ACA Government Co-Ops: Is This Experiment Working In Your State?

[AllenChicago]

Saturday 12/6/2014

The Land of Lincoln Health (www.LandofLincolnHealth.org) government cooperative is going like gangbusters this year. Their 2015 premiums are now 10%-30% lower than BCBS-IL (has 94% market-share), and their PPO Medical Provider Network includes over 95% of Illinois physicians and hospitals.

I didn't think many people would opt for this 2nd year, US Government financed cooperative, but lower premiums combined with excellent PPO coverage are overshadowing LOLH's unfamiliarity amongst consumers.

I keep writing these LOLH plans, but also keep wondering if these Co-Ops have a good 1st year track-record of satisfaction among consumers and medical professionals in states where they were popular for 2014 enrollment.

Can anyone here in the forum provide feedback as to your good, or bad experiences with the government cooperative in your state... Particulary, in the area of overall client satisfaction, and other relevant post-sale experience?

BTW, here's an article describing the 2015 ACA Co-op trend in several states.
Story: ACA co-ops cut prices, heat up competition

ac

 

[Monti_Ray]

I do not see the commission structure here. Do you like to share that?
https://www.landoflincolnhealth.org/brokers/get-appointed/

Monti
Live Call Transfer Health Leads

Saturday 12/6/2014

The Land of Lincoln Health (www.LandofLincolnHealth.org) government cooperative is going like gangbusters this year. Their 2015 premiums are now 10%-30% lower than BCBS-IL (has 94% market-share), and their PPO Medical Provider Network includes over 95% of Illinois physicians and hospitals.

I didn't think many people would opt for this 2nd year, US Government financed cooperative, but lower premiums combined with excellent PPO coverage are overshadowing LOLH's unfamiliarity amongst consumers.

I keep writing these LOLH plans, but also keep wondering if these Co-Ops have a good 1st year track-record of satisfaction among consumers and medical professionals in states where they were popular for 2014 enrollment.

Can anyone here in the forum provide feedback as to your good, or bad experiences with the government cooperative in your state... Particulary, in the area of overall client satisfaction, and other relevant post-sale experience?

BTW, here's an article describing the 2015 ACA Co-op trend in several states.
Story: ACA co-ops cut prices, heat up competition

ac

 

[somarco]

Govt co-ops are relying heavily on taxpayer dollars to keep them afloat. Even still, many have bailed. I don't see them as a long run solution.

 

[AllenChicago]

I do not see the commission structure here. Do you like to share that?
https://www.landoflincolnhealth.org/brokers/get-appointed/

Monti
Live Call Transfer Health Leads

Monti,
I was told at the time of contracting that the commission structure isn't attached to the contract, but that it's 5.5% level. However, as Somarco pointed out, the Coops probably won't be around for long. They will be a ripe chopping-block target for the new Congress. Personally, I'll be glad to see ours (Land of Lincoln Health) go away, for a number of reasons.
ac

 

[Monti_Ray]

Thanks AC.. hope your relentless good karma is enriching your life in every way!

 

[unic.consulting]

Minuteman Health has had a strong showing here in Massachusetts, but I don't know how much you want to use us as a benchmark for the average Co-op. However, they've been expanding their network quickly and are now selling in NH as well which is great (both for them and NH because they had worse than no options last year)

 

[Post Quartermaster]

Our co-op in South Carolina (Consumers Choice) has done a pretty good job for us. They have the benchmark in a large percentage of the state. They also have what I would consider the best hospital in the state in network. Our colored companies do not have that hospital, unfortunately.

 

[AllenChicago]

Thank-you UNIC and PQ for your feedback on how the Cooperatives in each of your states are faring!

Maybe our LOLH co-op will get its act together in the administrative area, now that many thousands of people are finally enrolling. Right now, it's maddening not to have a way to log in and see statuses of applicants. There was no agent interest at all, before their significant 2015 premium reductions, and PPO network improvements. So there's no technical infrastructure for us.

On a somewhat related note, I wonder if Iowa Agent JESSE PATTON is a member of this forum?

Story: Agent says carrier blocked him from joining CO-OP
ac

 

[Post Quartermaster]

Thank-you UNIC and PQ for your feedback on how the Cooperatives in each of your states are faring!

Maybe our LOLH co-op will get its act together in the administrative area, now that many thousands of people are finally enrolling. Right now, it's maddening not to have a way to log in and see statuses of applicants. There was no agent interest at all, before their significant 2015 premium reductions, and PPO network improvements. So there's no technical infrastructure for us.

On a somewhat related note, I wonder if Iowa Agent JESSE PATTON is a member of this forum?

Story: Agent says carrier blocked him from joining CO-OP
ac

Allen, LoLhas a broker portal that appears to use the same software vendor as a few other co-ops. Have you registered and logged in to view your cases.

 

[AllenChicago]

Allen, LoLhas a broker portal that appears to use the same software vendor as a few other co-ops. Have you registered and logged in to view your cases.

P.Q., It's going to make my hair even grayer..but here goes.

1.) You must go here and register for the Broker Portal:
https://secure.bswift.com/default.aspx?abbrev=llh
I did this. Worked fine. Only problem is that it's only for GROUP functions. (quoting, enrolling, statuses, etc.)

2.) To See Your IFP Applicants, you must go here:
https://llh.alderaplatform.com/LogonBrokers.jsp
This is a totally different website. The Username/Password created for the GROUP portal does not work with the IFP portal. And, as you see, there's no way to register at the IFP portal.

Beyond this patchwork of websites, the overarching concern I have is that their overall internal system is not ready for much of anything. This comes through when I call and talk to them. Only 1 person seems to really care and understand anything. When I ask why can't I register at the IFPlan Broker portal, I'm told that it won't become active until commissions are posted! This is big, callous, GOVERNMENT, masquerading as some kind of consumer-owned health insurance gift shop.

Applicants can't even log in and see anything. The applicant sets up a Username/Password, but there's no place to log in a check status.

One of my applicants paid her premium at the time of application yesterday. Website kept throwing errors. Turns out, it didn't accept DISCOVER card. Took VISA with no problem. Nothing on the site says "Pay with Visa/MC/AE".
After making payment a screen pops up displaying a (get ready for this) 24 DIGIT confirmation number in 8 point type!!! You can't print it...got to squint and write it down.

Also, some doctors are saying that Land of Lincoln Health takes as long to pay them as Medicaid. In fact, a physician asked one of my terminating AETNA clients NOT to get a Land-of-Lincoln-Health plan for this reason.

That's enough for now... Regretfully, it looks like I'm going to be forced to write 2 more LOLH plans this week. Some people are so price-sensitive that you can't dissuade them by describing how discombobulated newcomer LOLH is.
ac