Clarifying Your Doubts about ACA Reforms

While the private payers are in a frenzy to set up their private health Exchanges, the States are a bit more relaxed but not laidback in their effort to crate state or a state-federal Exchange, being fully aware that in October 2013, they need to launch their version of the online health Exchange market. The media seems obsessed with reporting about how the private or state marketplaces are shaping-up without talking much about how the ACA reforms will affect the people. This article is an effort to clarify your doubts about the health insurance reforms and the changes to the health insurance industry in the post-Exchange era.
Myth: Health Exchanges Lengthen Treatment and Diagnosis TimeReality: This is another common myth that has absolutely no sense to it. Whether you purchase your insurance from a shop Exchange, state or federal Exchange or from an agency outside the realm of private or public Exchanges, the quality of medical care is not bound to suffer in any way. In fact, in anticipation of the growing amount of health reforms and the changes that have already made an impact, the quality of medical care is already on the upswing. The myth might have taken root because the ACA uplifts some of the physicians to the level of Primary Care Physicians but this only means a bigger pool of doctors when you seek an initial consultation.
Myth: Health Exchanges Will Make it Difficult to Get Medicare Enrollment Reality: This is perhaps the most baseless of all misconceptions related to the reformed health insurance market. It should be understood that Medicare is one of the most critical, most valued form of health insurance for seniors and those with severe disabilities. Its importance doesn’t get affected by the surfacing of health Exchanges. Further, the importance of Medicare application, Medicare eligibility-enrollment is reflected in the creation of Exchanges itself. In the state Exchanges, the navigator program is positioned in such a manner that people will be provided stepwise guidance regarding their Medicare application, its latest status and their benefits. Among private Exchanges, the latest in insurance company software technologies is being adopted to provide the same features, albeit in a more consumer-friendly manner, akin to a Medicare quote engine. Conclusively, both the private and public health Exchange marketplaces realize the importance of Medicare coverage and award sufficient resources to make this coverage issueless for the seniors, including purchase of supplementary plans.
Myth: Health Exchanges will Kills the Role of Brokers and Agents Reality: The number of brokers and agents performing in the health insurance sector might not get a boost from the ACA mandates but their present position is not threatened by the health reforms either. This is primarily because the private Exchanges are being created using some of the most progressive medical insurance software solutions that offer dedicated log-in features to broker and agents. These can interpreted as insurance agency management solutions being adopted by the private payers. On the other hand, some of the bigger brokers in the industry are gearing up for the Exchange era in health care industry by developing their own insurance broker software or insurance agency solutions that will help them create portals that have the look and feel of a typical Exchange website.