Health insurers and government agencies sometimes seem to act as if agents and brokers rank, in terms of importance, just a little above horse thieves.
Technology services companies still operate on the assumption that agents and brokers are somebody. Several have recently expressed their confidence in the future of the health insurance producer community by introducing technology tools designed with them in mind.
Here's a look at three of the new offerings.
1. The InsurStore website
Benefit Advantage, an affiliate of Health Alliance Network, recently introduced InsurStore, a Web-based service that helps the agents and brokers who use BenefitMall systems to find and compare supplemental benefits products.
Another company, GBO/Insur IQ, has helped Benefit Advantage offer fully electronic, Web-based enrollment for the products offered, managers say.
The menu now includes dental insurance, telemedicine benefits services, a health care discount card, prepaid legal services, critical illness insurance, and a veterinary care discount plan.
See also: BenefitMall unveils new brand
BenefitMall has relationships with about 20,000 benefits brokers and accountants.
2. PlanCompass Pro
Vericred Inc. is rolling out a subscription-based service that can help agents and brokers figure out which health plan networks their clients' doctors are in.
The PlanCompass Pro service shows which networks the doctors are in whether the plans are sold through the new PPACA public exchange systems or off-exchange.
Managers say their service can cut the time needed to do thorough network analyses to minutes, from hours.
