Politico Turns to Joel Ario on States' Resistance to Online Health Insurance Brokers

Politico Turns to Joel Ario on States' Resistance to Online Health Insurance Brokers

"Online Broker Wants to Sell Exchange Plans"
Politico

May 29, 2013 – Politico turned to Manatt's Joel Ario, a managing director with Manatt Health Solutions, for insight into states' hesitation in partnering with online private health insurance brokers.

Politico reports that eHealthInsurance has struck a deal with HHS to sell health plans on the 33 federal-run exchanges, though it remains imminent, and now the 16-year-old web broker hopes to land deals with the states running their own exchanges. Customers going to eHealth would have a similar shopping experience as those who will go to ACA exchanges. They can shop and compare health plans and get help from company representatives.

However, there is still hesitation from the states, including California, which said that it is not looking at having private online exchanges handle enrollment. The Maryland exchange wants further study for the private entities.

Ario told the publication that he expects more states to sign up with the private exchanges in the near future.

"It's an all-hands-on-deck kind of approach to getting people enrolled," said Ario. He predicted that smaller states with concerns about directing enough traffic to their new exchanges would have stronger reservations about teaming with web brokers, which have broader plan offerings.

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