National FOP President Patrick Yoes recently sent this email regarding the FOP relationship with Thin Blue Line Insurance:

Greetings,

I am writing to inform you of a significant legal development involving Thin Blue Benefits, a vendor approved by the National FOP to provide pre-65 healthcare solutions for our retired members.

Earlier this week, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a lawsuit against Thin Blue Benefits over allegations that the company failed to pay medical claims and misled consumers. This lawsuit follows a number of complaints from affected members. The Ohio Attorney General's press release on the matter can be found here:   Yost Takes Insurer to Court Over First Responders

National General Counsel, Larry James is in direct contact with Ohio Attorney General Yost’s Office on this matter. Our General Council is actively evaluating the litigation and monitoring the situation on behalf of the National FOP. General Counsel James will advise on any appropriate steps necessary to protect our organization and, more importantly, the interests of our members.

As background, the National FOP has worked closely with Thin Blue Benefits over the past year, particularly during their transition to a new third-party administrator and health service platform. In early March, considering disruptions in service and member complaints regarding payment issues, the National FOP posted specific instructions for affected customers and made the decision to suspend further marketing of the program until all issues were resolved and the transition to the new provider was fully completed.

As you are aware, Thin Blue Benefits is not solely limited to Ohio. The program has been marketed to and adopted by members in multiple states. For this reason, I want to be transparent and proactive in sharing this development with you. Please be assured that we are taking this matter seriously and acting with urgency to understand and mitigate the potential impact.

While we remain hopeful that the issues can be resolved favorably for our members, the National FOP will continue to evaluate its relationship with Thin Blue Benefits and remain engaged with all relevant parties.

We understand how concerning this situation is—particularly for our retired members who rely on consistent, affordable healthcare coverage. Please know that I, along with the executive board, am committed to advocating for the well-being of our members and ensuring that their concerns are addressed.

The Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio President Jay McDonald issued the following statement in response to the lawsuit to Ohio members, where a majority of the policy holders reside:

“We started working with Thin Blue Benefits in 2023 and began to hear complaints from our members about their service in late 2024. After many months of trying to resolve these problems, we terminated our relationship with the company on May 5 of this year. We’re glad the Attorney General brought this lawsuit, and we look forward to having this issue resolved so our members get what they paid for and have their medical claims covered.”

If any of your members are affected or have questions, please do not hesitate to direct them to our national office for support.