PPACA Update: PPACA "Navigators" - an Unlicensed, Uninsured workforce... In 2014, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will use tax dollars to provide for a "Navigator Program" to assist individuals with the evaluation and purchase of health insurance in the Health Insurance Exchange. While this information was quite troubling to our industry, we have recently been made aware of the following guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS - the governing body of PPACA) that we must make our valued clients aware of: Navigators in the Health Insurance Exchange will not be licensed In every state we as insurance advisors must become licensed and take a minimum of 24 hours of "Continuing Education" credits each year to maintain our license. These licensing requirements are in place for your protection so you know you are working with a professional who is formally educated in the field of health insurance. The Federal Government, under PPACA, is allowing Navigators to discuss health insurance with consumers and actually enroll them in a plan without being licensed. Navigators in the Health Insurance Exchange will not be insured In every state we as insurance advisors must carry "Errors and Omission Insurance" in order to sell a health insurance policy. This insurance is critical to the integrity of our industry and allows for our clients to have some mechanism of reimbursement if we make a mistake in the way we represent the health insurance programs we advise on and ultimately sell. The Federal Government, under PPACA, is allowing Navigators to advise on and sell health insurance to consumers without having insurance in the event that they make a mistake. If you find this information concerning, you are not alone. Health Insurance Commissioners in many states are drafting legislation to ensure that any individual, Navigator or advisor, must be qualified by license to provide advice and enroll consumers in a health insurance product.
Posted on: Fri, 20 Sep 2013 18:49:49 +0000
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