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HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | NOVEMBER 17, 2025 13 sion reductions on individual health plans, Gutcheon said. Anthem announced on Oct. 30 that it plans to reduce commis- sions for individual health plans in Connecticut. Nationally, a host of other insurers — Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Humana and Wellcare — have also announced plans to stop paying commissions on various Medicare Advantage and individual plans, according to brokers and published reports. Molina officials did not respond to a request for comment. However, in a notice to brokers about its plan to halt commissions for Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans, the company described the move as a strategic decision "designed to ensure stability as we continue inte- grating our operations and systems in this market." Gutcheon said the changes are painful for brokers and seniors. His firm's revenues are entirely commis- sion-based, and Medicare and individual plans account for about 35% of its business, with group plans making up the rest. He doesn't expect many broker- ages to go out of business, but the cuts could force some to sell their client lists or merge with other firms. Seniors, meanwhile, depend on brokers to help navigate an increas- ingly complex array of plan options. "How is that in the best interest of the member, when you have brokers now basically saying (to seniors), 'You're on your own because I'm not getting paid for my time,'" he asked. A 'mess' Jace Rosenbluth, president of MERIT Insurance Services in West Hartford — a field marketing organization that connects brokers with insurance products — said some seniors are choosing non-com- missionable products but still want their brokers to service them. Brokers, he said, are balking. "They are saying, 'No. If you choose that product, you have to deal with the carrier directly, and the consumer is not happy with that," said Rosenbluth. The situation, he added, has created a "mess," and put brokers in an ethical bind — sell a plan that pays a commis- sion, even if it's not best for the client, or walk away and leave seniors to navigate plans that pay nothing. That "mess" prompted four national broker organizations to send an Oct. 9 letter to Dr. Mehmet Oz, adminis- trator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The letter — signed by the Health Agents for America, National Associa- tion of Benefits and Insurance Profes- sionals, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, and National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors — warned that the Medi- care program faces a "convergence of pressures that directly undermine beneficiaries' stability." It said post-pandemic spikes in healthcare utilization and unin- tended regulatory consequences have driven up costs for carriers. In response, insurers have restricted sales in various ways, including by eliminating broker commissions. The letter noted that Medicare Advantage — once a growth market — is now seeing contrac- tion, with insurers exiting certain plans and shrinking their service areas. About 33.4 million people are currently enrolled in Medicare Advantage coverage. Agents and brokers, the groups wrote, play a key role in helping beneficiaries choose and manage their plans, but their ability to do so "is being eroded." The organizations called for urgent, bipartisan reforms, including halting any commission changes announced after Oct. 1. 'Disastrous' market Rosenbluth — whose father, Alvin Rosenbluth, founded MERIT Insurance Services nearly 70 years ago — has worked at the agency for 42 years and has connected brokers with Medicare-related insurance plans for almost two decades. He said the last 24 months have brought a lot of changes to Connecti- cut's health insurance market, and over the past year, things have gone from a little bumpy to "disastrous in the state." Both he and Gutcheon said Connecticut's health insurance market needs more competition. Gutcheon said a growing number of state coverage mandates have made it harder for insurers to operate profitably in Connecticut, driving some carriers from the market and raising costs for employers. Lawmakers, Gutcheon added, also need to address the commission-payment issue. "Where our are Congresspeople, what are they doing?" he asked. "This is not good for the senior population, and it's not good for the brokers who are a big part of the community in the state." State Rep. Kerry Wood (D-Rocky Hill), who co-chairs the legisla- ture's Insurance and Real Estate Committee, said fixing Medicare-re- lated problems is a federal issue. However, she recently said she plans to continue pushing legislation to allow association health plans, which would let small businesses and nonprofits join together to purchase more affordable insurance. The proposal, which has failed to gain traction in the past, will likely resurface when the General Assembly reconvenes in February. Jace Rosenbluth • CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT • GENERAL CONTRACTING • DESIGN–BUILD 2 1 D E M I N G R D , B E R L I N , C T 0 6 0 3 7 • ( 8 6 0 ) 6 1 0 - 1 0 9 3 • W W W. O L S E N C S . C O M VISIT OUR NEW WEBSITE!