Ep. 34: Preparing for open enrollment with Sally Poblete

Open enrollment for health insurance begins November 1. Which means individuals under 65 that want to change their plan or need to get a plan, now is the time to enroll.

With that in mind, for this episode of the Surviving Healthcare podcast, you will hear what factors to look for to get the most out of open enrollment and get the plan that works best for you. Joining me in this discussion is Sally Poblete, who is the founder and CEO of Wellthie, a company with a software platform that is designed to help people understand their options, so that they can choose the right plan. Before that, she had extensive experience at Anthem, which is one of the largest insurers in the country and she has been awarded for her efforts to help transform the health insurance field. I think you’ll agree that she’s a great guest to help us through the health insurance minefield.

Our discussion begins with an assessment of the value of education when it comes to choosing a health insurance plan. If you don’t think you are comfortable choosing a health plan, you are not alone. Sally explains why she went into this field and why she started her company, and the reason will make you think. We also talk about the relative health insurance literacy of the nation as a whole, which may astound you, as it did me, and make you realize that, not only are you not alone, but there is a huge need for better health insurance education out there. That is what Wellthie is trying to change.

You’ll hear about the effects of technology on the future of health insurance agencies and brokers, and the overall human component of the health insurance industry. We discuss the importance of insurance companies making their products friendlier and the need for better consumer education.

You will hear specific details that all health insurance consumers should look for and be aware of, as a rule. Here are some basic things all consumers should know going in:

• Open enrollment begins November 1 for individuals under 65
• There are four levels of plans available
• Consider the balance between the cost and the coverage you need, without weighing one as more important than the other.
• Check each health plan’s network and continue to check every year
• Assess the insurance company’s approach to customer service, especially when it comes to answering questions
• Remember, you can get a higher deductible plan and find a direct primary care physician using tax favored funds

We get into more detail on each of the above (except finding a direct primary care physician). We also discuss “skinny networks” and why it matters that you know the importance and why it’s important to make your insurance company speak to you in plain language, in a way that you understand and to ask a lot of questions. We also discuss in great detail why insurance companies may have a hard time speaking to consumers, historically speaking, and why we think that should change in the future. A lot of things may be changing in the future, and some transformations may be huge, especially with regard to transparency in costs and practices.

This episode should provide you with a lot of great information as you prepare for open enrollment beginning November 1.

Resources:

Wellthie

Sally Poblete

@wellthie on Twitter

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