A day in the life of Dennis Hartin

6:30 A.M.

At the gym, where I catch 20 minutes of the day's top stories while on the treadmill. I run into a broker and start a conversation about the Affordable Care Act and the ways my team can help get current clients into Tennessee's health insurance marketplace.

 

8:00 A.M.

I meet with my local broker rep and we head east to Knoxville, Tenn., for meetings. We review the current results and landscape for his market and discuss the need for well-trained and diverse agents to deal with health care changes ahead.

 

11:30 A.M.

On a weekly conference call with my team members. I talk about benefits enrollment platforms available through our vendors and how those platforms can best be leveraged to gain access to employees. One system has strong HRIS benefits that employers will love. Our primary focus is on the future market. I share that when it comes to voluntary benefits, the insurer who shows the path of least resistance will win over the broker market.

 

12:30 P.M.

We meet some Knoxville agents for lunch and talk about where they need additional help from my team to drive new sales. We discuss the competition and ways to maintain our lead over our rivals. I encourage them to keep the message simple, because getting into the weeds with too many health care reform details tends to paralyze clients.

 

1:00 P.M.

We meet with a new candidate for our broker-specific sales team and discuss her qualifications. She has plenty of experience in the local market but was displaced since health care reform went into effect. I'm seeing this fairly often. In fact, three of my insurance industry friends have lost their jobs because of reform-related change.

 

2:45 P.M.

I follow up on two client questions and return a few calls before we head back to Nashville. Most of the calls tend to be health care reform-focused and I'm consistently working to dispel some of the myths employers have heard about reform. For example, many assumed that the employer mandate pushed until 2015 meant they no longer needed to comply.

 

3:30 P.M.

My broker rep and I are well on our way to Nashville, where I must catch a late flight to Atlanta. We review the day's activities and form an action plan for my next visit. I commend him on his professionalism, work ethic.

 

7:00 P.M.

I arrive at the airport and grab a quick bite of the healthiest thing I can find. After clearing security, I sit at the gate and return emails.

 

8:00 P.M.

I'm in the air. A little time without the need for talking allows me to zone out and sleep a bit.

 

10:00 P.M.

I arrive at my hotel and review tomorrow's action items. It seems the list keeps growing and the days keep getting shorter. I make a call home to check in with my son. I am happy to hear his major concern involves the homecoming date he is planning.

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