Seniors Expected Fitness Wins, Got a Bill Instead

Senior Citizens Allegedly Targeted by Fitness Programs

Senior citizens across the country are reporting troubling experiences with fitness programs offered at local recreation centers. These programs, which initially seem promising, have turned into financial nightmares for some individuals who were unaware they would be charged significant amounts after participating.

One such case involves Maggie McCullom, an Atlanta Senior Olympian. She was recruited to join a Fitbit challenge that promised a $10,000 reward for completing six months of activity. However, after fulfilling the requirements, she never received the money. Instead, she was hit with a bill from her insurance company.

“I said $10,000, I couldn’t believe it!” McCullom said. “They said if I did this Fitbit for 6 months, but it went on and on, that I would win $10,000.”

McCullom signed up with Our Community Health Systems (OCHS) and completed the challenge. Months passed, and still no money. Eventually, she realized something was wrong.

“Finally, I said, ‘This got to be fraud. How are you gonna pay $10,000 for just walking?’” she said.

The situation worsened when she received a bill from her insurance company. The charges included items like REM, MT, MNN, ER, which she didn’t understand. She also noticed a charge for back problems, even though she doesn’t have any.

“I can’t tell you what REM, MT, MNN, ER. I don’t know what that is, and they did it a couple times,” McCullom explained.

She revealed that she gave her insurance information when signing up for the Fitbit challenge, but had no idea she was being billed. When she spoke to her insurance company, she was told that $306 would be charged every month for the rest of her life.

Uncovering the Scam

Channel 2 Action News reporter Eryn Rogers investigated further and found that the bills were being charged under the name of Dr. James Rogan. She visited the address listed for him, only to learn that no one by that name worked there.

Rogers eventually reached out to Dr. Rogan, who denied any involvement with OCHS. He stated that he hadn’t worked with the organization in at least five years and wasn’t aware his name was being used for billing.

A source provided Rogers with a letter from Humana Insurance’s legal team, accusing OCHS of improper billing under Dr. Rogan and another doctor for nearly $2 million. Despite multiple attempts to contact Humana and the law firm, the company declined to comment on the issue.

Employee Accounts and Company Response

Rogers also spoke to the owner of OCHS, Victoria Bells, about employees not being paid. During their conversation, Bells claimed, “I’ve been working with the insurance companies.” When asked about the improper billing allegations, she responded via text that they were false.

Former employees of OCHS, known as senior ambassadors, reported that they weren’t aware of the incorrect billing practices. They also mentioned that they haven’t received their paychecks since December.

“We would have bootcamps, and anyone who came in the door, we would get their insurance and sign them up,” said former employee Gail Brown.

Calls for Awareness and Accountability

McCullom is now pushing for awareness about these practices. She emphasized that the issue goes beyond small amounts of money.

“They’re robbing us senior citizens,” she said. “I’m not talking about a few dollars. I’m talking about thousands.”

Bells claims that OCHS uses an outside billing agency. Despite the controversy, the company continues to hold events. They recently held one at their new location in Alpharetta.

As the story unfolds, more seniors are likely to come forward with similar experiences. The situation highlights the need for greater oversight and transparency in such programs to protect vulnerable populations from financial exploitation.