Insurance Agent Forum

[TXINSURANCE]

Hot off the press, more socialism in the news:

Guaranteed health care key plank in Dems' platform - Yahoo! News


I heard a rumor they are going to get Billy Mays to push it... lol...


If health insurance were FREE but you had to Fill Out A Form and put a stamp on it, we would still have 40 million uninsured.

Not a perfect system - not even close, but a lot of these problems are caused by the people themselves.

[Winter]

Originally Posted by TXINSURANCE

Hot off the press, more socialism in the news:

Guaranteed health care key plank in Dems' platform - Yahoo! News


I heard a rumor they are going to get Billy Mays to push it... lol...


If health insurance were FREE but you had to Fill Out A Form and put a stamp on it, we would still have 40 million uninsured.

Not a perfect system - not even close, but a lot of these problems are caused by the people themselves.

Yup, it's coming -even if McCain is elected. The buzz word is now "guaranteed health care" rather than universal health care. And of course, guaranteed issue is part of guaranteed health care. As discussed, McCain will go for it as long as it remains within the private sector. The compromise will be guaranteed issue, with fed subsidy and tax credit.

Winter

[al3]

Originally Posted by Winter

Yup, it's coming -even if McCain is elected. The buzz word is now "guaranteed health care" rather than universal health care. And of course, guaranteed issue is part of guaranteed health care. As discussed, McCain will go for it as long as it remains within the private sector. The compromise will be guaranteed issue, with fed subsidy and tax credit.

Winter

Where do agents fit into this picture? Or do they?

[moonlightandmargaritas]

Originally Posted by al3

Where do agents fit into this picture? Or do they?

This poster has pontificated extensively about the death of the health insurance agent in previous posts.

Are you looking for affirmation, or you're not so sure?

[Winter]

Originally Posted by al3

Where do agents fit into this picture? Or do they?

It changes the landscape in a major way. Al, you might browse through this thread where we recently churned the issue a bit.

Good Article about the future of health insurance


Winter

[TXINSURANCE]

The health insurance agent could potentially go extinct and be forced to sell "supplement" plans, which is hard since they are non commodity. I do believe in a best case scenario this is many years off (4 or more).

There seems to be a universal thought that rejecting someone on individual insurance is unethical. Never mind the fact that they might be the size of 2-4 normal sized people or they have serious lifestyle issues.

5 States to my knowledge have GI and it is the biggest failure and national disgrace. I encourage everyone to run individual quotes in NJ, NY, ME and tell me if you would pay those premiums.

The democrats want GI because it will be the death of private health care - which is their ultimate goal and path to government control, which is what they are all about anyhow.

McCain isn't too far behind in many regards - HSA plans are a complete flop and for the educated and affluent, I predict HSA's will be dinosaurs in 5 years.

[GreenSky]

Originally Posted by moonlightandmargaritas

This poster has pontificated extensively about the death of the health insurance agent in previous posts.

Are you looking for affirmation, or you're not so sure?

He just likes to make statements in the form of a question. Believe me, he'll be on the forum saying "I told you so, ha ha" if this ever happens.

It's great to have someone who hates the industry posting here.

Rick

[djs]

Flood insurance is guaranteed issue. Earthquake insurance is guaranteed issue. Both of these are written through the government (in California, other states not necessarily).

Agents still sell these, and they are government programs. No problem.

As long as carriers compete for health business, agents will stay around. May change the commission some, but agents will still sell it. If the government takes it over, then the DMV person will sign you up for your health plan as well.

In California, there is already an assembly bill that would eliminate the agents commission. Not really, but it would make 85 cents out of every dollar the carrier collects be spent on health care, not administration. Hard to pay a 20% commission in this case. Expect other states to try this as well, which is probably more of a threat to an agents livlihood than guaranteed issue.

Dan

[Winter]

Originally Posted by TXINSURANCE

The health insurance agent could potentially go extinct and be forced to sell "supplement" plans, which is hard since they are non commodity.

Yup, supplements are a possibility but there is a tendancy sometimes for folks to compare it to the medicare scenario. But there are real differences. Medicare offers Parts A and B. Beyond that you go to a private carrier. Just imagine what it would look like if the government offered a supp or a higher level plan. Clients would just sign up there. Also Part B is relatively affordable so many clients have dollars left over to buy a supp.

With private carriers under guaranteed issue (or even non-guaranteed) if you have additional funds, you will just get a higher level plan or some type of supp that the carrier also offers right there while you are at the website or talking to the telemarketer. Unlike medicare, you wont just take the basic Part B type plan but then go elsewhere for a supp.

We don't know yet of course. I am just saying that I think if there are supps it would be different than what we know with medicare. The carrier that offers the client the basic plan is likely to structure it so that you would not go elsewhere for a supp or additional coverage. Medicare can't do that.

My thoughts anyway.

Winter

[Winter]

Originally Posted by djs

Flood insurance is guaranteed issue. Earthquake insurance is guaranteed issue. Both of these are written through the government (in California, other states not necessarily).

Agents still sell these, and they are government programs. No problem.

As long as carriers compete for health business, agents will stay around. May change the commission some, but agents will still sell it. If the government takes it over, then the DMV person will sign you up for your health plan as well.

Dan

The point isnt that agents won't be able to sell, only that it is a complete and total game-changer as far as commissions and profitability as it is known now. In some instances agents will get slammed out but in most cases they will just gravitate away as the landscape changes.

In Maine, 90% of the business goes through Anthem which is one of the two remaining carriers who have held on since the state went guaranteed issue. You can't sell with Anthem unless you are captive with them and the independent agent force is gone now, with the exception of some Mega types and some agents doing group work with a few other limited carriers. So theoretically you can still sell with someone and theoretically or in fact there are some commissions still being paid to someone. In reality, a nuclear bomb has gone off and it just devastated the whole selling environment. So I dont disagree that some independent agent sales and commissions will survive under a guaranteed issue arrangement. I just dont see or know anyone making a living doing that where I live and my state is being touted as one of the models that Hillary and Obama want to follow.

When payout drops to a certain level no one is interested and you can't make a living. Right now for example Humana has almost the lowest rates in the state for med supps. Their commission for independent agents is 156 bucks for a sale so no independent agent is interested unless it is a service to the client or something. When you ask their marketing folks why the payout is so stupid they just say that it is there if an inpendent agent is interested, otherwise their products in the state are intended to be sold through their captive agents. That's the same type of mentality and crap you will get from carriers with guaranteed issue individual health, trust me.

Maybe it is going okay in the other guaranteed issue states. I just have not heard that. I know the affordability is a disaster but I am not up on how it is working out for agents. I will adjust my thinking with more information but the experience in my state which is right in front of my eyes is hard to overlook in the meantime. If there are agents here from guaranteed issue states doing well, let's here it. I am all ears as Ross Perot said.

DON'T GO THERE NATIONALLY IF YOU CAN AVOID IT!

Winter

[al3]

Originally Posted by GreenSky

He just likes to make statements in the form of a question. Believe me, he'll be on the forum saying "I told you so, ha ha" if this ever happens.

It's great to have someone who hates the industry posting here.

Rick

It's a terrible industry for the most part.

Most of you folks are co-opted by it and you believe you are truly helping people by trying to perpetuate the status quo. You're not. You're in it for the money.

I see my role as helping people by trying to mitigate damage of this system, not be a cheerleader for it. I help by telling people the truth about agents (like many of you) and how they will fight to their dying breath to keep this flawed and restrictive system alive.

This system works great for Rick and they rest of us. And let's face it guys, it really IS about US, isn't it. If it wasn't you all would be cheering for a system like they have in the UK, or France, or Germany, or Japan, or any other civilized country in the world.

The only reason guys like the poster I'm quoting do not want to see universal coverage of some kind is because there will be little or no need for agents they will have to go back to the used car lot.

The greed, selfishness, and avarice of many of those in the forum is disgusting.

I tell clients "This entire healthcare system in the US sucks. We should junk it and start over. Put me out of a job. I'll be happy to sell you life, disability, LTC, annuity, or settlement. But until this system sinks (which it will) I'm going to do my best to keep it... and the legion of sleazy agents out there... from f---king you over."

So Rick, Winter, etc., don't tell me how GI won't work or how universal care won't work. It works fine all over the world. The only reason it won't work for YOU is because you will be out of a job and you don't know how to do anything else.

No one else here will tell you that.

I just did.

The Jackass (aka The A$$hole)

[somarco]

85 cents out of every dollar the carrier collects be spent on health care, not administration. Hard to pay a 20% commission in this case.

If all the carrier wrote was individual policies that lapsed in the first 12 months, this statement would be true.

Most carriers in the health insurance business already have loss ratio's in the 85-90% range for their block. That means they are already returning 85% or more back to the policyholder in benefits.

Of course the politicians that want to be elected (and re-elected) don't want the public to know that, do they?

[TXINSURANCE]

Anyone who wants to model Maines system should be put in prison. This is unbelievable and is arguably one of the worst if not the worst system in the nation.

I think a better idea would be to create a NATIONAL RISK POOL and subsidize those members. Let the individual markets rule however they choose knowing there is a federal subsidy program.

By the way EVERY STATE already has guaranteed issue, either GI states like ME, NY, NJ (cost prohibitive) , or HIPPA states or RISK POOL STATES (the best model).

In addition those over 65 are covered, poor or those who refuse to work are covered, illegal immigrants are covered, children are covered, WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?

The only think Obama or any democrat does is eliminate the free market and raise prices.

[Winter]

Originally Posted by al3

So Rick, Winter, etc., don't tell me how GI won't work or how universal care won't work. It works fine all over the world. The only reason it won't work for YOU is because you will be out of a job and you don't know how to do anything else.

No one else here will tell you that.

I just did.

The Jackass (aka The A$)

First of all, in regard to not telling you how GI will or won't work refer to your post #3 in this thread wherein you asked what the implications would be for agents. I made the mistake of treating you as a genuine person and forgot that if you asked a question it was just a ploy to spew some kind of superiority dipped in acid and that it was basically a trick question.

Second, I know that the air is thin up there on Mount Olympus where you are but if you read anything you would have concluded that I probably would not be out of a job with guaranteed issue as I flamed on at length that that whole field disappeared in my state long ago. Listening is not really your strength as a dozen or more people have already established. I take your comments about universal health care working so well all over the world (you forget to mention Cuba) and put that comment together with the fact that you live in the San Francisco area and can only conclude that your thinking is a direct result of having been rear-ended by Michael Moore on more than one occasion. Your website is fraught with comments about how you are the messiah who has come to save clients from the rest of the shleppes in the field.

Take your meds. The tin foil hat is not enough and you are getting angrier and sicker by the day. Of course you have pointed out that you are a student of the Bhakti tradition which has the goal of seeing love in everything. What a crock that is. It is just another part of your messiah complex. You are only days away from going into a McDonalds with an AK-47 and telling people that you are there to save them.

Winter

[al3]

[quote]

Originally Posted by Winter

Your website is fraught with comments about how you are the messiah who has come to save clients from the rest of the shleppes in the field.

No, only from agents like you.

Take your meds. The tin foil hat is not enough and you are getting angrier and sicker by the day. Of course you have pointed out that you are a student of the Bhakti tradition which has the goal of seeing love in everything. What a crock that is. It is just another part of your messiah complex. You are only days away from going into a McDonalds with an AK-47 and telling people that you are there to save them.

Read what you wrote. Is that the writing of a sane man? I really don't know. But I do know this. It is guys like you who give everyone in this industry a bad reputation. Again, read what you wrote. Your anger, your intolerance, your paranoia, and your greed are stereotypical of so many in this business.

What is it about this board... indeed this industry if you include the Top Gun list, that attracts so many agents with hearts of stone and a singular inability to manage their anger?

So many of you folks here not only hate the message, you hate the messenger... and you really enjoy the expression of that hatred.

Winter, don't you ever worry that one day all your anger is going to explode inside you and you are just going to stroke out?

You say Bhakti Yoga is a crock? Tell me again what your belief structure is and its basic tenets. Wait. I think I remember from another thread... and no doubt it is aptly demonstrated in thi