Minnesota sues over alleged health insurance fraud

Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson is suing two out-of-state companies for selling allegedly fraudulent health insurance coverage to the uninsured.

Swanson will name the companies and offer details at a news conference Wednesday.

Spokesman Ben Wogsland says the companies duped uninsured consumers with offers of inexpensive health insurance coverage. He says consumers typically pay hundreds of dollars or more for startup fees and premiums before finding out they're not getting much in return.

He says one of the companies is also offering what's described as long-term care insurance.

Wogsland says Swanson will warn the general public to be on guard against such offers as more people seek inexpensive health coverage.