An HMO that operates in the Inland Empire in California is in hot water for launching an advertising campaign that state health officials believe is inaccurate and negative.
Long Beach-based Molina Medical Centers had been running billboard and print ads over the past six months that depicted competing Colton-based Inland Empire Health Plan as a county-run health plan where patients have to wait for their care, said Ken Wagstaff, chief of the state Department of Health Services' managed-care operations for Medi-Cal's Southern California region.
Wagstaff said health plan advertising is regulated by the state since they accept Medi-Cal contracts. As state contractors, they are prohibited from using inaccurate or negative messages in their campaigns.
Molina was ordered to take down its billboards immediately and pull its print advertising campaigns. (713/567-1222)