Love it or hate it, there is no doubt that the, now passed, health care reform bill will mean a lot of changes to the health insurance landscape. As a REALTOR, one of the biggest issues I have had since starting in the business was paying for a health insurance. And I am a healthy, single man with no kids. I can't imagine though how bad it is for others in more expensive scenarios.

It has always annoyed me that the National Association of Realtors was unable (I assume because they legally couldn't) negotiate a pooled insurance group for REALTORS. We pay their dues, we follow their rules; it makes sense that they could negotiate better rates for all of use out there. Obviously, we are not their employees, so they aren't going to pay for it, but you think they could use some of that lobbying power to help fight for things that help us, other than housing credits.

I don't know all that much about insurance, but I am curious if this new bill changes the landscape in this regard. I really have no desire to ever be part of any government run insurance group, but if there was a way we could come together as a business organization to lower rates I for one would be quite happy.

Does anyone know if somewhere in the 2,000+ pages of this new law is a clause that allows us to join together cut down on our insurnace costs? And please, lets not turn this into a rant for or against the bill. The thing is passed so now its time we figured out how it affects us rather than fight it.

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Post is included in group: Realtors®

4 Comments on Health care bill impact on realtors?

MAR
22
2010

Matt: Thank you for the post- Unfortunately, I'm not sure any of us know the answers yet.  Whether we were for or against it, like the CARD Act, even the well-intentioned portions of the bill may have consequences we haven't thought of.  Also, the insurance industry and its very powerful lobbyists won't go away quietly.  That being said, I feel I have no choice but to be optimistic, now.  Hope for the best, right?
3:59pm • #1

David: That's really what I have been thinking too. From everything I have read, I am thinking my rates are going to be going up quite a bit in the next year or so. Even the most arduous supporter of the bill said that the self-employed would see rates go up. Those against showed even scarier numbers. Since it sounds like rates are going to be going up no matter what, I figured trying to figure out some sort of workaround was the best hope we have to not feel those huge rate hikes we're all fearing.
4:10pm • #2
MAR
23
2010

Please see the explanation of health insurance exhanges at

 http://www.kff.org/healthreform/upload/7908.pdf

This should allow those of us now purchasing health insurance on our own to purchase better policies for less money.
M Graham
12:09pm • #3

Also see this explanation from the National Association of Realtors:

http://www.realtor.org/small_business_health_coverage.nsf/docfiles/government_affairs_health_ref_side_by_side_032210.pdf/$FILE/government_affairs_health_ref_side_by_side_032210.pdf

 
M Graham
12:15pm • #4


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Matt Kastner - Multi-family Real Estate Broker - St. Louis City

Saint Louis, MO

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Address: 2654 Gravois Ave, St. Louis, MO, 63118

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