Insurers optimistic about member growth for 2015
Health insurance companies are optimistic about member growth leading into open enrollment, which is set to kick off Nov. 15. Those participating expect at least a 20 percent growth in ACA plan customers, while certain states expect doubling the number of exchange sign-ups from last season, reports Reuters.
Florida-based Health First Health Plans--one of six insurers Reuters interviewed for the story--enrolled 4,400 individuals in exchange plans last year and expects to double that number this year.
And in Pennsylvania, a state that created its own version of Medicaid, known as the "Healthy Pennsylvania" plan, Independence Blue Cross, hopes to sign up 30,000 new customers this year, according to Reuters.
"Last week we saw our call center activity increase 31 percent from a call volume standpoint versus the previous few weeks," Brian Lobley, a senior vice president at IBC, told the newswire.
Many insurers interviewed have doubled or even tripled staffing in order to handle applicants.
In Nevada, which had one of the worst-performing exchanges last year, Saint Mary's Health Plans created a way for staff to organize information in order to improve enrollment. The insurer also allowed the customer service teams to spend more time of the phones, Lisa Dettling, director of customer service, previously told FierceHealthPayer.
For more:
- here's the Reuters article
Related Articles
9 insurers join alternative Medicaid plan in Pennsylvania
How one insurer improved customer service amid exchange struggles
Private exchanges gain ground in competitive health insurance marketplace
HHS working with states on exchanges, Medicaid enrollment issues
Comments