EHTH 4th Qtr Conf Call

[Ann H]

An MGA may not be able to take an override, but they can still do a commission cut with sub-agents. And, considering how many names & email addresses they own, they could attract a lot of business.

YAgents, perhaps the investors feel the same as Orin Hatch, that exchanges won't be running in time, and this house of cards is set to fall... Or perhaps they agree about the coming rate shocks. Just a thought.

 

[Yagents]

They moved all of their medicare business to in-house fulfillment/sales for their planprescriber.com website. They mentioned lower commish on exchanges as a possibility. And they also mentioned no progress in talking with HHS about participating in the FFE's. The stock had a big run up starting Sept from $16 to $25 in anticipation of AEP and exchanges. I guess folks didn't hear what they wanted to hear.

 

[somarco]

That will only come to down whether or not we can have apps taken online and give us credit through the Exchange. If we have to be present and get it on paper, then there's no way agents will do much inside Exchange business.

Seems like Dave Fluker already indicated that (direct link to HIX) won't happen.

Meanwhile, in related news . . .

On Friday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid issued a news release stating plans that Humana said would result in reimbursement rates that were worse than expected for the insurer, which relies on Medicare Advantage business for nearly two-thirds of its revenue.

A comment period on the proposed cuts will last until March 1, and a final decision is due to come April 1.

EHealth plunged Friday after missing earnings expectations and a lowered view for 2013, but analysts were concerned about the online insurance broker's ability to survive while state health insurance exchanges were being set up. The prospect of lower Medicare rates is likely to cut into EHealth's ability to compete even further.

Humana plunges on proposed Medicare cuts - Health-care Stocks - MarketWatch

 

[Dave020]

That will only come to down whether or not we can have apps taken online and give us credit through the Exchange. If we have to be present and get it on paper, then there's no way agents will do much inside Exchange business.

Seems like Dave Fluker already indicated that (direct link to HIX) won't happen.

Meanwhile, in related news . . .

The way I understood it is that agents will have a CA exchange login to access and enroll in the CA HBEX, however that login would not be for public use and all applications will have to be "manual" meaning either online by the agent though the agent portal link or via paper application.

 

[Yagents]

The way AZ was going to work before going FFE, was agent logs in, inserts basic client info, then sends email link through agent portal. It attaches agent to the client

 

[pahealthquotes]

The way AZ was going to work before going FFE, was agent logs in, inserts basic client info, then sends email link through agent portal. It attaches agent to the client

that would be the easiest way to handle it. Watching the video from the senate finace committee I was impressed with the gentleman from AZ. He seemed to have a firm grasp of the many obstacles ahead.

 

[stuy119]

The way AZ was going to work before going FFE, was agent logs in, inserts basic client info, then sends email link through agent portal. It attaches agent to the client

Hire a few people temporarily just to input information and send links out. Otherwise there won't be sufficient volume to make the subsidized market worth working for/with.

 

[Yagents]

EHealth sails through the reform storm | LifeHealthPro

 

[stuy119]

Interesting paragraph at the end of that article:

The issuers of the plans sold through the exchanges might pay relatively low commissions, because of the nature of the plans, but eHealth sees no evidence that commissions on the non-exchange plans that employers and individuals use to meet PPACA coverage mandates will be lower than commissions on comparable plans sold today, Lauer said.

 

[taterpeeler]

Let's keep in mind here that eh earth has addmitted in the article and conf call they will not be a part of the exchanges.. They will be off exchange only... They are spinning this so their stock does not plunge...oh sorry, it has been plunging correct yagent?

They are in deep doodoo. If they ain't a player they are just a website hustling something