CMS Dedicated To Stabilizing Individual Health Market, Director Says

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Stabilizing the individual health insurance marketplace and making it easier for consumers to enroll in coverage are priorities for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, its federal marketplace director told HAFA members at their Agent Summit on Friday.

Dean Mohs directs the CMS' agent/broker strategy for the federally facilitated marketplace. He updated HAFA members on the agency's efforts to improve the enrollment process.

"This is a historic time, with a lot of uncertainty and a lot of change, " Mohs told the group. "It's the wrong market dynamic for you to be successful."

Mohs said it will take additional time to stabilize the individual marketplace. But he predicted the marketplace should settle down for the 2019 enrollment period.

In the meantime, CMS has taken some steps to provide some flexibility in the enrollment process and attempt to attract more young and healthy enrollees.

One step that agents say will make their work more challenging is that open enrollment for 2018 has been shortened to 45 days -- from Nov. 1 to Dec.15. Mohs said he hoped that period would be expanded for 2019 enrollment.

CMS is making a number of improvements to its agents/brokers portal that should make agents' work a little easier.

One change that HAFA sought is to ensure that all registered agents who are approved to sell health insurance on the federal exchange would have their names show up immediately when a consumer searches for help online. Currently, a consumer searching for online help sees contact information for navigators before seeing information about agents in their community.

In addition, CMS will give all federally registered agents and brokers the option of being listed in all states where they hold a valid health insurance license.

Looking ahead, Mohs said, CMS is still working on several online improvements for agents. One would give an agent the ability to see a snapshot of each client's status and any unresolved issues with that client.

Mohs told HAFA members that the Trump administration is willing to work with the private sector on health care reform.

"Agents and brokers, he said, "are important stakeholders in the success of health care enrollment."

Susan Rupe is managing editor for InsuranceNewsNet. She formerly served as communications director for an insurance agents' association and was an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. Contact her at [email protected].

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