Obama Administration sees no ‘need to have brokers out selling’ health insurance plans

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Obama Administration sees no ‘need to have brokers out selling’ health insurance plans

June 5, 2009 by Craig

This is a blog post from the Insurance and Financial Advisor Blog. I’ve heard that the Administration compared choosing a Health Insurance Policy (from a Government Website) to buying an airline ticket on www.orbitz.com. I don’t think that’s a fair comparison.

Posted in News | 4 Comments

4 Responses

on June 5, 2009 at 2:26 pm | Reply Jim Collins Insurance

As an insurance professional for nearly 40 years, I see the same situation as when the Clinton Administration tried to force a government heathcare plan. One memorable moment from that debate almost 15 years ago, was when an insurance professional was able to ask Mrs. Clinton, what she should do if agents were removed from selling health insurance. She was in the receiving line at the White House. As near as I can remember Mrs. Clinton’s comment, which was published said, “well dear, you look like a sharp person. Surely you can find another line of work.” Yep, and so did she with contacts of course.

Our Medicare clients, and prospects, are mostly not computer literate, and do not understand the heatlhcare choices that they have regarding the various Medicare supplement plans, Medicare Advantage plans, and especially the Medicare Part D choices. For example, when Humana partnered with Walmart for 2 years, we have pleny of evidence that seniors bought into the $0 premium MA plans with RX coverage and did not know of the $5,000 Out-of-Pocket annual maximum. In our area of northeasten PA, mercifully, the Humana agents are no longer at Walmart. Good thing too, since many dual eligibles were enrolled in the combo plans and quickly disenrolled by the local 4 county Area Agency on Aging when these plans were found to be inferior to their current coverages.

As a United States Navy Veteran, I will share with you the statement made by us. “We love our country but do not trust our government.

The ill winds of change in the seniro insurance market are kicking up. I would not encourage anyone to come into our business right now.
on June 5, 2009 at 1:38 pm | Reply Cindy Ryan

Amen, Brenda. The customer service rep on the “no broker needed plan” will be the local congressman/woman.
on June 5, 2009 at 10:10 am | Reply MHP Tim

Funny how they say it will have very low or non-existent administrative costs. If they calculated their costs like everyone else they actually would have some.

Sorry, but anything government related will have administrative costs. Here in MN, the health plans average less than 10% admin costs. I challenge any other industry to match that.
- on June 5, 2009 at 10:36 am | Reply Brenda Jo
  
  I haven’t heard a Medicare Beneficiary say this yet. In fact most of our enrollees don’t have a computer/internet or have knowledge or comfort of using them to surf government websites. Maybe in 10 years but this is a fantasy right now. We have visited with knowledgeable computer savvy enrollees who in the past had ended up enrolling in a Part D plan and then selecting an HMO plan later and unknowingly knocking themselves off of their Part D with an important covered RX and pricing. Even for the computer savvy generations of the future, healthcare is too important and has many variables and items of importance to leave it up to a glossy website of buttons and links for the masses. And not only selecting it, but what do you do when you have an issue arise afterwards? 1-800 Medicare and company service lines are great at answering questions that specifically want to know what the computer shows but beyond that people not only need but want guidance and assistance. When these lines have better reps that are more knowledgeable it’s great but that is not happening consistently currently and there is still no substitute for local guidance with professionals who know the area, the providers, etc.