Amanda has worked in the medical field for 25 years. She leads the enrollment team at Take Command and is one of the most seasoned professionals in her field. I sat down with Amanda to find out her secret to success in the world of ICHRA provider support.
Who Amanda Supports
When a company signs onto ICHRA, employees get to choose their individual healthcare plan. Employee choice is an amazing ICHRA benefit, but sometimes employees are overwhelmed or intimidated by choosing their plan.
That’s why Take Command created our enrollment team, and we’re thrilled to have Amanda at the helm. She leads an incredible group of people who help employees navigate the healthcare system and get the very best coverage.
Her Approach to ICHRA Provider Support
The three most powerful words in Amanda’s world are: “Tell me more.” That’s how she starts a conversation with an employee, and it sets the tone for them to feel comfortable and at ease. (Her soothing voice is something I wish I could convey here; it’s what we would all love to hear when we call a customer service hotline.)
Amanda’s Process: Listen, care, educate, find answers
Amanda’s compassion is probably the first thing people notice, but her background sets her apart as someone who can really get things done. She’s a licensed health insurance agent with specialized training in enrollment, research, and access to care. The way she approaches her job is both technical and kind.
Here is the process she uses to support clients at Take Command and find coverage for incredibly difficult cases.
- Learn about the employee. Listen closely to understand their frustrations and what they need. (This is where “tell me more” comes into play.)
- Ask about providers and prescriptions. Who are their preferred doctors? What medications do they take? What coverage do they need to stay healthy?
- Research, research, research. Find a healthcare plan that meets the employee’s needs, including the providers and medications that were discussed at intake.
- Behind-the-scenes note: It’s not unusual for there to be 150 potential plans and Amanda has to weed out 147 of them.
- Troubleshoot. Get creative to navigate roadblocks and find answers that aren’t readily available.
- Share the good news. Contact the employee to share their options, and educate them about navigating the system.
Themes for the Enrollment Team
There are three things Amanda helps people with most: Diabetes, mental health, and pregnancy. Each one is vastly different from the next, and has unique requirements when helping employees find the best coverage and providing ICHRA administration support.
The biggest challenges are typically networks or prescriptions, although each case can present its own, unique problem set.
Diabetes
Challenge: Every carrier is different. There is no one formula for what is covered and what isn’t. It’s a very difficult puzzle to solve.
Goal: Find a solution that gives the employee access to the providers and the prescriptions they need.
Mental Health
Challenge: The old way of viewing mental health is a one-and-done approach. Now, employees want ongoing support and high-quality coverage.
Goal: Solve for a plan that offers mental health coverage and proven therapists.
Pregnancy
Challenge: Having a baby can cost a fortune, and the total cost can be unknown. In fact, Take Command CEO, Jack Hooper, started the company because no one could even give him a ballpark cost for the birth of his twins.
Goal: Find exceptional coverage that skips the deductible and has a flat copay (i.e., pay a flat fee for delivery and care.)
Doing Things the Take Command Way
We are on a mission to improve the healthcare system. We care about people, and we are adamant about helping them get better coverage through HRAs.
Amanda embodies that mission. In her words, “I am making a difference, and that’s huge in our world.”
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