handful of new North Dakota laws affecting everything from business paperwork filings to how often train whistles are blown.
Starting today, North Dakota trains no longer have to sound horns at private railroad crossings unless the Public Service Commission determines a warning is necessary.
North Dakota has about 5,000 railroad crossings, including almost 1,300 private crossings, according to information presented to the 2009 Legislature about the bill.
On Thursday, the commission voted to require warnings at Burlington Northern Santa Fe private crossings in Williston and Mandan, as well as BNSF rural crossings in Crary, Erie, Page and Heimdahl. The railroad had requested the action.
“These are obstructed views,” Commissioner Tony Clark said of the locations, “and if they’re obstructed for the vehicle that may be crossing, it means that they are obstructed for the railroad engineer too.”
North Dakota’s Legislature normally meets only during odd-numbered years. Most of the laws approved by the 2009 Legislature took effect in July or August. However, all or part of fewer than a dozen laws are effective Jan. 1.
Another law effective today will require North Dakota businesses with 25 or more employees to submit their unemployment insurance reports electronically, rather than using paper forms.
Before, only businesses with 100 or more workers had been required to file electronically, said Darren Brostrom, the unemployment insurance director at Job Service North Dakota.
Even with the change, more than 18,000 of the 21,000 North Dakota employers who pay unemployment insurance taxes may still file paper reports, Brostrom said.
However, once a company gets used to electronic filing, it is faster and less time-consuming than using paper, he said. Job Service, a state agency, encourages all businesses that pay unemployment insurance taxes to use the paperless method.
“The first time they do it, they enter in the employee’s name, their Social Security number, and the wages,” he said. “And then in subsequent quarters … that information is already (there) for them.”
Possible Insurance Department fines against insurance agents who violate North Dakota laws governing their conduct are increasing Friday from a maximum of $1,000 to $10,000 per incident.
Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm said the change was motivated by some high-profile cases that resulted in huge losses for consumers.
In one case, Fargo insurance agent Larry Atkins pleaded guilty to fraud in connection with a Ponzi scheme that cost clients more than $3 million. Atkins was sentenced last February to eight years in prison.
Under the previous law, the Insurance Department could fine Atkins only $1,000, Hamm said.
“Over the last few years, there have been a number of cases … where consumers have been financially devastated,” Hamm said. “(The new law) gives us more flexibility, a higher potential fine, more of a deterrent effect.”