How to Make ACA More Broker/agent Friendly?

[Yagents]

One way to make it better, is to stop favoring un-licensed navigators:

PPACA agency explains brokers to assisters | LifeHealthPro

https://marketplace.cms.gov/technical-assistance-resources/working-with-agents-and-brokers.pdf

Found this quote to be interesting:

"There is no federal requirement that agents or brokers help all persons who ask for their assistance," officials say. "The extent to which agents and brokers owe particular duties to consumers usually depends on whether any such duties have been established under state law."

 

[agentinsure]

yeah, lose the agents. What makes more sense than that unless your asking an insurance agent? Lets be honest, we can tell each other all day long how our advice is so worthy and needed, but at the end of the day the yes/no decisions we might guide our clients through reaching a decision is nothing a well written algorithm couldn't handle and in due time will. My guess is the carriers just haven't rolled them out yet because you want to make that migration slowly and cautiously, but once everyone in the country is enrolled and online it really will make little sense to keep the ongoing expense of agents. Medicaid and Medicare are both operated fully without any "agent" involvement, so will be ACA, in time.

I was hoping I was wrong but when I begin to see carriers eliminate commissions, that's the writing all over the wall

 

[TN_agent]

I think it is all going to boil down to competition. If we do get to the point where one carrier dominates 90% or there is only one option on-marketplace in an area, there is no reason for that carrier to have agents or to pay anything. Or spend any money on marketing or advertising, etc. You get what you get.


Medicare is a different animal, and I am not sure where you are getting that they are fully automated without a need for agent involvement. Enrollment in Medicare A & B /Medicaid, perhaps, but not in choosing a plan. In most areas there are dozens of supplements and Part D plans available, as well as MAPD plans. There is a lot of competition hence the reason why agents are needed from a carrier perspective. In my neck of the woods, there are still plenty of people (age 55+) who don't have computers or email and prefer live people and need help managing their health and prescriptions costs. As long as that holds true, I am going to have value as an agent. In 10 years when everyone gets used to doing things online, who knows?

I am not putting all my eggs in one basket (about to branch out into other insurance areas), but there is no need to stop collecting the eggs as long as that mean ornery hen in the corner is still laying.

 

[agentinsure]

i was speaking only with respect to medicare part a/b as the supps and the MAPDs' are all optional. I wouldn't be surprised to see health evolve eventually to a single payer system perhaps similar to Medicare, with carriers then offering supps or gaps of some sort, but that transition will be years in the making and might get pretty ugly along the way. On the other hand I agree with you, get the eggs you can and dont not all in one basket. Of course after the next election less than 2 years, who knows what itll be then?

 

[taterpeeler]

Medicare for All... lets roll....

 

[somarco]

Medicare for All... lets roll....

Works for me.

Won't happen though.

 

[FLM2]

Works for me.

Won't happen though.

I can't even begin to imagine what payroll taxes would have to be for a Medicare system to include everyone-5% on both employee and employer side? That would destroy the economy.

 

[agentinsure]

Localized HMO's/Co-ops either operated locally or by national players IS the trend, funded through a single payer system is logical, its more or less what every other nation does and its where the democratic favorites are leaning, and it just makes plain economic sense. Only insurance agents stuck in the past believe they are irreplaceable, but I know a few stock, mortgage and travel agents who once thought as well.

 

[somarco]

Most co-ops will collapse, especially with the virtual loss of the risk corridor (which is due to sunset in 2017 anyway).

SOME regional (hospital based) HMO's will survive, especially in rural areas. There are two I am aware of in GA, one in Athens, another in Dalton that seem to be doing well.

KP will survive also in their select markets.

Closest we will come to single payer is when BX has 90% of the national market. They will probably be there within 2 yrs.

 

[GreenSky]

I can't even begin to imagine what payroll taxes would have to be for a Medicare system to include everyone-5% on both employee and employer side? That would destroy the economy.

The interesting thing is that to save Medicare (although it is unconstitutional anyway) would be to LOWER the effective age to get healthier people into the system.

We're going to be single payer eventually and I don't think anything the p*ssy republitards do will stop this.

As far as insurance agents being able to participate it depends on whether there is a reasonable out of pocket. There is little point in buying a product (like Med Supp) if the worst case scenario is $5K out of pocket.

Make no mistake about it but Reid, Pelosi and Obummer along with the other democraps have done more to destroy the country in 6 years than any previous administration. And the next *** regardless of party will just continue this.

We're so screwed.

Rick