The promoters the new public health insurance exchanges drew millions of prospects out of the bushes — and dropped many into private marketers' hands.
Organizers of the new federal and state-based Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act exchanges spent tens of millions of dollars on advertising and public relations.
The public exchange websites and call centers had a hard time responding to all of the leads the marketers generated.
Some private companies are prospering by providing smoothly functioning alternatives to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' HealthCare.gov "qualified health plan" enrollment system.
GetInsured.com is celebrating its success at becoming the first Web broker to give consumers the ability to apply for federal exchange plan coverage — and QHP tax credit subsidies — completely online, through a regular, non-experimental service.
Genius Avenue, a health insurance website enrollment and administration services, company, develops systems for benefit plan administrators, brokerage agencies, associations and other organizations that want to go online to sell products like dental insurance, identity theft protection, health screening services, and the limited-benefit medical benefits that fall outside the reach of PPACA.
Ben Rozum, the chief executive officer, said in an interview that activity at clients' sites has been strong since Oct. 1, when the public exchange open enrollment period.
