Even though the U.S. Supreme Court will soon be rendering a decision on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, health insurers are preparing for its implementation by changing the way they market health insurance to buyers, InsuranceNewsNet.com reports. Ultimately, this could influence how agents work with their health insurance leads.
According to the insurance news website, based on a recent poll performed at the end of last year by marketing firm Harte-Hanks, 83 percent of insurance professionals indicated they plan on altering their promotional efforts in response to healthcare reform.
Scott Overholt, vice president of the marketing consultancy firm, said the healthcare law holds the potential to dramatically alter the health insurance industry and how insurers deal with customers.
"It's not a trend – it's a sea change in the industry that is transforming companies from top to bottom," Overholt told InsuranceNewsNet.com.
He added that because the PPACA will likely result in more individual plans being purchased as opposed to group coverage, this requires insurers to rely on information technology systems, more comprehensive customer service and increased workloads for sales departments.
Cameron Thompson, managing director for marketing technology and services company Acxiom, said one of the biggest challenges that may result from the new healthcare law is agents dealing with customers on a more personal level. Before leads for insurance agents were often employers and business groups.
"It's a new market and a new way of marketing to figure out," said Thompson.
Even if the PPACA is struck down by the Supreme Court, insurers will likely maintain their focus on marketing to individual consumers, as insurance experts say business-to-consumer marketing appears to be the direction in which the industry is headed.
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