Protecting Trademarks and Potential Harm to Consumers

The Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange

“Access Health CT” is the business name and registered trademark for the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange – the state’s health insurance marketplace established under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Most consumers recognize Access Health CT by the bright yellow and orange logo used to introduce the Exchange to the public, but some individuals search for the Exchange on the Internet using terms such as: “Connecticut insurance exchange” or “CT health insurance exchange.” Some businesses selling insurance have chosen names and website addresses to capitalize on this practice, even designing their websites to look similar to a state health insurance marketplace, in the hope of convincing unwary consumers that they should buy insurance plans using their portal or brokers.

Often, these plans are not the best plans for the consumer. In addition, consumers who purchase plans outside of Access Health CT are not eligible for any subsidies they might otherwise be entitled to under the ACA because subsidies are only available for plans purchased through the official Exchange.

Since the Exchange was established in 2012, our attorneys have assisted the Exchange in preventing deceptive practices that can cause considerable harm to consumers. We have challenged violators under federal trademark and unfair competition laws, as well as state insurance laws. Our efforts are ongoing, since each year new opportunists surface.