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1. ‘The broker’s feedback is likely to hold more weight’

“State control over an insurance market is almost always better than widespread federal control,” Liz Gallops, broker at Allegacy Insurance Solutions in Winston-Salmen N.C., said in a story about the possibility of a national exchange with more states creeping into federal jurisdiction. “From a broker’s perspective, state-based control would mean the broker’s feedback is likely to hold more weight.”
Read the full story here: Are we headed for a national ACA exchange?
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2. ‘Give employees choice within their employer plan’

“I thought the main reason for the creation of the SHOP was to give employees choice within their employer plan. Now the only reason you would choose a SHOP plan would be to get a tax credit,” said Ronnell Nolan, president and CEO of the Baton Rouge, La.-based Health Agents for America, in a story about 18 states opting to delay choice on their SHOP exchanges for open enrollment 2015.
Read the full story here: New ACA delay limits employee choice on SHOP exchange
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3. ‘We need to ease their minds’

“Advisers need to be preparing clients for a rate increase in January,” said Tanya Boyd, president of the Sunnyvale, Texas-based Tanya Boyd and Associates, in a story about how insurers underpriced their 2014 plans on the ACA public exchanges. “We need to ease their minds with the fact the increase should be minimal and guarantee them we will shop around and make sure they still have the best plan and price available.”
Read the full story here: Advisers poised to address consumer concerns with ACA premium hikes
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4. Three voluntary products ‘we’re seeing a lot more of’

Rob Shestack, senior vice president and national practice leader for voluntary benefits at AmWins Group Benefits in North Kingstown, R.I., outlined home warranty, cyber security and identity theft products for advisers, noting that employer interest in non-traditional voluntary benefits is something “we’re seeing a lot more of.”
Read the full story here: More non-traditional voluntary products on the horizon
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5. ‘Keep plans as simple and straightforward as possible’

“Lawmakers should keep plans as simple and straightforward as possible,” said Richard Fahn, founder and president of the Northbrook, Ill.-based Excell Benefit Group, in a story about AHIP’s proposal to create another tier level on the public insurance exchanges. “The plans are often overwhelming to professionals, let alone consumers. Too many moving parts really frustrates and confuses everyone and leads to numerous administrative issues and problems.”
Read the full story here: Advisers at odds with AHIP's newly proposed cost level on ACA exchanges
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