Health Care Arguments, Before The Supreme Court, Scheduled For End Of March

Ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court justices will decide whether the government can constitutionally compel Americans to buy health insurance.

The legal, economic and political aspects of Obama's health care law will be hotly debated. Hundreds of thousands of private sector jobs are at risk of being eliminated if the law stands.

Options for health insurance choices are already declining as carriers leave markets rather than comply with tough new restrictions. Calling 1-800-USA-GOVT will be the only option you have to get your questions about health insurance coverage answered.

The creation of "health insurance exchanges" pose the biggest threat to consumers and agents/brokers alike.  At the core of the reform law is state based "health insurance exchanges" or government run "marketplaces" to purchase insurance.  All states are required to establish exchanges and if they don't, the federal government will do it for them.

Have I got your attention yet?  These so called "exchanges" will appoint non-professionals called "navigators" as resources for consumers. Cute, huh? How is the TSA or the US Postal Service working?

As it stands today, unless changed, insurance agents/brokers, the same ones that have served Americans for decades, would be prohibited from becoming navigators. Navigators/"advisors"/gatekeepers would instead be made up of federal customer service type employees and the one on one guidance consumers now receive from agents/brokers would be replaced by a website.

Just thnk of how pleasant the folks at your local post office are. Feel the warmth? This will cost hundreds of thousands of jobs and significantly lower the quality of information available to consumers.

Many agents/brokers support the basic goals of health reform..access for all...prohibiting pre-existing condition riders & ensuring all children have guarantee issue coverage.

This means millions more Americans will be seeking insurance, requiring professional, personalized guidance. Independent agents serve as advocates, giving appropriate, objective information about consumer options based on needs and budget.

When things go wrong, consumers would have to call government call centers for assistance. Most important, consumers would lose the protection agents provide if a mistake is made and their coverage wasn't purchased in their best interest. Agents carry Errors and Omissions insurance to give consumers peace of mind that if something goes wrong, they will be protected. What if a federal "navigator" made a mistake? Try suing the government. The constitutionality decision (of Obamacare) is expected in late June, by the Supreme Court justices. It may be modified, struck down or supported. In any case, the healthcare debate will go on, right through November and the presidential election.