Covered California has released a series of marketing videos to develop interest and drive sales to their small employer group plans. Formerly known as SHOP (Small business Health insurance Options Program), the small employer group offerings, authorized as part of the Affordable Care Act, has been re-branded as Covered California for Small Business. The small employer group marketplace exchange initially flopped as it was beset with an online application process that failed and subsequent management problems that resulted in billing nightmares for many clients. Fortunately, they seem to have righted the foundering small group boat at Covered California.
Small Business Health Plans
Posts and documents related to employer based small group health plans in California, plans, requirements, employees, enrollment.
Agent begs to be paid Covered California SHOP commissions
I’m not above begging. That is essentially what I did when I addressed the Covered California Board at their March 5, 2015 meeting. Since I have not been paid a commission from Covered California’s small group SHOP division in over eight months, I was politely requesting if someone could look into the situation. My […]
My dead beat dad: Covered California SHOP
It’s been over seven months since I heard anything from Covered California’s SHOP program and the commissions they owe me from the small group I helped enroll in their small business health options program. The lack of communication from SHOP is a flash back to over forty years ago when I wouldn’t hear from my […]
Covered California promotes annoying telemarketing constest
Covered California solidified its role as a big marketing machine for health insurance by announcing a contest to promote its Small Business Health Option Program or SHOP. The top producer of quotes for the Covered California small group health plans will win 100 hours of telemarketing according a sales seminar slide shown during their seventh sales […]
Are California SHOP enrollment projections over estimated?
Covered California staff is forecasting that SHOP enrollment will double by the end of 2014 and double again during open enrollment for 2015. A list of assumptions was given for the stellar forecast enrollment during the May 2014 Board meeting where the topic was revenue projections from fees charged on individual small group members. Based […]
Covered California SHOP delays agent commissions
Covered California’s Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) announced on May 7th that agent commissions will once again be delayed. This comes on the heels of last months announcement that SHOP hoped to pay commissions at the end of April. SHOP has had to completely move all billing data for the small groups enrolled onto […]
Is it time for health agents to organize?
As the date for the ACA open enrollment approached, most health insurance agents were nervous about what to expect and what role they might play in helping clients enroll in the new health plans. This anxiety was enhanced by the cold shoulder given them by Covered California and the health insurance companies in terms of training and information. At the end of open enrollment, many agents felt as if they had been abandoned by the carriers and Covered California while trying to help their clients. This has left some agents wondering if now is the time to organize into a guild and work for better training, enrollment tools and fair compensation for the assistance they provide to their clients.
Covered California SHOP is a Flop
With no website and no functioning customer service, Covered California’s SHOP for small groups has ceased to exist. There may be a glimmer of hope for a return, but it is painfully apparent that SHOP is wrestling above its weight class. Whether their total melt-down is a function of poor vision and management from Covered California executive management and Board is anyone’s guess. That is a moot point when small groups that earnestly wanted to support and participate in the ACA have been handed plate of food contaminated with mold and weevils.
Covered California’s SHOP not ready for occupancy
The Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) from Covered California has unfortunately proved itself to be just as inept at processing enrollments as the individual and family plan side. What promised to be a stream lined and easy process for small employer groups to offer health insurance to employees through Covered California is beset with a dysfunctional enrollment website and poorly trained support staff. They make Anthem Blue Cross’ decision not to offer plans through SHOP absolutely prophetic.
Covered California releases online small business enrollment for SHOP
Compared to existing small group quoting and enrollment systems from the insurers and the Cal Choice private exchange, the Covered California SHOP program seems a little clunky and unfinished. If an employer wants to realize the tax credits for contributing to employee health insurance premiums they have to have a small group plan through Covered California. Except for the option to purchase pediatric dental plans for dependent children, SHOP offers no adult dental or vision insurance.