For agents who sell health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, Open Enrollment is the busiest stretch of the year. Consumers are comparing plans, deadlines are fixed, and the agents who planned their lead flow ahead of time have the most conversations. This guide covers what to have in place.
What Open Enrollment is
Open Enrollment is the yearly window when consumers can sign up for or change a Marketplace health plan. On HealthCare.gov it opens on November 1. The closing date depends on the Marketplace, some states run their own, and the dates have changed over the years, so confirm the current deadline at HealthCare.gov or with your state Marketplace before you plan a campaign around it.
Outside that window, consumers can still enroll during a Special Enrollment Period after a qualifying life event such as losing other coverage, moving or a change in household.
Why lead demand rises
More consumers are actively shopping during enrollment season than at any other time of year, and they have a date to act by. That makes speed and capacity the two things to plan for: enough people on the phones, and leads arriving in a steady flow instead of all at once.
Getting your team ready
- Licensing and Marketplace registration. Agents need to be licensed in the states they sell in and to have completed the Marketplace registration and training required for the plan year.
- Follow current rules for agents and brokers. The rules on consumer consent and on how agents assist with enrollment are set by CMS and the Marketplaces, and they are updated from time to time. Check the current guidance each season.
- Scripts and follow-up. Have a short script that starts with the consumer's request, and a plan for second and third attempts.
- State filters. Keep leads to the states where your agents can sell.
Planning your lead flow
- Fresh leads suit teams that can call within minutes during the busiest weeks.
- Aged leads add volume at a lower cost and keep newer agents productive. Our guide to fresh versus aged leads explains how to mix them.
- Delivery. Decide ahead of time whether leads should post straight into your system by ping post or API, or arrive as a CSV file.
What comes with our ACA leads
AC&C Media Group ACA health insurance leads are consumers looking for health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act. The data comes with:
- First and last name
- Phone
- Date of birth
- Address, city, state and zip
Fields can vary by campaign and source. All of our consumer lead data is TCPA compliant and opt-in: each consumer asked to be contacted.
After the deadline
Enrollment season ends, but demand does not disappear. Special Enrollment Periods run all year, and many agencies also work U65 private health and Medicare leads to keep their teams busy between seasons.
Pricing is based on the vertical, the age of the lead, the volume and the filters you need. Contact us to plan your volume for the season.