Small Businesses Encouraged to Use Agents

The Obama Administration announced that small businesses won’t be able to use the federal government’s health insurance website to get insurance until November 2014 in most states, including Minnesota.

Federal officials say small businesses can use agents and brokers, or enroll directly with insurers. Noting that many small businesses already rely on agents and brokers for insurance.

PIA supports this delay in online enrollment for federally-facilitated small group plans (SHOP). The delay allows agents and brokers the opportunity to be the “go to” for enrollment in small group plans.

PIA National is working with the Department of Health and Human Services to develop webinars on this topic.

PIA National President John G. Lee, writing in American Agent & Broker magazine, proclaims that it is a great time to be a Professional Insurance Agent. “Professional insurance agents are strong, innovative, nimble and able to quickly adapt to whatever the marketplace or government throws at us,” he says.