A California insurance provider accidentally gave its hearing-impaired customers the number to a phone-sex hotline instead of a number to the company, CBS Sacramento reported.
A page on the website for Covered California listed a phone number to help hearing-impaired residents estimate the cost of health insurance. The number, which was supposed to be 1-888-889-4500, was off by one digit, and instead appeared as 1-888-899-4500.
Callers looking to sign up for insurance before the March 31 deadline were directed to a free chat line with "hot ladies," CBS News reported.
"Welcome to America's hottest talk line," the callers first hear. "Ladies, to talk to interesting and exciting guys free, press one now. Guys, hot ladies are waiting to talk to you. Press two to connect free now."
A Covered California spokesperson told CBS News they did not make a mistake.
"We've never had the incorrect number on our site."
The correct number does appear on the site's "Contact Us" page, but the number with a different digit shows up on another page. The insurance company later gave CBS a different response.
"After investigating it further, we are reviewing the shop and compare tool as an incorrect number. We're currently working to correct the problem," the company said.
The number was eventually corrected on the website.
The spokesperson also said the wrong number was an isolated occurrence and only showed up in certain circumstances, CBS News reported.
"I guess it's an honest mistake," Jeff Brown, who called the wrong number while trying to sign up before the deadline, told CBS News. "But websites aren't that hard to keep up right."
The March 31 deadline was the last day for Americans to sign up for health insurance at HealthCare.gov. But extensions may be granted to those who were unable to finish open enrollment or who qualify under special circumstances.
