Kevin Knauss: Health, History, Travel, Insurance
Posts and commentary related to health insurance agents generally in California, commissions, carriers, service, Covered California.
Agents that are certified to sell Covered California health insurance sign an agreement which in part states that the agent will fairly represent all the different plans. I have faith that all the agents will accurately represent all the plans, but they are under various incentives and realities that may distort some agent’s presentations to clients.
On a recent webinar, Chris Patton, Vice President of SHOP Sales and Agent Management for Covered California, reported that over 15,000 insurance agents have registered to become certified to sell both individual and small group health plans through the California health insurance exchange. Of those thousands of agents, less than 1700 had completed the necessary training for certification only days before the start of open enrollment. In addition, no agents will actually be certified as of the launch on October 1st because agent agreement has not been released.
If an agent is strongly opposed to Obamacare they should seriously consider not even selling ACA compliant health plans. Clients are better served by those who believe in the product than those who are selling just for the money.
The National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) have signed on to lend their support of a website that seeks to sabotage the Affordable Care Act. The website, The Affordable Coverage Project, is calling for the repeal of the health insurance taxes that made Obamacare originally revenue neutral and finances the tax credits that will make health insurance affordable for millions of Americans.
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 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.
Many insurance agents who sell health plans and have vehemently opposed the Affordable Care Act have gone through the classic stages of grief over its passage: denial, anger, depression, bargaining and finally, acceptance. While some in the industry still hold out hope that the fortieth plus attempt to repeal the ACA will be a charm, most have accepted the new law and are looking ways to adapt and profit from its provisions.
Ironically, many of the agents listening and asking questions have undoubtedly been ardent opponents of health care reform and many have actively called for the repeal of Obamacare. But here they were, listening to hear if they could make a dime off the tax-payer subsidized, guarantee issue health insurance plans that many have called the end of America and the beginning of socialism.
Corporations hate free speech and social media because they can’t control the message. I will not be a cheerleader for any company’s marketing that I think is meant to promote a skewed image of the company.
What life insurance agent would help a drug dealer or terrorist launder money? It’s not as if you actually know the nefarious intent of your client.
