PIA Says Buying Insurance Is Not Like Buying a Song on iTunes

PIA National issued a press release on Nov. 15 in which we agreed with President Obama when he said, “Buying health insurance is never going to be like buying a song on iTunes. You know, it’s just a much more complicated transaction.” The president made the remark during an hour-long press conference at the White House on November 14, during which he attempted to explain all of the problems related to the launch of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

“Although many independent insurance agents and brokers would disagree with the kind of healthcare reform efforts seen so far, the president finally did make a few valid points about the nature of insurance,” said PIA National President John G. Lee. “I was somewhat taken aback when the president admitted that his administration is ‘discovering … that insurance is complicated to buy.’ PIA has been saying this all along because it is true. This eleventh-hour realization is a particularly disappointing admission on the part of the president, given how many highly qualified and successful former insurance regulators he appointed within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to head this effort.”

The president also said during his press conference, “Part of what we’re realizing is that there are going to be a certain portion of people who are just going to need more help and more hand-holding in the application process.” Lee said, “That is precisely what independent insurance agents and brokers do every day as part of the regular service we provide to our customers.”

PIA Agrees That Buying Insurance Is Not Like Buying a Song on iTunes (PIA 11/15/13)