The state of Texas will close a federally funded call center in April, just 15 months after it opened. The call center, employing nine staff, is running out of its $2.8 million grant and Texas is not planning to apply for more federal dollars. Since the program’s inception, the staff has answered more than 8,900 calls.
So where will consumers get reliable information about their options under the new federal health insurance law? Where they have always gotten this information: from independent agents. The federal government learned this lesson during the implementation of the federal high risk pool, known as PCIP.
Enrollment in PCIP increased 400 percent between November 2010 and November 2011 with about 8,000 applications per month; soaring once agents were allowed to assist their customers beginning in September 2011.
Article written by: Misty Baker, Life & Health Insurance Information – IIAT