The coalition — comprised of NAIFA’s Association of Health Insurance Advisors, the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, the National Association of Health Underwriters and the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America — says leaving it up to the government to help Americans cope in a reformed health marketplace just isn’t a smart decision.
They make their point by describing how unhelpful Medicare and IRS help lines have been, citing 2008 findings from the Senate Special Committee on Aging and the General Accountability Office.
The groups note that those entities found that voice menus were confusing, wait times were too long, calls were disconnected, faulty information was given, busy signals and hang ups were increasing and the number of abandoned calls doubled in a year’s time.
All of these factors help prove, according to the coalition, that “thought government-run information and call centers have a time and a place in providing basic information and service, they cannot and should not be expected to supplant or mimic the knowledge, skills, experience, training, personal service, advocacy and accountability of professional benefit specialists,” the letter states.
Are these industry groups making good points? Are they making the right points? Read the letter, then let us know online.
