To the Editor:
In a recent piece, columnist Richard Millard asked whether the new federal health reform law would “spell doom for health insurance brokers” (“How Insurance Brokers Can Survive Reforms,” Dec. 13). Not in the least.
Consumers rely on insurance agents to help them navigate the increasingly complicated insurance marketplace. Assurant Health found that 64 percent of consumers who purchased individual medical insurance through a professional agent described their experiences as “helpful.” Only 36 percent of those who purchased online said the same.
Agents have proven critical to small businesses, too. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office said that agents and brokers often “handle the responsibilities that larger firms generally delegate to their human resources departments — such as finding plans and negotiating premiums, providing information about the selected plans, and processing enrollees.”
Janet Trautwein Executive Vice President and CEO National Association of Health Underwriters Arlington, VA
