33 days and counting

October 1st is fast approaching, the day Health Care Reform enrollment is set to open for all of America. The information we've all been waiting for is beginning to trickle out. Agents/Brokers are some of the first to learn what the plans and rates are going to be.

A new Rasmussen poll of over 1,200 American adults showed that 44% of those interviewed are not aware that the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land! Is there any doubt why the government is investing nearly 3/4 of a Billion dollars in ad campaigns to educate/sell people about the facts of life?

This week three of the four carriers offering coverage in the Health Insurance Exchange have held training sessions for agents/brokers - Premera Blue Cross, LifeWise Health and Regence BlueShield (to be known as Bridgespan in the HIX). Group Health is next week.

There are other carriers that will be selling plans outside the HIX but a huge percentage of Americans will be shopping inside the HIX in order to take advantage of the tax credits. In Washington State it is estimated that 800,000 citizens will be shopping for new health insurance inside the HIX. I stand ready to help everyone.

First off, the plan designs, while complicated, look much better than most of us thought. Second, the filed rates (approved by our State Office of Insurance) are yet to be certified/qualified by the Federal government. However we are confident the rates we've seen will be certified by HHS. And the rates are higher that most people have been paying but not nearly as high as rates in other states.

Enrolling to a plan is both easy and difficult. Filling out the form online or on paper should be fairly easy for most of us. Choosing the right plan for your family may prove to be difficult. Even though there are very few insurance carriers offering the new plans, there are more than thirty (30) options. Before you choose, contact a certified agent/broker for assistance. There is no fee, no extra premium for the help of a trained and licensed agent/broker.

By the way, the "navigators" hired by the government are able to only help you complete the application. A navigator cannot opine on the differences between plans and it is illegal for a navigator to help you select the right policy for you and your family.

Wherever you live as you read this, be sure to contact an agent/broker nearby. In Washington State, feel free to contact me, Richard Ek.