Marketplace Navigators Changing Clients Plans

[sunkarma11]

I have gotten into the habit of telling my clients that if they need anything at all - call me, if it's something the marketplace or even the carrier has to fix, I conference the call so I can "babysit" the navigators and manhandle them into doing what they are supposed to do.

I did learn how to "gently" redirect; first couple of times I advised a navigator that they are not licenses insurance agents and that what they just told my client was dispensing advise - I was hung up on... go figure.

I also learned the hard way; if a client is better served by going with a plan I did not represent, I had to get on the line with the client and the marketplace to make sure the marketplace removed my information from the application so I didn't end up with a nasty gram from the new carrier re: submitting business I wasn't appointed to solicit. That also happened with "rollover" plans with a carrier I refused to appoint with this year because last year was such a horrible experience for my clients...

All the lovely side effects the administration didn't take into consideration...

 

[somarco]

At some point you have to ask, just what is your time worth and can you make more money (and be happier) doing something else.

 

[cadylou]

At some point you have to ask, just what is your time worth and can you make more money (and be happier) doing something else.

Exactly . . . . this stuff takes too long, for too little. Now I have a bunch of people who had signed up for subsidized plans, who are now "re-thinking" things, and some are deciding to drop the subsidized plans, buy short term & pay the penalty. . . .the tax piece of this for self-employed who can't accurately predict "future" income is freaking some people out.

 

[AllenChicago]

Exactly . . . .the tax piece of this for self-employed who can't accurately predict "future" income is freaking some people out.

More than 50% of 2014 subsidy recipients are finding (as they prepare their 2014 tax return) that they have to repay some of that subsidy to the IRS. Employees are freaking out too, Cadylou.

Since a growing number of Dems and all Repubs want this version of ObamaScare to fail, the more people "freak out", the better, from their perspective.

 

[FLM2]

At some point you have to ask, just what is your time worth and can you make more money (and be happier) doing something else.

2015 was my trial year for doing On Exchange business, I wrote about 90 cases after doing only 5 in 2014. I also wrote about 90 Off Exchange.

I am strongly considering writing far fewer On Exchange cases next year-I will definitely not take on new clients On Exchange and will weed out my current client base of On Exchange down to the core that are easy to support.

 

[sman]

2015 was my trial year for doing On Exchange business, I wrote about 90 cases after doing only 5 in 2014. I also wrote about 90 Off Exchange.

I am strongly considering writing far fewer On Exchange cases next year-I will definitely not take on new clients On Exchange and will weed out my current client base of On Exchange down to the core that are easy to support.

My thoughts exactly. On-Exchange apps were much easier to complete this year compared to last, but when there is a problem it takes forever to get resolved, if at all. My time is just too valuable to be wasting on problems that other people create.

The sad part is the folks at hc.gov don't bother to check the networks for the consumers doctors nor the formulary for their medications. They just enroll them in the lowest cost plan.

Buyer beware.

 

[tonyisme]

At least social workers get paid it may not be much but it's better then what the agents are getting paid now. That Kool Aid really sucks. The government's intention was for agents not to get paid anything that they really weren't needed. Change we can step in

 

[Yagents]

You can't control the messaging when the marketplace sends constant emails, mailings, and robo-calls notifying them of a message in their account, wrong 1095's, password resets, or follow up on document submission.

The client is more afraid of the gov't than they are of losing your relationship.

 

[FLM2]

You can't control the messaging when the marketplace sends constant emails, mailings, and robo-calls notifying them of a message in their account, wrong 1095's, password resets, or follow up on document submission.

The client is more afraid of the gov't than they are of losing your relationship.

They get constantly bombarded with reminders whether they have completed the requirement or not.

One thing I know about next year is that I will insist that clients use the income on their latest tax return as the basis for their subsidy, that will eliminate all of the income verification documentation and make things much easier. If they want something else as their income they can call the Marketplace, I'm not doing it.

I believe I have enough time to support about 50 On Exchange clients, it's up to me to select the best 50 (compensation, support needed, how well I know them, etc) before the next OEP.

 

[somarco]

You can't control the messaging when the marketplace sends constant emails, mailings, and robo-calls notifying them of a message in their account, wrong 1095's, password resets, or follow up on document submission.

The client is more afraid of the gov't than they are of losing your relationship.

It has been that way from the start. All the news reports, everything that came from HHS or BHO was all about the exchange.

Nary a word about agents.

I had long time clients ask what I was going to do since I couldn't sell health insurance any more. They had no idea they could still use an agent and had an option of buying off the exchange.