Carriers Colluding with Government

[Winter_123]

As is typical in socialist governments, some of the largest players in industries try to cut sweetheart arrangements with the government to try to play the nationalizing game in their favor.

Here we have Blue Cross hoping they can walk the fine line of getting the government to order everyone to get insurance but still keeping the industry in the private sector.
Next week, you will here Obama saying that even the insurance carriers agree that it would hold costs down if everyone were in the system. These carriers are starting to function like defense contractors hanging around the Pentagon trying to get their deal rather than trying to preserve competition and free enterprise.

Nasty. Very nasty.

IFAwebnews.com | Blue Cross leader says individual health insurance mandate would help

 

[arnguy]

I just love these conspiracy theories!

 

[Winter_123]

I just love these conspiracy theories!

Laugh as you may, it is said that in the Land of the Blind even the man with just one eye is considered to be insane.

AHIP represents the major carriers and they are colluding with the government to implement guaranteed issue and/or aspects of a single payor system or universal health care system. That is simply a fact even if everyone here thinks that they and the carriers are out there defending the free enterprise system against big government. They are not. They are trying to get the government to require health insurance or coverage so that they will get a windfall. Then in return for volume, they will squeeze the margins to the point where the agent is just a bump on the log and all business is driven through telemarketing and online. Conspiracy or sign of the times? Time will tell.
AHIP & BCBSA support guaranteed issue and individual mandate - PNHP’s official Blog

 

[PaulR]

I don't find the premise to be out of line at all.

After a good period of time dealing with the Medicare Advantage programs as <shudder> a manager for a certain FMO I had more than my share of interaction with insurance carriers; one specifically.

I dealt firsthand with the bs that was ladled out both by the carrier and the fmo--each blaming the other and CMS for problems agents faced.

I have no doubt that the spineless corporate types have already positioned themselves for favorable treatment from this administration when socialized medicine is jammed down our throats.

 

[TXINSURANCE]

If you think carriers like agents you might be sadly mistaken. We are a huge cost factor in doing business - sorry but it is the reality.

If there were national GI and no agents, just a "connector" online - you don't think the carriers would want that?

You think carriers want to pay 10 to 30% commission to some high maintenance agent (and train them)?

Obama has potential to make the carriers tons of money (just not the agent)

 

[ABC]

I don't know how long most of you have been in the industry but in the last 5 years there have been huge mergers and acquisitions with the health carriers.

How many regional carriers are you selling? I am selling just two and most of the time they can't compete with an Anthem.

These Carriers have to involved with B.O. and his move to nationalize healthcare. The carriers are the only ones that might be working in our interests.

Hey, B.O. said he want to cut the brokers out of the picture and administrators. He is claiming it will save 20%.

We all know 20% is B.S. I wish B.O. would reveal how he obtains his numbers.

Look if you guys are not worried yet you should be.
Whatever health care reform comes down the line it will cost the agents/brokers part of their block and thats best case scenario.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

If you think carriers like agents you might be sadly mistaken. We are a huge cost factor in doing business - sorry but it is the reality.

If there were national GI and no agents, just a "connector" online - you don't think the carriers would want that?

You think carriers want to pay 10 to 30% commission to some high maintenance agent (and train them)?

Obama has potential to make the carriers tons of money (just not the agent)

Dead on. There isn't a carrier that wouldn't pop the cork if they would fire every agent they had. We are a necessary evil. UW and commission departments loathe us.

Every carrier's wet dream is we go GI just like MA, get gov't funding to offset the costs for issuing GI coverage and terminate every agent the next morning.

 

[Paradigm]

A National Health Exchange which prob wont happen would put all regional and 2nd tier carriers out of business overnight thereby actually giving the consumer less choice not more.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

If you think carriers like agents you might be sadly mistaken. We are a huge cost factor in doing business - sorry but it is the reality.

While this is certainly true, over the last eighteen years I have seen carriers try every single alternative distribution method imaginable in order to cut out the agent and lower distribution costs.

Not one of them has been as effective as an agent.

 

[Winter_123]

While this is certainly true, over the last eighteen years I have seen carriers try every single alternative distribution method imaginable in order to cut out the agent and lower distribution costs.

Not one of them has been as effective as an agent.

True perhaps. However, those of us who are in guaranteed issue states have no choice but to observe that the independent health agent does not exist unless they are into mega or some short-term product or primarily selling some other type of product. Might be some leftovers who got in earlier and still have some anthem group business but are still independent.

Nevertheless, when guaranteed issue goes nationwide, I am planning to get in for whatever dregs there are. It is just that I will never see the glory days or good days anyway that independent agents in other states experience/d.