How often do we as people say, “If you were in my shoes?” That is exactly where interim CEO of Connect for Health Colorado Kevin Patterson has put himself. Not only did he move into a new roll after previous interim CEO Gary Drews stepped down, but he also put himself in the place of the consumer and signed up for healthcare through the very entity he is CEO of. He saw first hand what the issues consumers have faced and why there have been so many frustrations with enrollment.
The ACA mandates that individuals and families have to have health insurance and must either enroll through an insurance provider directly, through a state or federal exchange. When Connect for Health Colorado first launched there were several problems with the exchange, but a year and a half later many of those kinks that should have been worked out are still prevalent. Patterson stated, ” So I understand what people are going through. I thought it was more important to not only hear a story but to live a story and tell you I understand why people are pissed off.”
With Patterson at the helm the only way forward will be with the goal to streamline enrollment and make obtaining health insurance something done with ease. He has high praise for brokers stating, ” I don’t think we would be where we are without you here,” Brokers are one of the driving forces to enrolling consumers in health plans, although, brokers do not have to take a consumer through the marketplace if they are not eligible for a subsidy. Due to the issues on the exchange brokers have chosen to go directly to the carrier. Patterson knows where the issues are and he aims to fix them. High hopes loom as brokers, consumers, and exchanges alike gear up for the third open enrollment around the corner on November 1st. Read the BenefitsPro article HERE