The sign just outside Delaware Valley Brokerage Service states simply: “Affordable Health Care Here!”
And within those four words is the basic goal of the firm started about 35 years ago and located for the last 20 years at the Bucks County Office Center, 1296 Veterans Highway in Bristol Township.
Employees at DVBS strive daily to land their clients the least expensive health insurance plan that still meets all their needs, said agent Dawn Myers.
“We’re everything health insurance,” she said. “We do some life insurance, and dental and vision, but we’re primarily about finding people the best health insurance, whether that’s individual, group or medicare.”
“We’ve been able to move with the changes in the marketplace, which is really important. Prior to the Affordable Card Act, you had a plethora of options and it was easy to write health insurance. Then, when the Affordable Care Act came in, a lot of agents said ‘I’m done.’”
“But we were able to follow it through and learn how to utilize the marketplace, and help people get subsidies and find the right plan.”
The company charges no fees, Myers added. Clients pay only the premium on the plan they end up with, and frequently that premium amounts to nothing, she said.
“Due to the American Rescue Plan Act I’d say 50 percent of the plans we do now are no cost at all,” Myers noted.
She added that the recent passage of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act has helped make DVBS busier than ever.
DVBS has been working to connect area residents with health coverage through Pennie, the state Affordable Care Act health insurance exchange.
The American Rescue Plan Act gives residents the chance to purchase insurance on the exchange at highly reduced premium or even no cost if they have received or were approved to receive unemployment compensation at any point in 2021.
In Pennsylvania, health coverage through Pennie, the state Affordable Care Act health insurance exchange, has received funding through the American Rescue Plan Act.
The opportunity makes way for people who receive unemployment at any point during 2021 to receive the maximum subsidies available to them, potentially opening up eligibility for a “silver”-tier plan without a premium, as well as cost-sharing subsidies that lower the cost of copayments and deductibles.
According to an example provided by Pennie, a 40-year-old Pennsylvania who earns $19,300 could enroll in a zero-dollar plan and realize an estimated $800 in annual premium savings. A family of four with who earns a household income of $52,400 could save over $2,300 in their annual premium under a “silver” plan.
These changes have made health coverage more affordable than ever before for many Pennsylvanians impacted by the pandemic.
“That act has re-funded the marketplace like we’ve never seen before, more so than when the Affordable Care Act was originally released. So, now there are more funds available to help subsidize the high cost of insurance premiums,” Myers said.
Delaware Valley Brokerage Service helps take the frustration out of the process for people looking for health insurance because they have lost their jobs or for other reasons, said President Rick Mancuso. He founded the firm about 35 years ago along with Frank Peters.
“It’s a complicated process,” Mancuso said. “We’ve been in the market for a long time and it’s constantly changing. It’s not the easiest thing for us to keep up with, let alone somebody not experienced in insurance.”
So let us help you, he urged.
“It’s a lot easier enrolling with a broker than enrolling alone,” Mancuso said. “And it doesn’t cost anything (extra), so why not? There is no additional premium or fees or anything, so use the experts.”
For more information on Delaware Valley Brokerage Service, call 215-781-3570 or visit dvbsinc.com.
The firm is happy to meet with clients in person, over the phone or through Skype, Zoom or other arrangements, Myers said. She added that all COVID-19 safeguards are observed at the office, and everyone at DVBS has been fully vaccinated against the virus.
And anyone calling the company won’t get lost in an endless phone tree, Myers promised.
“We still answer our phones,” she said. “That’s really important to us, especially nowadays when most calls are automated. They don’t want to take time to figure out that prompts they need to hit. One of the five of us will always answer the phone.”
The work for DVBS doesn’t end with finding a client the right health insurance plan, Myers added.
“We’re ongoing,” she said. “So, if you have a claims issue, or you need to change doctors or anything like that, we’re here to help. Instead of calling Ithe carrier direct and trying to reach the correct department, just reach out to us. We’re your one point of contact.”
The company tries hard to be part of the community it serves, holding twice-a-year shredding events to help people safely dispose of insurance records and enjoying great relationships with area doctors, among other things, Myers said. Client convenience is a high priority, she reiterated.
“Everybody has our cell phone numbers,” said Myers. “If there are emergencies in the middle of a weekend, you can text or call. I had clients here on Sunday morning, and Violet Ostrander (another DVBS agent) and I are often here late a night. I think we have pretty amazing customer service.”