Health Insurance Agents - What’s Next?
Jaclyn Schiff a writer for Kaiser Health news recently penned an article about insurance agents and how impending health care reform might impact those that sell individual health insurance. According to the article, the changes that are being considered could significantly change the way they do business.
Schiff spoke to two health insurance agents to find out how they are approaching possible changes. Excerpts from those interviews are included below.
Q: Are you concerned with how health care reform will change your business?
A: …. An individual mandate is an excellent thing and that there will be guaranteed issue for anyone who wants health insurance. I sell a lot of individual health insurance policies and it is frustrating for people who have minor illnesses or expenses and can’t get covered. ….Guaranteed issue will allow me to spend more time finding the right products and not to have to go through underwriting ….and then getting turned down for insurance coverage
Q: Do you think a public plan would put health insurance companies out of business
A: Absolutely…..the consumer is going to say, oh, it’s less expensive for me to go on this government sponsored plan. However, They don’t realize that in the long run, when taxes are factored in, they might be paying more because of it.
Q: What have agents and brokers been doing to prepare for changes
A: Many agents and brokers have been selling more ancillary products such as dental insurance, vision insurance etc.
