Obama Care Resource

[RBHAGENT]

Anyone have any really strong websites or sources that are keeping up with Obamacare....maybe a website that highlights the effect it will have on us agents...

What are the good sources??

 

[pcbinsurance]

The Arizona duo of Yagents and Ann H are two great sources on the Forum.

 

[Yagents]

You found it right here......this forum..........or try NAHU. Thanks Steve for the kudos, but I'm starting to freak out now that FL and AZ are going federal exchanges. I thought I had AZ in the bag.

 

[toddoxley]

I am curious.. How is a exchange good for agents?? Are you assuming that there will actually be the $$$ for the subsidies and therefore we as agents will be able to sell more insurance? Do you not worry that the exchanges will not need agents in a year or so? We have 1000's of agents in Arziona now, why does a consumer need another source to by insurance?

 

[AllenChicago]

Todd, I don't see anywhere in this forum where agents are voicing support for the 2014 exchange(s). Even if agents are allowed to "assist" people in choosing a plan, the compensation will be horrible.
-AC

 

[russelltw]

Wondering if there will be so few left standing that those who can help can make some money. From this point (this view could change any day), it looks like it would be more 1 call deals as opposed to the process I deal with today.

From what I understand about the federal options, compensation is determined by the carrier (please correct me if I am wrong). Those companies who are restricted by a tight MLR may have poor compensation compared to those companies who have more room with the MLR. I am hoping (smoking some "hopium"?) there will 2-3 years at least to get some fair compensation before this blows up. That should be long enough to get safely into medicare, life, annuities...until the government decides the sheople need help in those areas also. Then there would be a need to either return to p/c or exist the business completely.

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

Many brokers are GETTING OUT of individual health. We saw it a few years ago and most of us made adjustments.

As many have mentioned...it's volume that will help you with the Exchanges. But EHealth and the .gov websites will be more involved than ever. Volume can be accomplished but very few understand how.

 

[ABC]

I think you could be right on with your assessment.
We could have 3 or 4 year big run. It is all going to depend on what the carriers pay. If you have a current block and different marketing streams you could be in the game.

Wondering if there will be so few left standing that those who can help can make some money. From this point (this view could change any day), it looks like it would be more 1 call deals as opposed to the process I deal with today.

From what I understand about the federal options, compensation is determined by the carrier (please correct me if I am wrong). Those companies who are restricted by a tight MLR may have poor compensation compared to those companies who have more room with the MLR. I am hoping (smoking some "hopium"?) there will 2-3 years at least to get some fair compensation before this blows up. That should be long enough to get safely into medicare, life, annuities...until the government decides the sheople need help in those areas also. Then there would be a need to either return to p/c or exist the business completely.

 

[Yagents]

I am curious.. How is a exchange good for agents?? Are you assuming that there will actually be the $$$ for the subsidies and therefore we as agents will be able to sell more insurance? Do you not worry that the exchanges will not need agents in a year or so? We have 1000's of agents in Arziona now, why does a consumer need another source to by insurance?

I was part of the AZ broker exchange meetings. In AZ, brokers were going to be included, and be paid by the insurance companies (=certainty). With MLR being achieved with 10%/5%, I figured it would be similar in the exchange. To sell a mandated......subsidized.....guarantee issued product......to thousands/millions in AZ was going to be rather easy to work on volume. The law is more complicated, not less. Advice will be needed not only initially, but over the long run. Every plan in every metal category will be different (companies have flexiblity in building AV value), and every client with different health conditions will need help matching up to the best plan. Factor in AGI analysis and subsidies, and you have the need for a valued advisor. Now, we are at the mercy of the federal exchange, and their discretion to allow agents to participate and be paid. If no commission, fees will be charged to my clients for advice.

Exchanges are here to stay. It's a duplication of an existing marketplace as we all know. E health would have put us out of business long ago if it was so easy to buy your own health insurance. Now it's e-gov, which won't be able to deliver advice like we can.

 

[Ann H]

The Arizona duo of Yagents and Ann H are two great sources on the Forum.

Thank you pcbinsurance for your compliments. It's great to have Yagents as a comrade as we navigate through this ObamaNation. I rely on many of you for news and commentary. I can get the news from lots of sources, but the commentary from this Forum is the most valuable. It's the "common sense" condensed version, written specifically about the facts that matter most to our bottom line and to our client's best interest.

I agree with the others that we have a 2-3 year run in the exchanges, and then we will be extinguished. When AZ announced this week that they will default to the Fed exchange my heart sank. It's hard to see your business implode, plot a plan of action to rebuild it, and have a moving target at the same time.