WASHINGTON—August 11, 2026 – As millions of Americans struggle with sky-high health insurance costs, a new secret shopper study finds that consumers searching online for affordable health coverage are frequently directed away from comprehensive Marketplace plans and toward limited-benefit plans that fail to provide meaningful protections and expose them to steep healthcare costs.
The report, “No Good Options: In the Wake of Marketplace Affordability Woes, Consumers Face Onslaught of Misleading Marketing of Limited Benefits Products,” was conducted in May 2026 by researchers at the Center on Health Insurance Reforms (CHIR) at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy. The study comes as the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits has sharply driven up the cost of Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace coverage. At the same time, the Trump Administration is advancing efforts to make it easier for consumers to enroll in limited-benefit health plans that are not subject to the ACA's coverage standards and consumer protections.
“This report underscores the risks consumers face when efforts to weaken the ACA’s affordability protections are paired with policies that expand access to inadequate coverage,” said Lucy Culp, vice president of state government affairs at Blood Cancer United. “People searching for health insurance deserve clear, accurate information about their choices—not marketing that steers them toward plans that leave them on the hook for devastating medical bills when they need care."
Secret shopper researchers created two consumer profiles—one eligible and one ineligible for premium tax credits—and searched online using common terms such as “cheap insurance,” “Obamacare plans,” “ACA enroll,” and “Healthcare.gov.” After entering information on websites appearing in search results, researchers received hundreds of solicitation calls and texts and spoke with 20 sales representatives.
Key report findings include:
- Consumers were routinely routed through lead-generation websites that collected and sold personal information to agents, brokers, and other entities.
- Sales representatives frequently characterized ACA Marketplace coverage as appropriate only for people who are sick or low-income, while routing healthier consumers toward limited benefit products.
- Consumers facing high premiums were particularly vulnerable to misleading sales tactics, with representatives exploiting affordability concerns to discourage enrollment in comprehensive coverage.
- Sales representatives often provided incomplete, misleading or inaccurate information about limited-benefit plans, including their coverage limitations, exclusions and financial risks.
- Researchers documented misleading and inaccurate statements about ACA Marketplace coverage, including incorrect information regarding eligibility and costs.
Blood Cancer United is calling on federal and state policymakers and regulators to strengthen consumer protections and improve access to affordable, comprehensive coverage by:
- Adopting marketing reforms that allow for speedier investigation and enforcement action against bad actors, including lead generators.
- Passing state and federal legislation to rein in the improper sale of limited benefit products.
- Ensuring that comprehensive major medical plans remain affordable for all consumers.
Read the full report at: https://chir.georgetown.edu/
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About Blood Cancer United®
Blood Cancer United® (formerly The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) is the largest global nonprofit focused on blood cancer patient support, research and advocacy. The organization’s mission is to cure blood cancer and improve the quality of life of all patients and their families. To achieve it, Blood Cancer United brings together a community of people—patients and their families, volunteers, healthcare providers, scientists, staff, partners, fundraisers, and philanthropists—who believe all blood cancer patients deserve longer, fuller lives. For support and to learn more, visit www.BloodCancerUnited.org
Media Contact: Kathy Melley, Blood Cancer United
[email protected] or (617) 791-0708