NAIFA Launches New ACA Microsite With Resources, Analysis

Content on naifa.org/advocacy/aca  tailored to healthcare agents, brokers and employers

With enrollment less than six weeks away, new content launched on naifa.org examines the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and subsequent regulations that NAIFA members can share with their clients as the law goes into effect in the coming months and years.

“Many NAIFA members and their clients are counting down to the October 1 enrollment date and are facing a completely new healthcare landscape as the administration implements new elements of the law,” said NAIFA President-Elect John F. Nichols, MSM, CLU. “This site is designed to help members and their clients adapt to the changes, with resources that include a practical application guide for agents, brokers, and employers, an implementation timeline, and background materials on several other topics such as the marketplaces, essential health benefits and information about the individual mandate.”

There also is a brief analysis of the major policy issues surrounding the ACA, as well as NAIFA’s positions on these issues and links to external, topical sources. The site will provide the most up-to-date information as the implementation process moves forward to ensure NAIFA members are the best informed in the industry.

NAIFA members are working hard to reach out to organizations in their communities by offering advice to consumers that goes beyond plan enrollment. For example, one hospital system in Southwest Missouri officially will refer its patients to NAIFA members for advice, and the Tennessee Hospital Association is listing NAIFA Members as a reliable and trusted resource for consumers.

While the thousands of ‘navigators’ hired will help consumers enroll through a state or federally-facilitated marketplace, consumers will require assistance that goes far beyond registering for a plan, Nichols said.

“Agents and brokers do much more than sell insurance. They explain critical differences in plan options and coverage, which may involve substantial research and fact-finding about the client’s needs. They advocate on behalf of their clients, helping people when they have trouble getting procedures approved or claims processed. They also review coverage on a periodic basis, suggesting changes when appropriate and counseling on ways to reduce costs," Nichols said.

“When purchasing a plan from a marketplace, the companies that sell health insurance should immediately assign consumers an agent,” Nichols said. “The healthcare system is complex, and coverage does not begin and end with enrollment. Consumers benefit from the expertise that brokers and agents provide in servicing the plan throughout the year. They need to be involved, or customer service surely will be a casualty of healthcare reform.”

About NAIFA:Founded in 1890 as The National Association of Life Underwriters (NALU), NAIFA is one of the nation’s oldest and largest associations representing the interests of insurance professionals from every Congressional district in the United States. NAIFA members assist consumers by focusing their practices on one or more of the following: life insurance and annuities, health insuranceand employee benefits, multiline, and financial advising and investments. NAIFA’s mission is to advocate for a positive legislative and regulatory environment, enhance business and professional skills, and promote the ethical conduct of its members.