140306carney_dent_hhs_website_improvements_Page_1Last week, 75 members of Congress signed a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius requesting that HHS make changes to the healthcare.gov website and exchange hotline to “fully leverage the expertise of insurance agents and brokers, state health officials, and other individuals assisting in marketplace enrollments.”
The legislators have asked HHS to create a dedicated hotline for agents, brokers and others assisting the the public with enrollment on the exchanges so that they would have “easy access to enhanced customer-service support.”
They have also asked HHS to fix problems with plan applications on healthcare.gov so enrollees may make changes and fix mistakes on their applications without having to start the process over. This would also allow consumers to identify their agents and brokers at any stage in the enrollment process, ensuring that these agents and brokers are compensated properly for their work. This increased functionality would also improve consumer protection, the members of Congress say.
“NAIFA applauds the 75 members of Congress who have asked HHS to make healthcare.gov more user friendly for consumers and the agents and brokers who are assisting them,” said NAIFA President John Nichols. “It’s important to recognize the vital role agents and brokers play in this process, and we are pleased that in their letter to Sec. Sebelius these members of Congress have done so.”
Click here to view a .pdf of the letter with the names of all 75 signatories.