Kevin Knauss: Health, History, Travel, Insurance
When I explained the In-Person Assistance enrollment program to one gentleman recently he started to map out how he could generate a nice donation for his favorite nonprofit. Essentially, if he was to become a CEC, enrolled 10 individuals or families, he could let his nonprofit keep the $580 compensation as a donation. Wow, helping people get affordable health insurance and making a donation to your favorite charity or group all at once!
As Covered California ramps up for open enrollment for their “premium assistance” eligible health insurance plans starting in October, Julie Wiegand of Covered California declared they need “boots on the ground” in the form of Certified Enrollment Counselors. Formerly known as Assisters, Certified Enrollment Counselors (CEC) are expected to play a significant part with enrollment in many different communities.
The glitch that leaves single parents paying for health insurance earlier and at a higher rate than a two parent household has to do with the way the federal poverty level is calculated coupled with the way Covered California is calculating premium assistance.
Set to release in early September, the Covered California mobile app will not have the ability to enroll individuals or families in a health plan. It is simply a tool for determining eligibility for the premium subsidy and comparing plans offered in the zip code entered.
The identification of a decent health insurance plan has been like trying to identify edible mushrooms. So many mushrooms look the same: white stem with a cap on top. If you pick the wrong mushroom for dinner it could kill you, just like health insurance. Covered California has created some booklets, or field guides, to help people spot and identify the best health insurance for their family from within the new health insurance market place opening October, 2013.
Covered California for Small Business plans offered are for companies who employee 100 or fewer full-time equivalent employees. Companies with fewer than 25 employees, including nonprofits, maybe eligible for federal tax credits for contributions toward employee’s health insurance premium. Four Metal Tier Plans to chose from: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum Employer selects a base plan and […]
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) will be driving millions of people to either get health insurance or look at switching plans. The net result is a huge new marketing opportunity for insurance agents to sell not only health insurance, but far more lucrative insurance for life, disability, long term care, indemnity, auto and home or financial services. However, insurance agents should be prohibited from cross selling any non-health related insurance products during the initial meeting with prospects for the new ACA health plans.
Covered California released their small business health option plans (SHOP) for small employers and they might prove competitive for some companies with less than 50 employees. There will absolutely be small businesses that will not participate because they don’t want to support any government bureaucracy, even if it is to their benefit.
From past experience, Lujan’s focus has been in the small business group market and that was the area he was initially brought in to manage. In recent months it has become evident that SHOP may not play as well as some people had anticipated. On top of the nervousness from small businesses and their lack of enthusiasm over the ACA, Anthem Blue Cross announced they won’t participate in SHOP.
Covered California has been assuring health insurance agents that they will be an important part of the effort to enroll millions of residents in affordable health insurance. Unfortunately, many of the health plans they have selected for the California market place are giving insurance agents the cold shoulder.
