title: Insurance agents: ignored players in health insurance reform.
abstract: In this paper we use the reforms to the individual health insurance market in New Jersey to illustrate the intricate interaction between insurance agents and insurance reform initiatives. Until recently, policymakers who designed reforms to the health insurance market largely ignored the role of agents in selling individual health insurance policies. These reforms have the potential to overturn the agent's traditional role, and agents can influence how the reforms are implemented.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Policy, Heller School, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Garnick
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Swartz
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Skwara
mesh_terms: D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004995:Ethics, Professional; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007343:Insurance Carriers; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009515:New Jersey; D011050:Policy Making; D012380:Role