Health care reform may put brokers in critical condition - San Francisco Business Times:

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The workers in question are the brokeras who serve as the middlemen betwee health insurance companies andinsurance purchasers, usuallyt individuals, and small and medium businesses. Brokers and carrierz are concerned about reform proposales such as the one by keyHousew Democrats, which would establish a national Healtyh Insurance Exchange — and allow state-run alternatives offering standardized benefit options from privats insurers and a competing government-run plan. Purchasers woulsd buy directly, most likely through an onlinre system.
The local effecft of an exchange woulfdbe “very devastating to an industry of peopl who have been very, very good at helpin the public find what they need,” said Jim Hissong, an agencu owner in Lenexa and the immediatee past president of the . Broker s play a significant role in the locapl marketbecause it’s comprised largely of smaller companies that don’t have the in-house expertisr to evaluate needs and options, said Thomaw Bryon, owner of , an employee benefits firm in Leawood.
“They are busy runnin g their own businesses, he “They have to depend on somebody to do Bryon said the system envisioned by reformers could be just as complicatedx and force consumers to navigate a government bureaucracy for also is concerned abouyt navigating a system without brokers to help sellits products, said Bryaj Miller, chief actuary for the company. “Itg would sort of change our entirsmarketing focus,” he said, shiftingb it from wooing employers to individual employees. Jeff Kocen said he doubted the doomsdah predictions for brokers in a new healt hcare system.
He is owner of in Overlands Park, which provides capital to small businessesw by buying their invoices and then collecting the and he is also chairman ofthe Civic/Legislativew Committee for the , a local networkinb group. He said most brokers still will be valuable becauss they provide advice on an arrayu ofbenefits issues. “There are plentty of places for brokers tomake money,” Koceh said.