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    Where are all the doctors?

    April 11, 2016
    One of the insurance industry developments this year that have us scrambling for solutions is the number of insurance companies that are reducing health care provider availability within their networks. This is happening by reducing the size of their networks or eliminating out-of-network benefits. These aren’t mutually exclusive: some insurers are doing both.
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    Is it time to start selling Medicare products?

    April 4, 2016
    Brokers across the country are understandably worried about some of the recent developments in the individual market, including carrier decisions to stop paying commissions on products sold during special enrollment periods and to eliminate agent commissions altogether. If these changes have impacted your business, you’re probably nervous about having all your eggs in one basket and are considering looking for new income opportunities.
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    Why Financial Planners Should Sell Health Insurance

    March 29, 2016
    A recent Wall Street Journal article by Drew Altman, President and CEO of the Kaiser Family Foundation, reports on the connection between health insurance and financial security. The article is based on Kaiser Family Foundation polling of California residents who obtained health insurance after the Affordable Care Act took effect.
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    How do you fix falling individual medical sales? Go self-funded

    March 21, 2016
    We hear it every day - agents are struggling to find individual major medical plans that meet the needs of their small-business clients. Some of the more recent developments in the individual market, designed to keep premiums down, end up making plans less desirable. Deductibles are growing, networks are shrinking, and more prescription drugs are being moved to non-formulary – meaning they aren’t covered under the plan – and yet, premiums continue to rise. Some health care providers are even deciding to stop accepting plans purchased through the Marketplace. How do you fix falling individual medical sales? Go self-funded.
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    How to Maximize Your Sales with Each Client

    March 7, 2016
    We’re currently in-between open enrollment periods in the individual market, so brokers are receiving a lot of advice—from AHCP and elsewhere—to sell other products that their clients need. It’s not a bad idea considering the number of products our license allows us to sell; indeed, there are insurance products to protect almost anything that’s important to our clients and prospects. Plus, it’s a good time to diversify, to place our eggs in a few other baskets, especially with the current uncertainty surrounding individual health insurance commissions.
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    Big Changes Coming to Next Year’s ACA Plans

    February 18, 2016
    The third annual open enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act is now over and in the record books, so it’s time to start looking ahead to the next OEP, scheduled to begin on November 1, 2016. This is important because there are likely to be some big changes coming to next year’s ACA plans for the 2017 open enrollment period, changes which could impact your conversations with existing clients and the way you market individual health plans between now and November.
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    Fewer Special Enrollment Opportunities in 2016

    January 31, 2016
    In an effort to make the Marketplace attractive for both consumers and insurance companies, Healthcare.gov CEO Kevin Counihan stated in a January 19 press release that CMS is eliminating “several unnecessary special enrollment periods” while clarifying the definitions of other SEPs. He also vowed that CMS will provide “stronger enforcement so that special enrollment periods serve the purpose for which they are intended and do not provide unintended loopholes.”
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    Last Chance for Coverage in 2016

    January 26, 2016
    As you know, the first two enrollment deadlines for 2016 coverage have come and gone. During these last couple of weeks of the annual open enrollment period, people can sign up for coverage to begin on March 1st. We know you’re busy trying to sign up as many people as possible in the last few days, so we’ll keep this short, but we did want to share a couple items with you that may help you better advise your clients and bring in a few more sales.
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    Time to Brush Up on HSAs

    January 11, 2016
    Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) first hit the scene back in 2004, and since that time they’ve grown at a steady pace. Every year, more and more brokers get on board with consumer-directed health plans and HSA plans in particular. Still, not every agent is a fan. It’s not easy to create conscientious healthcare consumers. Americans have shown an unwillingness to save their money, and, without up-front copayments, some people go without needed care.
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    Understanding the ACA’s Cost-Sharing Subsidies

    December 28, 2015
    A lot of emphasis has been placed on the Affordable Care Act’s premium tax credits over the past couple years—and rightly so. The Advanced Premium Tax Credit (APTC) makes it possible for millions of Americans to purchase health insurance; without the financial assistance, many would likely remain uninsured.
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