I am wondering what experience you guys have had replacing group insurance with IFP for small groups? Several years ago I did write for Pioneer and we were required to get a signed statement from each employee that stated that they understood that this was not group coverage. I believe it also stated that Federal mandates did not apply. I am considering offering GR to a small group inasmuch as their group plan has gone through the roof in premiums. This situation is in PA, so some requirements maybe didfferent than from other states.
Everyone is aware that these are individual plans - they don't keep asking you to compare it with their group plan through United Health Care
Everyone knows that it is portable - they can take it with them, should they leave the company, and
Everyone knows that each individual would qualify for a different deductible, OOP Max, optional benefits, etc.
What you do lose is your persistency rating. Since they know it's individual, the second they get a mailer from Mega Life, their gone, and you'll never know it.
Or
If a PEO comes along, your sunk.
That being said, with new small businesses, you can suggest that they, the business owner, offer a bit of a financial incentive for the individual to work for the company, and use that to pay for health care, that is portable.
When you say 'Everyone is healthy', make sure you understand this goes beyond just the employees, and includes the dependants as well.
I move a lot of IFP's after someone else moves them to IFP, simply because of a dependent issue that wasn't taken care of.
You can't walk into a small group of 20 and replace it with IFP, somewhere there is a lurking health problem. You can do this in a small group of 5, but they are probably a very tight knit group, and if someone suddenly can't get their son insured, they will be back on group in a heartbeat. It isn't so much about the premium $$$ at that point.
PA may be different. CA, small group is guaranteed issue, with a raf of not more than 1.1. It's usually not a bad deal compared to IFP, though definitely more expensive.
You can't walk into a small group of 20 and replace it with IFP, somewhere there is a lurking health problem.
Yes, my experience is there will be 10% w/health problems, but I haven't found this to be a problem.
For those who can't qualify medically for ifp:
1) state risk pool (if available)
2) guaranteed coversion to ifp when group is cancelled (this is what we have here if FL)
3) when group is cancelled they are instantly HIPAA-eligible, which in many states qualifies for GI
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[COLOR=blue]Don't steal - the government hates competition.[/COLOR]
costs of these alternatives usually defeat the purpose of switching to IFP
Maybe, maybe not.
The cost of coverage for one individual may increase significantly but drop even more for the rest of the group that is subsidizing the unhealthy risk.
All states will handle uninsurables with an afforable risk pool, then allow small biz owners to contribute towards indie policy premiums.
Not a bad idea but it is bad politics. You (folks) don't understand that out there in the real world everyone and their dog hates the carriers. The only business sector that people do business with on a day to day basis (as opposed to lawyers) which less popular than the oil companies is the health insurance companies... and they have brought it upon themselves by their mismanagement (and dare I say greed?)
Given a choice between continuing with a private sector solution and government financing, there is no way the private sector is going to win. Talk to voters of both the Dems and the Reps and you will quickly learn that people are ready to dump the carriers for a government solution.
I'm not saying this is better system, but just go talk to people. Ask them "Would you rather keep your insurance policy or be on Medicare?" and see what answer you get.
I know how hard it is for guys like John and others who are so committed to the private sector to see how unpopular it is... but if they actually got out and talked with real people... not other agents... that they would understand that no one loves their health insurance carrier and no one thinks that what they pay for premiums is a fair or honest price (even though the prices ARE fair.)
People (in CA) think all insurance companies are out to screw them... and they are especially antipathetic to the health sector. And I'd say they have good reason.
The carriers have dug their own graves. It is just a matter of time before their death occurs (by regulation) and the dirt is thrown in over them.
There will be no tears at that funeral... of that you can be sure.
Given a choice between continuing with a private sector solution and government financing, there is no way the private sector is going to win. Talk to voters of both the Dems and the Reps and you will quickly learn that people are ready to dump the carriers for a government solution.
Unless you believe the polls, which state the exact opposite. An overwhelming majority of people do not want to give up their current health plan in favor of a government solution.
yes - anyone drinking the liberal journalist's Kool Aid on Mass. has not studied the facts.
The facts are that Mass. is not only a failure, but going broke.
That article doesn't even address the doctors and hospitals. Go do some research on how they feel about the fantastic Mass. model.
I'd like you to write a "stump speech" for JM (or anyone) that defends the current carrier based system. I want it to be riveting and to really pump me up about wanting to keep it... so much so that I'll vote for you... even campaign for you!
You can't do it. It would be harder to defend the current health care financing system than it is to defend this idiotic war in Iraq. The tide of public opinion has turned toward a government solution and all the DMV or IRS examples will not wash with the guy who pays $3,000 a year for coverage with a company that will go out of its way to rescind the policy if he has a really large claim.
You can say Mass is a failure until the moon turns blue. No one is going to hear you. People want "free" medical coverage, they will be told that it is possible if we get rid of the greedy and bloated carriers... and that will be that.
What is the national debt now? Do you think the average voter gives a damn if it goes up by a couple a billion more so long as he can get low-cost medical coverage for his family?
You guys have to stop talking to agents and business owners and start talking to middle class working people... the folks that make up the huge mass of the electorate.
As for this election, Obama will win. You can't beat somebody... with nobody... and John MC is a bigger nobody than Kerry was. Obama gets all of the black and hispanic vote and a huge chunk of the female vote as well as the educated vote. That leaves JM with the right-wing military whacko white male vote... and neither Idaho nor Alabama have enough combined electoral votes to elect him!
People vote their emotions and their fears. With $5 gas, JM's promise to be in Iraq for 100 years... he will lose bigger than Carter lost to Reagan... and that was a landslide as I remember (most of you were in diapers in 1980!)
Obama will spend his first year in the White House trying the find the bathroom.
Maybe.....maybe on the 2nd term he might sign a piece of legislation into law.
What piece of earth-shaking legislation did we get from Reagan? ERISA? Wow. That's big.
From Clinton? HIPAA? Yeah, that's huge too.
From either Bush? Nada.
What people want in a President is someone who will inspire them and who tells them what they want to hear in a way that sounds honest and sincere and intelligent. John you are too young to remember JFK... but I do... no one thought JFK was a good president... but everyone "loved" him. Same with Reagan.
The presidency is more style than content. Yes, you are right. It is an office more limited in power than most people understand, but it has the loudest bully pulpit on the planet... and that's worth something.
Personally, given the choice of being President or Chief Justice, I'd take the court seat.
And to be honest a guy like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet has more real "power" than any president.
I'd like you to write a "stump speech" for JM (or anyone) that defends the current carrier based system. I want it to be riveting and to really pump me up about wanting to keep it... so much so that I'll vote for you... even campaign for you!
You can't do it. It would be harder to defend the current health care financing system than it is to defend this idiotic war in Iraq. The tide of public opinion has turned toward a government solution and all the DMV or IRS examples will not wash with the guy who pays $3,000 a year for coverage with a company that will go out of its way to rescind the policy if he has a really large claim.
You can say Mass is a failure until the moon turns blue. No one is going to hear you. People want "free" medical coverage, they will be told that it is possible if we get rid of the greedy and bloated carriers... and that will be that.
What is the national debt now? Do you think the average voter gives a damn if it goes up by a couple a billion more so long as he can get low-cost medical coverage for his family?
You guys have to stop talking to agents and business owners and start talking to middle class working people... the folks that make up the huge mass of the electorate.
As for this election, Obama will win. You can't beat somebody... with nobody... and John MC is a bigger nobody than Kerry was. Obama gets all of the black and hispanic vote and a huge chunk of the female vote as well as the educated vote. That leaves JM with the right-wing military whacko white male vote... and neither Idaho nor Alabama have enough combined electoral votes to elect him!
People vote their emotions and their fears. With $5 gas, JM's promise to be in Iraq for 100 years... he will lose bigger than Carter lost to Reagan... and that was a landslide as I remember (most of you were in diapers in 1980!)
Al
Al, a question:
With such a high level of disdain and contempt for;
The system
Carriers
Agents
Business owners
It begs the question...what are you doing in the business?
Using IFP for Small Groups
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