Insurance Commissioner Afable Orders Summary Suspension of Insurance Agent's License to Protect Consumers on the HealthCare.Gov Marketplace
Madison, Wis. – The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance charged nonresident insurance agent, Blaine Sprague, with violations of insurance law related to misrepresentations and lack of competence and trustworthiness. Sprague is accused of unauthorized use of consumer's personally identifiable information and usernames and passwords on the HealthCare.gov marketplace. In November 2020, Sprague enrolled several consumers into health insurance products without their knowledge or permission by inappropriately using their usernames and passwords. Fortunately, for consumers who discovered the misuse of their information, actions were taken to correct their applications for the 2021 plan year. The consumers identified by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) were eligible for advance premium tax credits and risked personal liability for premiums and potential IRS withholdings of refunds for inaccurate information provided on the applications submitted by Sprague.
“Consumer are entitled to trust that insurance agents will not misuse their personal information," said (OCI) Chief Legal Counsel Richard Wicka. Insurance agents assisting consumers with enrollment on the federally facilitated marketplace are prohibited from maintaining or using consumer's usernames and passwords under a privacy and security agreement with the federal government. “I want to thank OCI Staff Attorney Julie Walsh and Examiner Mai Cha for their work protecting Wisconsin consumers."