When it comes to the public health exchanges, the broker experience may vary drastically from state to state. In Maryland, one of the 18 states (including Washington, D.C.) that is approved to create its own exchange, exchange staff are anticipating outreach to brokers sometime this month about the certification process that will prep them for open enrollment. For the 33 states that are under the umbrella of the federal exchange, brokers may hear something between now and August — the month that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has outlined that training for brokers will be complete.
“The value of the state-based exchange is being able to utilize what’s already working in our state,” says Rebecca Pearce, executive director of Maryland’s exchange, explaining that it helps that the Medicaid eligibility workers, brokers, Medicaid systems and more gave her state a leg up in preparing for opening.
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“[Brokers] are a key decision maker for the businesses that are too small to have their own HR offices. They’re looked at as an extension of their staff,” says Vince Ashton of HealthPass New York, a private small business exchange that’s been operating since 1999. He adds that the limited options on SHOP may delay some of the additional counseling expected from brokers when employees are able to make their own decisions on the exchange.
In February, Employee Benefit Adviser
According to Ashton, who’s watched brokers operate on his private exchange for years, the sooner the information, the better. “If I’m a broker, it’s tell me what it is, what’s happening, how’s it working,” he says. “It’s the lack of information for the brokers right now that makes it very difficult.” He adds that brokers who will deal specifically with small businesses do have some leeway. “There’s still time. If we’re looking at small businesses not on the January open enrollment schedule, they have up to a year to make a change, so things could pick up more in 2014.”
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