(CNN) -- Hope Murray thought her prayers had been answered. 

Hope Murray, left, was desperate to find affordable health care for her daughter Meredith. 

Her daughter, Meredith, desperately needed to see a doctor after suffering a brain injury in a car accident, but health insurance companies wouldn't sell her a policy because of her pre-existing condition. 

So Murray was relieved to find Direct Medical Network Solutions Inc. while surfing the Internet. It wasn't insurance but a program that advertised deep discounts at doctors' offices and hospitals. 

Murray immediately signed up for the program, which she says advertised $30 doctor visits and $50 visits to specialists. 

"It was pretty phenomenal," Murray said. "They promised me everything was included," including doctor visits, vision, dental and hospital stays. "They even mentioned the Mayo Clinic." 

Murray paid $314 for the card up front and then $179 each month after that. 

Her daughter made an appointment to see Dr. Robert Epsten, a San Diego, California, gastroenterologist, to get treatment for her Crohn's disease. 

Epsten was listed on Direct Med's Web site as being part of its network, but when Meredith arrived at Epsten's office, his staff said they didn't accept the Direct Med card. In fact, they said they'd never even heard of Direct Med, Hope Murray says. 

According to Murray, this same scene played out with several other doctors and hospitals. 

"I have never been more angry, more furious about anything in my life," Murray said. "It is a bogus scam that hurts people. It should be a crime for people to do that." 
Is it insurance?
 It wasn't insurance