Gov. Ned Lamont, Access Health CT launch health insurance broker training program, ‘good for consumers’ [Hartford Courant]

Hartford Courant (CT)

Through a new broker training program, Connecticut’s health insurance exchange is aiming to diversify the ranks of health insurance brokers and reduce the number of uninsured residents in communities across the state.

The newly-formed Broker Academy will “create a pathway for Connecticut residents who live in historically underserved communities to become licensed health insurance brokers,” James Michel, the CEO of Access Health CT, said during a press conference Wednesday.

“Insurance is complicated enough; we all know that,” said Andrew Mais, Connecticut’s insurance commissioner. “Having people in the community to explain insurance is good for consumers.”

Through the Broker Academy, a cohort of 100 candidates will receive free training for the health insurance licensing process, mentorship from experienced brokers, waived fees for licensing exams and a free laptop, said Tammy Hendricks, Access Health CT’s director of health equity and outreach.

For the first year of the program, candidates must be residents of the Greater Hartford, Bridgeport and New Haven areas, though officials said that they aim to expand the program to other cities, including Waterbury and Danbury, in coming years.

The first three geographic areas were selected because they have the highest rates of uninsured residents in the state, Michel said.

“We’ve learned the hard way, I think this last couple years, what disparities mean and what it means when you don’t have health insurance, what it means when you don’t get access to a test or a vaccine in this period of COVID,” Gov. Ned Lamont said.

“That doesn’t just put you at risk; it puts your community at risk,” he said. “So that’s why we’re making this extra effort to make sure that nobody is denied the opportunity to sign up for Access Health CT.”

Cesar Cortes, a health insurance broker who has agreed to work as a mentor for trainees, emphasized that the program could have a ripple effect in cities with high rates of uninsured residents.

“I’m looking to create and build life-long generational benefits where our future kids can learn from our parents about the importance of having preventive services,” he said.

Applications for the Broker Academy will become available Friday at AccessHealthCT.com. The program starts in June, aims to have candidates fully licensed by the end of July and will enroll them in an apprenticeship program from August through October, before open enrollment starts in November.

Eliza Fawcett can be reached at [email protected].