Is the Public Suffering from Information Overload or is the Public Suffering from Misinformation? Article 20 of Randy’s Series
Hi everybody.
For those of you I have not met,
My name is Randy Mc Arthur.
With health care being one of the primary concerns in America today, the public is constantly being bombarded with information. Some good, some bad, and some simply misinterpreted. Health insurance plans are not nearly as standardized as they were in the past. They, by no means, are one size fits all.
So, what’s best for the customer? That depends on what the customer wants and what the customer needs. These two things often come in conflict and that’s where the rub comes. You see, the mass media and the advertisers tell the public what to want, and we, as health insurance agents, are left with the task of telling the public what their needs are.
Obviously their real needs are more important. For example, the public needs health care coverage that will sufficiently cover a major medical event – they want a $15 copay at the doctor’s office.
The media and advertisers together deliver a convoluted message to be absorbed by each individual and acted upon as they see fit. And why wouldn’t we let the media influence this choice? Heck, T.V. raised about half of my generation, I’m 45. Here are a few points that I think are noteworthy when you are preparing to explain how health insurance really works to a potential client.
He has not been told and shown the actual significance of network participation. The network that a carrier participates with can be more important and valuable to the potential client than the line item of the policy. (We will get into this in more detail in the future.)
Everyone and their brother trying to make a quick buck are getting into the healthcare markets right now for the obvious reasons. I saw a commercial the other night for “real health insurance” at $5 per month per individual. Come on guys, do you have anything like that to offer? They should be ashamed of themselves!
There are not for profit association groups out there providing great products for people who cannot afford real health insurance and most of them explain themselves correctly, compliantly and ethically. But, lets face it, people hear what they want to hear and believe what they want to believe.
At this point in time, very few people understand a HSA, which I believe with all my heart could go a long way to saving the health insurance industry as a whole if the average consumer could just get over the credit card mentality that has become so pervasive in our society. I could go on and on but you get the point.
The public is suffering from both information overload and misinformation. That is why you really have to want to help these friends and neighbors of yours more than just making money off them. You’re going into an argument with the Talking Heads. After all they have been telling us what to believe since the 50’s. If you make it an argument, you very well may win the argument, but you will lose the sell.
Just some fodder for thought. I’m pretty good at recognizing and addressing concerns before they become objections and can teach anyone that will listen and work how to do the same. My personal mission is to; first, only and always do the right thing to help people insure that, through their own choices, they are making the best decisions they can make to guarantee their success in everything they do.
If I can help you in any way just give me a call at (919)781-2018 or email me at randymcarthur@ymail.com . I look forward to hearing from you. Good luck in your endeavors and God bless you.
Thanks
Randy Mc Arthur
Thanks for visiting my insurance leads blog.
Cheers,
Mac
