Quote Engines, Web Brokers, Subsidy Calculators

[Ann H]

Norvax & Quotit are adding plan designs and rates daily, though, which really helps with the plan selection process. Norvax has loaded a lot of Arizona's plans and rates, but Quotit still shows "pending" on most of them. I see that e-health is loading a lot of the rates, too.

 

[foxmarble]

I have never used a quote engine in the past but instead walked consumer through via screen share. I'm wondering if using a Norvax or quotit will be the way to go ?

 

[AllenChicago]

December 20, 2013

E-health and Go-health feel that HHS/CMS has been stringing them along. As we near the end of 2013, the Feds still haven't gotten around to enabling Web Brokers full access to key areas. Maybe HHS/CMS techs don't even know how. After all, they can't get their own internal act together.

Story: Private exchanges: Obamacare shopping still not ready - CNN.com
(BTW.. CNN incorrectly refers to web brokers as "Private Exchanges". I wonder what they call the real/actual Private Exchanges?)
ac

 

[AllenChicago]

October 19, 2014

Web Brokers are implying that they have full access to the Healthcare.gov data hub, but according to the latest statements from HHS, this functionality will not be available until MAYBE the 2016 Open Enrollment.

Excerpt: ""While EVaaS (Eligibility Verification as a Service) is supported by CMS, carriers and WBEs, a lack of resources and time is keeping it on the back burner. Moreover, CMS recently proclaimed that it has updated HealthCare.gov in time for the start of the second enrollment season, and contends that 70% of consumers will be able to use a shorter and simpler application this time around. But insurance carriers and WBEs won’t be able to access the new, streamlined “marketplace 2.0” application, says Chris Condeluci, a principal at CC Law & Policy in Washington, D.C. (see briefs, p. 8) “I think CMS just wanted to make this streamlined application available to the new consumers,” he suggests.""

Full Story: Enrollment Interface Is Supported by CMS, Carriers, but May Not Be Ready Until 2016 | AIS Health

Why does one Web Broker claim to be more efficient than another, when in effect, they're all handicapped by the same restrictions, until HHS/CMS gets around to granting them access???
-ac

 

[somarco]

Why does one Web Broker claim to be more efficient than another, when in effect, they're all handicapped by the same restrictions, until HHS/CMS gets around to granting them access???

Why do politicians make promises they cannot fulfill?

 

[RayNY]

Why do politicians make promises they cannot fulfill?

Same reason everyone lies, by the time they verify it's false, it's too late.

Those brokers will get some business based on their claims, and then go "Remember that functionality we promised? The government won't let us do it, those big meanies. They won't let ANYONE have it."

What's the client to do? Terminate a perfectly good plan and go without coverage out of spite? BOR to someone else who still can't provide what they were offered in the first place? Sue them to provide something that can't be provided?

No, they just sit there and deal with it, and they get to capture some extra cases. Come renewal time, they forgot the headache, and have a fancy new flier promising "it really will work this time guys, we're totally not pulling your chain again this time."

 

[AllenChicago]

November 6, 2014

Is it true that CMS-certified web brokers operating in states that use HealthCare.gov as their marketplace, can NOT use 2015 premiums in their quote engines before HealthCare.gov starts quoting 2015 premiums?

ac

 

[KennyWest]

November 6, 2014

Is it true that CMS-certified web brokers operating in states that use HealthCare.gov as their marketplace, can NOT use 2015 premiums in their quote engines before HealthCare.gov starts quoting 2015 premiums?

ac

That is correct, CMS guidance to all WBE's and carriers was not allowed to release until 11.15

 

[AllenChicago]

That is correct, CMS guidance to all WBE's and carriers was not allowed to release until 11.15

Well then, that's unfair! CMS officials say that Healthcare.gov will allow 2015 quoting starting on Sunday November 9th.

Sounds like they want a week head start, so they can get people coming back to Healthcare.gov to enroll on/after November 15th, because that's the site they visited to get their quotes ahead of Open Enrollment.

Sounds like this new HHS Director (Burwell) may be more marketing savvy than the last one (Sebelius).
ac

 

[FLM2]

Well then, that's unfair! CMS officials say that Healthcare.gov will allow 2015 quoting starting on Sunday November 9th.

Sounds like they want a week head start, so they can get people coming back to Healthcare.gov to enroll on/after November 15th, because that's the site they visited to get their quotes ahead of Open Enrollment.

Sounds like this new HHS Director (Burwell) may be more marketing savvy than the last one (Sebelius).
ac

At this point in time I will take anything I can get and if CMS is going to publish the rates on November 9th that is good news to me, at least I can start sending out rates to my book of business.