2015 HealthCare.gov Marketplace Status 2015

[sman]

It's too bad they didn't get rid of the e-mailed verification on the front end. Gosh I hate that part...for a number of reasons.

I hate that part too. That, along with a few other issues is what makes Health Sherpa so appealing. But it sounds as if we are going to lose many of those benefits. If I have to do apps through hc.gov, I will just do off-exchange business. I've been trying to avoid doing on exchange as much as possible since Sherpa had to change. For example, had a 27 year old call me today. She will have an SEP. I told her to call the Marketplace. I'm not going through the hassle of it for $12 per month commission. I would if all that had to be done was an app on Sherpa, but not when I have to do the app and deal with the phone call and then the Marketplace rep not understanding how to put my NPN on the app. And definitely not going through the steps required to do it on hc.gov. Maybe I would if it was a family of 4 or more or an older couple, but not for the 20-something single person.

 

[AllenChicago]

If I have to do apps through hc.gov, I will just do off-exchange business. I've been trying to avoid doing on exchange as much as possible since Sherpa had to change. For example, had a 27 year old call me today. She will have an SEP. I told her to call the Marketplace. I'm not going through the hassle of it for $12 per month commission. I would if all that had to be done was an app on Sherpa, but not when I have to do the app and deal with the phone call and then the Marketplace rep not understanding how to put my NPN on the app. And definitely not going through the steps required to do it on hc.gov. Maybe I would if it was a family of 4 or more or an older couple, but not for the 20-something single person.

SMan, if you mentally envision the annualized commission you'll earn from 1 hour of work, it makes enrolling young single people easier. I say this assuming that you don't have families lined up to buy at the moment. Sometimes they need other insurance as well.

 

[sman]

SMan, if you mentally envision the annualized commission you'll earn from 1 hour of work, it makes enrolling young single people easier. I say this assuming that you don't have families lined up to buy at the moment. Sometimes they need other insurance as well.

You have more faith than I do that it will only be one hour of work. When their subsidy is cancelled because the verification documents "mysteriously" disappear, there will be additional work.

I'm content advising that person to call the Marketplace.

 

[Yagents]

Sman is right. It's no longer a one and done process. (apply, income verify, bill chaser, subsidy changed, etc). I'd rather spend the time handling the higher commission clients and ensure they stay on the books. Plus, 50% chance that young person actually continues to pay the premium.

When you factor in 7 months of commission X $12 = $84, take out taxes and your left with non profitable client.

 

[AllenChicago]

I don't do a large amount of subsidized business like many forum members.

Therefore, I've only had a small handful of problems. The few who had the subsidy cut or cancelled just shrugged and accepted it. I told them it was less hassle to simply let tax-time adjust or pay the subsidy anyway. Same with making annual adjustments for minor income changes, or Silver benchmark premium changes... Let the tax return take care of it.

Also, every policy purchaser is viewed as a potential client that can own other insurance through me...immediately, or later. Very few health clients only have health insurance.

 

[Yagents]

I didn't realize there was also a OEP and SEP period that agents can join the exchange business. Want to become an agent next month, get certified for 2016 in late summer, to sell plans for 1/1/5, to get paid in March. A business plan doomed to fail.

From CMS email today:

Beginning on June 15, 2015, the 2014-2015 Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM) training and training curriculum completion certificates for Agents and Brokers will no longer be available on the Medicare Learning Network® (MLN) Learning Management System (LMS) as we prepare to launch the training for plan year 2016. You should not sign up for a new plan year 2015 training curriculum after June 1. If you plan to complete any of the 2014-2015 training curricula (or print any certificates) and have not yet done so, CMS recommends completing this training prior to June 10, 2015. Please note that completion of the current year's training curricula (2014-2015 training) does not count towards the plan year 2016 registration process for Agents and Brokers.

 

[sman]

I didn't realize there was also a OEP and SEP period that agents can join the exchange business. Want to become an agent next month, get certified for 2016 in late summer, to sell plans for 1/1/5, to get paid in March. A business plan doomed to fail.

From CMS email today:

Beginning on June 15, 2015, the 2014-2015 Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM) training and training curriculum completion certificates for Agents and Brokers will no longer be available on the Medicare Learning Network® (MLN) Learning Management System (LMS) as we prepare to launch the training for plan year 2016. You should not sign up for a new plan year 2015 training curriculum after June 1. If you plan to complete any of the 2014-2015 training curricula (or print any certificates) and have not yet done so, CMS recommends completing this training prior to June 10, 2015. Please note that completion of the current year's training curricula (2014-2015 training) does not count towards the plan year 2016 registration process for Agents and Brokers.

Just another barrier to entry for any new agent. As if the commission cuts and open enrollment weren't enough of a barrier already.

 

[Yagents]

Do you 'believe me" yet? ACA is golden

Learning A New Health Insurance System The Hard Way | Kaiser Health News

 

[cadylou]

I don't do a large amount of subsidized business like many forum members. Therefore, I've only had a small handful of problems. The few who had the subsidy cut or cancelled just shrugged and accepted it. I told them it was less hassle to simply let tax-time adjust or pay the subsidy anyway. Same with making annual adjustments for minor income changes, or Silver benchmark premium changes... Let the tax return take care of it. Also, every policy purchaser is viewed as a potential client that can own other insurance through me...immediately, or later. Very few health clients only have health insurance.

Many aren't being given the luxury of waiting till tax time for things to work out. The automatic adjustments to APTC once 2014 taxes were filed is causing huge problems. I have people on the verge of being terminated because the carrier applied their current premium payments to an old plan that is twice the price, erroneous cancellations for non payment when premiums were paid, etc. shall I go on? It's a cluster out there!

 

[Yagents]

They are still an advisor to HC.gov

Optum concludes oversight for HealthCare.gov - StarTribune.com

It's a success, because it would have been 40% without ACA:

CareFirst asks for average rate increase of as much as 30.4 percent - Baltimore Sun

The state's largest health insurer has asked Maryland regulators to let it increase premiums by as much as 30.4 percent on average for policies that take effect next year.

But UHC All Savers is lowering rates, but still expensive compared to other options:

CareFirst seeks 28 percent average increase to 2016 individual health plan premiums - Baltimore Business Journal