Even officials from more conservative states expressed concerns. Bruce R. Ramge, the director of the Nebraska Insurance Department, said the market in his state could benefit from short-term plans. But he added, “I do have concern about some marketing techniques that get out of control.”
In some cases, he said, there is “inappropriate telemarketing with spoofed phone numbers,” and when a consumer starts asking questions, the caller hangs up.
Pennsylvania officials have seen similar problems. The state Insurance Department found, for example, that an agent had “misrepresented the benefits of short-term health insurance policies” and failed to advise customers that the policies did not cover pre-existing medical conditions. Marketing materials for one plan suggested inaccurately that it covered mental health care, Ms. Altman said.
Most state officials who spoke at the conference “were not interested in having short-term products in their states, and that is unfortunate,” said Jan Dubauskas, a lawyer at the Independence Holding Company, which is known as IHC Group and is one of the largest sellers of short-term insurance.
Several states have cautioned consumers about short-term plans.
Lori Wing-Heier, the director of the Alaska Insurance Division, received complaints from consumers in 2015 about telephone solicitations by a Florida company offering short-term plans. At the time, she said, the company, Health Insurance Innovations, and agents selling its products were not licensed in Alaska.
Insurance executives tried to reassure regulators. Gavin Southwell, the chief executive and president of Health Insurance Innovations since 2016, told commissioners on Sunday that “we have invested tens of millions of dollars to ensure that consumers” receive good service and accurate information.
The company said last year that it had retained former Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska, a former chief executive of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, to provide advice on compliance.
Ms. Dubauskas said her company, the IHC Group, terminated two agents last week because it was dissatisfied with their marketing practices.
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