An Open Letter to Max and Tom

Dear Senator Harkin and Senator Baucus:

Recently you both have made comments with unfavorable views on how dollars from PPACA are being spent. Senator Baucus, you have characterized the law as a "train wreck" and put outreach and education as your top reason why people aren't engaged. Senator Harkin, you have chastised the White House and HHS for continuing to take money from the Prevention Fund and using it for implementation of the law. Both of these concerns are legitimate.

As a professional health insurance advisor I help design benefit plans, resolve claims disputes, conduct educational meetings, facilitate enrollments/terminations, solve billing issues, and help clients comply with complex state and federal laws like HIPAA, ERISA, and of course, PPACA.

Being a member of this profession requires proper licensing and a stringent continuing education program including course work and testing. We have ethical and moral obligations to our clients to always serve in their best interest and we also must carry professional liability insurance as a protection to the consumers we advise.

Here is a solution that solves your concerns and won't cost the federal government a single dime. Not only that, but it will provide job security to hundreds of thousands of people. The solution is simple. First, engage health insurance professionals to aid in the outreach, education, and enrollment. Second, eliminate the role of Navigators.

Health insurance professionals are always looking for new clients. We already have the business model built. Use our marketing and education tools to generate interest in purchasing health insurance. We compete to earn the business of those we educate on the options they have available. Instead of adding another layer of bureacracy and cost into this "train wreck" (your words not mine Senator) why not strengthen a profession of private sector business people? It makes way too much sense not to.