Trump, Oz, and You – How Technology Can Help You Compete in an Ever-Changing World

Brendan McLoughlin, President of e123, the leading distribution management software company, moderated a panel at the Medicarians/ACA Summit, “Trump, Oz, and You – How Technology Can Help You Compete in an Ever-Changing World.”

The panel consisted of health insurance experts across academia, distribution, and carriers to discuss how the Trump Administration’s changes will impact the health insurance industry. They addressed the challenges and opportunities that exist in this new landscape when connecting the right person with the right policy at the right time.

Representing a well-balanced view of the potential changes, the panel featured:

• Makayla Lavender, Assistant Professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas: Makayla is a health economist whose research focuses on ACA policy, Medicare expansion, health insurance literacy, and broker relationships.
• Cristin Hopkin-Bishop, COO, The Brokerage Inc: Cristin represents the second generation of the largest independent family-owned brokerage with over 20,000 agents.
• Suzanna Roberts, CEO of Sonder Health Plans: Sonder is the only local Medicare Advantage (MA) plan in Georgia and a carrier success story, having grown from 3,500 to 20,000 members during the last open enrollment period.

The panelists covered the impact of expected changes on five areas of health insurance.

1. Medicaid: They discussed the crossover in insurance and the ripple effect that potential Medicaid cuts could have on Medicare, Marketplace plans, and the dual-eligible population. Surrounded by uncertainty, millions of enrollees could lose Medicaid coverage, resulting in significant strain on state budgets and local health systems, and a skyrocketing uninsured population. The panel discussed the importance of flexible plan design and getting the best information to agents so they can educate customers on all potential alternatives.
2. Marketplace Changes: With ACA subsidies expiring, the panel addressed the populations most at risk for losing coverage and potential options for alternative plans. The panel also discussed the increased pressure on agents to do more in less time with the proposed ruling to shorten the open enrollment window.
3. Medicare Advantage: With Dr. Oz being an outspoken proponent of Medicare Advantage, the panel shared thoughts on the growth implications for MA plans and what changes Dr. Oz could implement to promote MA growth. They shared views on whether or not MA actually costs more than traditional Medicare and the difference in outcomes.
4. Short-Term Medical: One panelist described STM as “the most roller coaster piece of legislation,” and all the panelists supported more flexible short-term medical options, especially as changes to ACA and Medicaid could make these plans more appealing.
5. Value-Based Care: The panel touched upon this complex topic, discussing how alternative payment models are here to stay, especially with the new administration’s focus on efficiency. There was also conversation about how value-based care impacts member engagement and churn rates.

As changes in Medicaid could shift people to ACA, and ACA changes could shift people to STM and other alternatives, the discussion often came back to the concept of agility. Uncertainty and chaos can bring opportunity if you have the agility to create the right products, educate agents correctly, and motivate agents to sell your plans.

To be agile, all players in the distribution chain need access to software that provides real-time data and a focus on Strategic Revenue Management. In the face of constant change, carriers, brokers, and agents must stay focused on strategic, profitable growth.

Watch the full discussion to hear more insights from the experts. You can also download e123’s free whitepaper on Strategic Revenue Management for a roadmap on how to capitalize on the expected changes to achieve predictable, profitable growth.