One way to cut the cost ofindividual major medical insurance would be to expand enrollment,to make sure that younger, healthier are in the pool of peoplepaying premiums. (Image: Shutterstock)

America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) has put out a majorpackage of proposals for improving the U.S. health insurance system — includingone that could, possibly, lead to support for insuranceagents and brokers.

The Washington-based group suggests that one way to cut the costof individual major medical insurance would be to expand enrollment, to make sure that younger,healthier are in the pool of people paying premiums.

AHIP has two ideas for expanding the individual major medicalrisk pool.

One is to make use of an existing, but unused, Affordable CareAct provision that could let health plans provide premium discountsfor enrollees who participate in wellness programs.

Related: Kaiser, AHIP warn against the repercussions ofshort-term health plans

The other is to have managers of HealthCare.gov — theagency that provides ACA public exchange services in states withoutlocally run exchange programs — send some of theHealthCare.gov issuer user fee money they are collecting to thestates. The states could then use that cash to pay for “a definedlist of marketing and outreach activities.”

The list of marketing and outreach activities could include“support for navigators or other in-person assistance.”

AHIP does not use terms such as “agent,” “broker” or “sell”anywhere in its proposal package.

But it's possible that some state funding for in-personassistance could go to agents, brokers and producer supportprograms.

Many states with state-based ACA exchanges have usedexchange money to pay for agent and broker outreach efforts.

Nevada, a state with a state-run exchange that is temporarilyusing the HealthCare.gov account enrollment and administrationsystems, has paid agents and brokers cash grants to encourage themto provide exchange users with in-person assistance.

The AHIP proposal package also includes a number of other ideas,such as curbs on balance billing, support for the use of telehealthservices, an increase in health savings account options, thecreation of new reinsurance programs, and the repeal of theACA tax on health insurers.

A complete version of the AHIP's proposals is available here.