Odds are if you asked your client what their most valuable asset is, they most likely would respond with "my home, my car, my boat, etc." Very few would say their income/paycheck.

That's because most people do not immediately equate this question with their ability to earn a paycheck. If your client was sick or injured and unable to work or earn a steady paycheck, how would they pay for the things they love, or the insurance to protect them? Would they be able to pay their monthly mortgage or rent and still be able to pay their monthly bills, credit cards or car payments? You can help make sure they can sustain their lifestyle.

Let's take a walk down memory lane to before the Affordable Care Act was signed into Law, when individual and family rates were approximately 1/3 of the cost of employer-sponsored coverage.

At that time, PA had safety net plans that would cover those that couldn't obtain employer-sponsored coverage, or for those that were rejected from traditional individual plans. These plans were guaranteed issue and cheaper than the coverage available today.

Health insurance brokers and employers are experiencing challenges keeping up with all of the required notifications that came along with the passage of the Affordable Care Act. However, forgetting or not knowing, is no excuse for non-compliance.

A look back at the chaos of the 2016 Federally Facilitated Marketplace open enrollment period.