Window Closes for Nevada Insurance Agents to Get Certified Under the Nevada ObamaCare Exchange

RENO, Nev. - Aug. 14, 2013 - PRLog -- Reno, NV – Licensed health insurance agents who intend to help Nevadans understand all of the options available to them in the new Nevada Health Insurance Exchange are required by the State of Nevada to complete a series of training sessions. 

Current licensed agents who fail to complete the training requirement will be legally banned from advising anyone about the health insurance plans available via the State’s new Nevada Insurance Exchange.

Registration for the required certification closed Friday, August 9, 2013.

The Affordable Care Act (often termed ObamaCare) is specific about the guidance that consumers will have as they use the Nevada HealthLink Exchange website this fall.

Throughout America, there will be four main categories of “helpers” available to the public for insurance guidance under ObamaCare. The four categories include: Navigators, Enrollment Assisters, Certified Application Counselors, and Licensed Health Insurance Agents that have been certified by the Exchange to advise the public—at no additional cost—about the health insurance plans that will be available on the Exchange.

There is a significant difference between the first three “helper” categories and a Licensed and Certified Health Insurance Agent—Licensed and Certified Agents are the only “helper” that can provide recommendations about the details, both positive and negative, about one plan over another as it pertains to the specific situation of each individual seeking to get their insurance coverage via Nevada HealthLink.

Navigators, Enrollment Assisters, and Certified Application Counselors can help guide an individual on the new website, but they are not allowed to advise the public about recommended benefits between competing plans, or about balancing benefits with cost comparisons. 

Both Navigators and Enrollment Assisters will be providing explanations of coverage from the web portal, but they are restricted in their opinions about the plans in the exchange.  The information that they provide will be limited to that available on the Nevada HealthLink website.

Certified Application Counselors will perform many of the same functions as the Enrollment Assisters, and will be utilized in hospitals and other care centers to enroll patients into insurance plans so that the next time the patient returns, they will have a plan in force. These individuals will be able to investigate the possible enrollment options the patient may have for future visits.

Starting October 1^st, Exchange Certified Health Insurance agents will be providing advice and guidance while helping their clients choose the best plan possible.

So far, eight different “Exchange” health insurance plans have been published on the Nevada HealthLink Insurance Exchange site. Yet, it is forecast  that there will be more than 50 plans available outside of the exchange—that meet the ObamaCare Requirements—starting January 1^st, 2014. 

The only way to know about all the plans that will be available under ObamaCare will be to contact a Licensed and Certified Health Insurance Agent who was trained by the State of Nevada to advise individuals on the options available on the Nevada’s HealthLink website.

In Reno, all the Licensed Insurance Agents at Health Benefits Associates (http://www.HealthBenefits.net) have been certified by the State of Nevada to advise the public about the new insurance plans that will become available under the Affordable Care Act.  There is no extra cost or fees added to your insurance plan when making use of the a Licensed Insurance Agent to help you get the best insurance option for your circumstances on the Nevada HealthLink Exchange.

Utilizing the most qualified of “helpers” ensures that you are being advised by the most knowledgeable people in the insurance business. All “helper” who are not Licensed and Certified Insurance Agents have been newly trained and are not yet experts, or even have the authority, to guide you to the best plan. Knowing what’s right for you can save thousands of dollars.

When navigating the complexity of the insurance market, you can save time and know that you are choosing the best option possible, whether that health plan option is available in or out of the exchange –by utilizing a Licensed and Certified Health Insurance Agent.