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The market and available options are more understood by a broker than by any navigator ever will be.
A health insurance broker can locate the plans with the networks you require without being constrained by a single carrier or even ACA-compliant schedules.
Overall, you’ll save money, keep your current doctor(s), or have access to the experts you want or need.
A health insurance broker, in contrast to a health insurance representative employed by a carrier, is not constrained to provide plans from that carrier exclusively.
It is important to emphasize that a broker is not bound by a contract with a carrier just to provide plans from one source, even if both an agent and a broker know the market and are licensed to ensure you get the best value for your money.
It’s a big deal. Having as many options as possible can help you locate the ideal fit because many providers are eliminating network coverage like it’s an insufficient penny stock.
This kind of versatility is only available from a health insurance broker.
If you ever need to submit a claim, a health insurance broker can speak out directly with the carriers.
When dealing with any insurance carrier, having a liaison who can speak in your place is quite beneficial. An insurance broker specializing in health insurance will be able to negotiate on your behalf with the insurance companies and has a financial stake in seeing that you get what you pay for.
Since it’s unlikely that you’ve ever had to navigate the particular hurdles of X, Y, or Z carrier, your broker has and is skilled in doing so as quickly as possible. This makes your life a whole lot easier when you deal with them.
The services of a Texas health insurance broker are free!
You pay nothing to work with a health insurance broker. Let me say that again.
Like a health insurance agent, a health insurance broker works for you and is paid a commission by the insurance company.
Why would you ever want to attempt to navigate the maze by yourself, given how complicated health insurance has become as a result of all the changes made by Obamacare (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act), when you can have a trained and licensed professional walk you through the process without cost, quickly, and efficiently?
A health insurance broker is open to working with more than one carrier or ACA plan.
Each person’s or family’s situation is different. Thus flexibility is crucial. This is another issue that deserves its own top 10 slots. Even after considering a potential tax penalty for non-ACA plans, a Texas health insurance broker will have access to and knowledge of solutions that could end up saving you money over time!
Many of the top networks—those wealthy, national PPO networks that doctors and hospitals still accept!—are currently only offered on short-term policies, so keep that in mind.
And only a health insurance broker will be able to locate one of these for you—quickly and effectively—and lay out all your alternatives so you can determine which will save you the most money AND trouble—by comparing costs and coverage.
Your pleasure as a customer is essential to health insurance brokers.
For some reason, a health insurance broker will go above and beyond to maintain your satisfaction as a client and consumer.
• Because they work with carriers rather than for them, their customer service directly reflects on them. It is, therefore, in their best interest to guarantee that you always receive excellent service.
• A satisfied client is more likely to continue working with the same broker, which results in repeat business and commission for the broker.
• Customers who are pleased with their interactions with Texas health insurance brokers will also recommend them to their friends, family, and perhaps Bob at the office snack machine. Positive feedback and referrals benefit everyone’s wallet but also assist the broker in building their brand.
A returning consumer is the ultimate indicator of satisfaction.
Health insurance brokers are not restricted in what they can and cannot show a client.
Recall how we said earlier that a broker could present you with a wealthy worldwide PPO plan that a reputable local carrier might not be offering on the exchange, with the caveat that it was not an ACA-compliant plan.
A broker can help you locate that. Having that PPO network is essential, especially if you need a specialist. You receive the care you require rather than what the carrier wants to pay because there is no gatekeeper to deal with.
And only a health insurance broker can provide you with these plans; exchange navigators can only display ACA plans, and health insurance agents are restricted to the products their particular carrier offers. It’s best to stick with the broker who will provide you the most value for your money if none of those offers PPO networks.
Instead of merely a trained call center representative, you collaborate with a certified professional.
A navigator will help you through enrolling in health insurance if you call Healthcare.gov for assistance, but that’s it.
They cannot legally propose plans at all, and as they are not certified insurance agents, you must still do the problematic elements on your own. And while they could be familiar with the plans due to regular exposure, this does not substitute for knowing the specifics of each plan and plan type.
On the other hand, a health insurance broker has years of expertise sorting through all aspects of health insurance, is completely licensed, and is trained so that the broker can identify the most excellent fit for you.
In the long run, using a broker will save you a ton of time.
It was discussed several times how working with a health insurance broker in Texas can save time. Not having to worry about speaking with the carrier, being able to quickly come up with a good plan, having someone in your corner to talk with the carrier and your doctor/specialist/hospital — all of these little things add up to a significant time saver and a great deal of additional stress you no longer need to worry about.
That is an excellent offer because stress is one of the leading factors in many medical issues.
But how does it benefit your wallet?
Think about what is involved in any given health emergency for a moment:
It likely requires time out of work due to injury or illness, a trip or trips to the doctor or hospital, possibly a specialist being called in, and a small forest worth of paperwork at the doctor’s office.
Now add a few minutes to a few hours for every insurance request, network check, and gatekeeper question if there’s a gatekeeper – you get the idea. You’re already either hurt or sick, and the last thing you want to deal with is a hassle at the hospital while trying to get better.
All of those minor inconveniences build up, most likely when you’re already feeling down. Why not handle them yourself, then?
A health insurance broker eliminates the hassle because they will know who to contact to complete tasks. That allows you to enter, exit, and return to work or daily life more quickly.
Your health insurance broker is always known to you.
When you request a guide, a different person will answer the phone. You will receive whoever is in that day if you work with health insurance agents with a carrier.
You work with your health insurance broker when using a health insurance broker. Instead of a nameless business or call-taker, speak with a genuine person with a family just like mine and yours, who will probably remember your name and the chat you had with them regarding the cookout you attended last week.
You can only get that level of client service from a broker; it is impossible to replicate the personal touch.
The market for health insurance has expanded into an even more perplexing network of limitations and rules. Avoid trouble and headaches working alone.
