Enrolling In The Exchange With Data
November 1 marks the beginning of open enrollment for the Covered California health insurance exchange and the opportunity for millions of individuals and families to sign up or renew their medical coverage for 2016. Some will take a “do it yourself” approach to sift through the options and fill out the forms on the web site. Surveys from the prior two open enrollment periods have shown that many who took this route said they bought coverage that wasn’t a good fit. Maybe they didn’t understand the limitations on the doctors or hospitals available, or found that the upfront costs were a lot higher than they expected.
But healthcare purchasers actually have access to expertise that can help them understand their choices, costs and range of providers and take care of the paperwork for them. Best of all, this help doesn’t cost them any more than doing it themselves! By working with a certified agent, individuals and families can get their questions answered, avoid picking a plan that isn’t right for them, receive unbiased advice and simplify the process of purchasing coverage.
Our company, Keenan, decided to form KeenanDirect as a one-stop source for individuals and families to obtain health care coverage through the Covered California Exchange or other private carrier. Launched in October 2013 to respond to changes arising from the Affordable Care Act (ACA), KeenanDirect provides clients and individuals with a seamless solution for eligibility and enrollment of health care and other personal insurance products. Our experienced agents are fully licensed and certified for the individual, senior and small group markets to assist with federal health insurance subsidy eligibility, provider and plan selection and the enrollment process.
KeenanDirect is a Covered California certified insurance agent and provides consumers access to all major health plans and insurance carriers, also providing dental, vision, term life and more. We now operate an official Covered California storefront location on the Embarcadero in San Francisco. On Nov. 6, the storefront will be a stop on the Covered California statewide bus tour kicking off ppen enrollment.
With an emphasis on exceptional customer service, KeenanDirect’s focus has been to provide a no-cost resource for our clients’ early retirees, dependent children reaching age 26, non-benefitted and part-time employees – to determine premium subsidies, explore plan alternatives and locate preferred providers. We assist them through the entire enrollment process and after the sale.
Healthcare providers, such as hospitals, are also teaming with agents to assist their customers with health coverage needs. For example, KeenanDirect provides enrollment services in connection with Dignity Health, Adventist Health and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. We also conduct outreach to communities facilitated through organizations like the CalAsian Chamber of Commerce and the California Farm Bureau Federation.
By working with an agent, individuals and families are able to continue receiving ongoing service and support throughout the year. The difference is having an independent, knowledgeable advisor offering guidance specific to the individual’s situation. When service and expertise comes at no additional cost, it’s a real added value.
Sam Cole serves as vice president of KeenanDirect, a division of Keenan, California’s largest independently owned insurance organization. He has more than two decades of experience in the California insurance market.
