Thursday, September 9, 2010

I Hate to Say I was RIGHT!

I spent a week in March, before the Health Care Reform Bill was voted on, calling Congressmen and Senators across the country telling them to vote NO on the bill. They would ask why, and I would site the page that I was opposed to stating that will increase my premium by roughly $200 per month. They all disagreed, or did not respond. I am guessing that they had not read the bill which I had read. I specifically remember Senator Burris of Illinois' office stating, Oh you have not interpreted the bill correctly, it will reduce costs. If you go back and read the blog of mine written to Senator Durbin of Illinois, when he responed to my letter to him, you will see where I challanged everything he said.

Well here we go. On October, 1 2010, we are seeing rate increases, larger than normal, to pay for the new federal mandates. Most insurers, that I have researched have stated they need 9% just to pay for the mandates. Most carriers go up about 4% per quarter, so I would expect 13% next month.

Karen Ignagni,President of America's Health Plans,the insurance industries lobbying group states, "Anytime you add a benefit, there are increased costs." That makes sense, kind of like when you add pepperoni to your pizza. I have been saying for years the industry and companies should make Health Insurance more like car insurance, meaning if you get your oil changed your insurance does not pay for it. Our new health law requires a ZERO DOLLAR CO-PAY for prevenative services, would that be like an "oil change" for your body.

So on ward and up ward we go. A new law that INCREASES cost of health insurance, and I think you will see companies dropping group health insurance so it might even INCREASE the number of uninsured Americans.

To anyone who runs for office, please try to take politics out of the discussion and do some research.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Wilson can be reached toll free at 888-448-5370 or online at www.isellhealth.net.

ERIC

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Is this the end of my Profession??

Merrill Mathews, wrote an article this week for Forbes magazine entitiled " Health Insurance Agents RIP" Yes RIP still stands for Rest In Peace. It is what I have been saying since "Hillary Care" was discussed in the 90's.

Mr. Mathews does a great job of stating that the first Casualty of Obama Care are the Health Insurance agents. I think he is correct. However, who will help Tina Sawa??

On Tuesday August 24th, I met with a referred client of mine named Tina Sawa, in Palos Park, Illinois. Let me tell you, her health affairs were a mess. I spent THREE HOURS with her on that day. I could have spent more, but it was my kids first day of school, so I wanted to get home to greet them at the bus stop.

I the three hours I learned about her families medical conditions, how much she is currently paying for her insurance, how much she spends a month on medical care on top of her premium. I realized that she really needed me.

I set my second appointment for yesterday August 31. I spent another two hours with her. Now, I, like probably every other insurance agent in America, do not charge for my time. I was her FREE CONSULTANT, for FIVE HOURS, plus about 40 minutes of drive time each way ( twice). Ok so I have let say six and a half hours of drive time with this client.

Mr. Mathews writes in his article "Health Insurance agents help individuals and employers work through the maze of available health insurance policies to find one that meets their clients needs."

He continues to write the Democrats 17 years ago and still today saw the demise of the health insurance agent as an acceptable, even a desirable loss.

If this is what the Democrats want, and I do not disagree with what Mr. Mathews is saying, who helps Tina Sawa?

For what it is worth I advised Mrs. Sawa, to have her husband stay on the plan and have her and the children come with me. What is crazier, is that now under the health care reform bill, insurance carriers have advised us that they do not know what they are going to pay us going forward, so I spent 5 hours with this client and I have no idea what I am going to make on this. Would you go to work ( or would our Congress go to work) not knowing what you were going to get paid.

Well I did and I would do it again to help a customer. So, I hope for the Tina Sawa's of the world, there are people like knowledgable Health Insurance Agents to assist her.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Wilson is President of I Sell Health Inc. Located in the Chicago Area, he services clients through out the midwest. You can visit him online at www.isellhealth.net. You can reach him toll free at 888-448-5370