Is Your Subsidy Applicant Different Than Your Typical Client?

[bill3173]

My typical health client in the past has been what you may call "normal" middle to upper middle class, self employed professional (Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer, Indian Chief), or business owner (Butcher, Baker, Candle Stick Maker).


This subsidy crowd for the most part to me has been quite different. I had a girl call me the other day for Obamacare, out of the blue. She claimed that she was referred by someone, whose name I didn't recognize, and we made a phone appt.


She calls me back a few hours later to ask me about my credentials.. I assured her that I didn't have any, but I would assist her, and she would be able to get a plan. I heard some morons yelling out questions for her to ask me in the background, about who I was etc.and was getting ready to let her go, when she insisted that I stay on the line, then she quit with all of the nonsense questions.


I have noticed that the larger the subsidy, the more peculiar the behavior on the phone, not in all cases of course, but way more than what I've seen on typical health or life clients.


Anybody else notice a difference?

 

[Yagents]

They were concerned about navigator articles being past crooks

 

[AllenChicago]

Loosely related, but very surprising. Half of America's Uninsured reside in just 3.6 percent of America's geography.

Story: Finding uninsured Americans by the numbers - The Washington Post
ac

 

[unic.consulting]

Loosely related, but very surprising. Half of America's Uninsured reside in just 3.6 percent of America's geography.

Story: Finding uninsured Americans by the numbers - The Washington Post
ac

"She thought she had missed the deadline to apply for coverage, not realizing that open enrollment runs through the end of March"

I wonder how many people are in that same situation.

 

[RayNY]

The vast majority don't know. Take everyone who has poor reading comprehension (I mean, it's clearly stated on Healthcare.gov not even 40 words into the main page). Throw in all of the people who have never checked, asked, or even thought about it, and you realize most people don't have a clue.

Heck, a decent percentage of people still think it was repealed...

Survey from Bankrate last week (conducted mid January) said 55% don't know the date, 24% thought it passed, 11% thought they had all year. http://www.bankrate.com/finance/insurance/health-insurance-poll-0214.aspx

 

[yorkriver1]

The lack of knowledge is pretty profound. There is so much mis-information about the basic fact of how the plans work, what coverage will be, etc.

Many are scared, angry and overwhelmed.

The referrals from other clients are good because they already think I will actually help and not harm them. That's easier.

A tax person sent me someone yesterday who was completely off the charts with anger and suspicion. I referred he and wife to an area university teaching hospital where financial aid is given generously, as no subsidy due to employer group, pays 1/2 his, hers would take up his whole paycheck. He was also sure that any subsidized insurance would control care and deny life saving treatments. I just listened.

 

[elisag2a]

Since the beginning I've gotten between 5 to 7 referrals a week, sometimes more and overall I'd say they were all over the place in terms of knowledge. Of course I never book an appointment unless I'm sure I/we can help them. I don't think that part has changed since before, you qualify them on the phone and set the appointment. Lots of people self refer themselves or our state run health exchange refers them in error. I'd say the training of our health exchange call center is more of an issue then the clients knowledge.

 

[yorkriver1]

Call center employees at Healthcare.gov are pretty scary sometimes. I had one tell me the other day that income from the 16 year old son didn't count on household income. I politely asked her to check with her supervisor. "Oh, wow, I didn't know that", when she came back on the line.
Just one example. Some of them are really great resources who take the time to help me and have obviously done some studying.
Back to the topic, one thing that is different with actual subsidy clients is how grateful many of them are.
Just went on a call with a middle class couple. Late 50's, husband on disability, wife recently got laid off from a good management job.
Looking to choose whether lowest cost Bronze or good value Gold plan works best.
Still a no go on HSA, even though very smart people. Fees in HSA account too high.

 

[Yagents]

Call center employees at Healthcare.gov are pretty scary sometimes. I had one tell me the other day that income from the 16 year old son didn't count on household income. I politely asked her to check with her supervisor. "Oh, wow, I didn't know that", when she came back on the line.
Just one example. Some of them are really great resources who take the time to help me and have obviously done some studying.
Back to the topic, one thing that is different with actual subsidy clients is how grateful many of them are.
Just went on a call with a middle class couple. Late 50's, husband on disability, wife recently got laid off from a good management job.
Looking to choose whether lowest cost Bronze or good value Gold plan works best.
Still a no go on HSA, even though very smart people. Fees in HSA account too high.

A person with low income won't benefit from an h.s.a.

Next, first American bank offers a free h.s.a. account

 

[kgmom219]

Just another reason its a great time to be in Health Insurance Sales!

Most people are overwhelmed and uninformed. Its our job to make their lives easier. Promote yourself as an ACA expert and watch the sales pile up. Its just going to get better if you can hang on through 2014.