Colorado exchange plans, brokers may dance with all

Colorado Health Benefit Exchange planners are trying to create a world in which the exchange, insurers and producers all waltz together on the same level dance floor.

The exchange planners are hoping that many health insurance agents and brokers will become exchange-certified producers, any exchange carrier that uses brokers will sell through just about all exchange-certified brokers, and exchange-certified brokers will sell products from all broker-using exchange carriers.

Exchange staff members and finance committee members have talked about that vision in a broker relationship update, a broker commission document and a broker appointment memo.

Jim Sugden, the manager of the state’s Small Business Health Option Program (SHOP) small business exchange arm, said the exchange will not require individuals or small businesses to use producers but definitely will work with producers. 

The board has adopted a policy of “minimizing ‘steerage’ and encouraging certified brokers and licensed customer service staff to present health plan options to prospective clients in the most unbiased way possible,” Sugden wrote in the appointment memo.

The board wants producers to consider offering both individual and SHOP coverage, and for as many exchange brokers to work with as many exchange carriers as possible, to ensure that prospective exchange clients have access to the broadest possible array of plan options, Sugden said.