More insurers hint at PPACA exchange strategies

Exchanges
Humana executives said they already are planning for exchange plan "marketing and messaging" campaigns while planning their Medicare Advantage marketing campaigns.

James Murray, the chief operating officer, said the company hopes to participate in exchanges — Web-based health insurance supermarkets — in states in which the company has significant network strength.

David Cordani, Cigna's president, said he thinks his company could benefit as the health exchange market matures from applying the individual health insurance direct marketing expertise its international benefits business has gained in other countries to the U.S. market.

Outside the United States, Cigna sells health insurance to consumers through telemarketing, television ads, direct-response programs and bank insurance programs as well as through the Internet, Cordani said. 

Brokers
Insurance brokers, meanwhile, are talking about their private health insurance exchange programs during their earnings calls. 

Executive at Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc. (NYSE:MMC), for example, said the company's Mercer Marketplace private exchange program has lined up many coverage suppliers, including Cigna and Humana, and has many employers thinking about using the marketplace.

Executives at Arthur J. Gallagher & Company (NYSE:AJG), which is creating a private exchange, said they think exchanges will have a big effect on employers with fewer than 50 lives and some on employers with 50 to 100 lives, but much less on bigger employers, and that the company sees the exchanges and exchange insurers recognizing the need to work with brokers.

Executives at Willis Group Holdings Public Limited (NYSE:WSH) said they are watching the exchanges closely but expect a high percentage of the kinds of employers that Willis serves to continue to use intermediaries.

See also:

• Illinois PPACA exchange attracts 6 carriers
• PPACA exchanges crash health earnings calls
• WellPoint close to completing exchange product design, pricing
• UnitedHealth to be "very selective" exchange user