What a Slap in the Face

[Yagents]

Doesn't she know that agents exist, already licensed and educated. What a joke and slap in the face. Inefficiency at it's finest

HHS awards $30 million in consumer assistance grants


By Julian Pecquet - 10/19/10 02:06 PM ET

The Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday awarded almost $30 million to three dozen states and territories so they can help people see the benefits of Democrats' healthcare reform bill.
The consumer assistance grants are part of the healthcare overhaul. They're meant to support state efforts to establish or strengthen consumer assistance programs that help consumers with questions or concerns regarding their health insurance.
"The Affordable Care Act's Patient's Bill of Rights gives people important benefits and ends the worst insurance company abuses," HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a statement. "These grants will help ensure consumers' rights are protected, and they are another way the new law is putting patients, not insurance companies, in charge of their health care."
Specifically, the grants aim to:
• Help consumers enroll in health coverage;
• Help consumers file complaints and appeals against healthcare plans;
• Educate consumers about their rights and empower them to take action; and
• Track consumer complaints to help identify problems and strengthen enforcement.

 

[YouGotMyMoney]

WTF I am paying for E & O insurance if they don't even have to be licensed?

I always knew this EO ins crap was a racket!

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

The insurance departments will have final say. Right now they collect a lot of revenue in agent licensing fees. Agents also, supposedly, need to be regulated. I'll remind everyone that each state regulates its own exchange.

You can lose your license which means losing your carrier appointments which means you can't submit business.

However, if "navigators" can enroll people without a license that means by default they're unregulated. That also means no fees or control for the insurance departments - which they won't like.

Not too long ago anyone was a "tax preparer." Stick a sign in your lawn and start preparing taxes. No longer - now the IRS has new regulations: http://www.irs.gov/taxpros/article/0,,id=218611,00.html#Designation

Remember - the government (federal or state) loves regulations.

 

[Yagents]

Hello Kathleen, let me introduce myself........

here is more from CQ health beat
(10/20, Norman, subscription required) reports, "HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the grants to 35 states, four territories and the District of Columbia at a news conference at HHS," and "said that for years, consumers and small businesses have been left to fend for themselves in the complex and often confusing insurance market. But help is on the way via the new healthcare law." Notably, the grants will help consumers "get help resolving disputes with insurance companies and better information before enrolling in health plans."

 

[medx]

Doesn't she know that agents exist, already licensed and educated. What a joke and slap in the face. Inefficiency at it's finest

HHS awards $30 million in consumer assistance grants


By Julian Pecquet - 10/19/10 02:06 PM ET

The Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday awarded almost $30 million to three dozen states and territories so they can help people see the benefits of Democrats' healthcare reform bill.
The consumer assistance grants are part of the healthcare overhaul. They're meant to support state efforts to establish or strengthen consumer assistance programs that help consumers with questions or concerns regarding their health insurance.
"The Affordable Care Act's Patient's Bill of Rights gives people important benefits and ends the worst insurance company abuses," HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a statement. "These grants will help ensure consumers' rights are protected, and they are another way the new law is putting patients, not insurance companies, in charge of their health care."
Specifically, the grants aim to:
• Help consumers enroll in health coverage;
Medicare Supplement Insurance
• Help consumers file complaints and appeals against healthcare plans;
• Educate consumers about their rights and empower them to take action; and
Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans
• Track consumer complaints to help identify problems and strengthen enforcement.

"Hope and Change"

 

[somarco]

They could just hire Wal-Mart greeters and save most of that $30 million. Probably work just as well.

The insurance departments will have final say. Right now they collect a lot of revenue in agent licensing fees.

True, but they collect even more in premium taxes. In most states, revenue from premium taxes is one of the top 3 revenue sources.

So how much premium tax does the state collect from Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP?

Nothing.

If half those who are uninsured now go on Medicaid, which is paid for mostly by state revenues, where will the money come from?

This becomes amplified when employers stop dropping group insurance and people can no longer afford health insurance. Premium taxes on those folks goes away.

Presumably insurance bought through exchanges will still pay premium taxes but who knows for sure?

And how much are the states getting from PCIP?

Nothing.

If a public option comes around, how much will the states get?

Nothing.

This Obamacrap thing isn't playing out so well for anyone.

 

[bill3173]

This Obamacrap thing isn't playing out so well for anyone.

It's almost unbelievable that this has happened isn't it? I wasn't around when they implemented Medicare, but it had to be better than now.

The leadership of the country has devolved since that time, so it's pure conjecture for me, but I'd have to say anything that was implemented forty years ago would have made more sense than anything now.

Leaders could not have been as idiotic back then, or we would have gotten here sooner.

 

[stuy119]

Interesting. I fit the criteria of wanting to help people decipher their coverages, file complaints, and educate consumers. Even better, I'm licensed as well, which should be like an advanced degree, right?

Where do I apply for a grant? Thanks!

 

[Paradigm]

nahu wanted naic to pass through commissions. naic sub committee has now recommended to HHS that agent commissions be passed through. Given the fact that HHS has now granted over 30 waivers to health plans most notably McDonald's. I would say the odds are in our favor that HHS wil make commissions passthrough.

MLR was partially a result of consumer groups misunderstanding how commissions work. In Actuality-

1) we receive a balloon payment of up of 20% and above for negotiating the initial insurance contract for the client.

2) we receive renewal fees of 5% approximately for servicing our clients annually

when you look at it this way we not paid by the insurance company but rather our commission is passed through from the consumer to the company in the form of total premium and then it is paid to us.

 

[Full Throttle]

Paradigm, thanks for the info, it will be interesting to see how it all works out.