ON THE MARC

Marc Harris has saved many individuals and families thousands of dollars in health costs. What he does is give people a cost-effective alternative to the outlandish COBRA health costs through NoCobra.com.

By Rick Weinberg, Editor, California Business Journal.

The economy was in ruins and millions of people were getting health cost increase notices. Fees were sky-rocketing, and with people getting laid off, many were being offered COBRA.

Then along came Marc Harris to save many individuals and families thousands of dollars in health costs. What Harris does is give people a cost-effective alternative to the outlandish COBRA health costs: he created a program and Web site called NoCobra.com.

For Jim and Dawn Waxon of San Diego, Harris’ services and expertise were life-saving.

“He really came through for us,” Jim Waxon says.

Harris comes through for all of his clients because he’s a caring and professional health insurance and financial expert with a wealth of experience and knowledge. He’s one of those meticulous professionals who knows the industry inside and out, and does whatever it takes to get the job done in a rapid manner.

“I was utilizing COBRA, and when it expired I was caught up in the never-ending bureaucratic business of HMO’s,” says one of Harris’ clients, J. Boyd of Anaheim Hills. “I couldn’t find insurance, but Marc, in his adamant search, found a plan that I’m extremely happy with.”

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any people might be shocked to know that HMO’s are more expensive than PPO’s. The shift occurred a few years ago, and today a family of five with parents in their mid 40’s would be paying $1,021 a month with a Blue Cross HMO plan. The same family on a PPO plan would be paying $302 with a $500 hospital deductible.

That’s the kind of valuable and pertinent information Harris dispenses to clients and prospects.

And if anyone knows the importance of choosing a PPO plan over a HMO, it is Harris.

When his father-in-law was suffering with leukemia, he had the top doctors at UCLA working for him. At the same time, Harris’ mother, who had been suffering from breast cancer since 1999, had an HMO plan, “and I was constantly yelling at doctors about her lack of care,” Harris says.

The difference is that Harris’ father-in-law had the choice of his doctors. His mother does not. “She’s trapped,” Harris says.

Choosing a PPO plan over a HMO cannot be underestimated, especially in this economic environment. And now that insurance professionals like
Harris can provide families with the better option at lower costs, the decision on what to select is really a no-brainer.

Saving money, after all, and still receiving quality services, is the name of the game. Just ask Craig and Christy Druckrey of Mission Viejo, Calif., a couple who saved $6,000 in health insurance in one year— thanks to Harris.

“Marc looks out for our best interests at all times,” Craig says.

Saving money is just one of the many qualities Harris possesses that makes him the ideal person to turn to for insurance needs. The other characteristics include an ultra-high level of service, educating clients and building relationships. But at the top of the list is his experience and knowledge of how the underwriting guidelines work.

“That’s the key,” Harris says. “A lot of insurance brokers don’t bother to learn how underwriting guidelines work. They look at it as a numbers game: take the application, submit it and you never hear back from them.”

That’s not the way Harris does business.

“What I do is follow up with the carrier with every application,” he says. “My clients deal with one person—me. That’s very beneficial to them. They don’t have to talk to a bunch of different people who wind up confusing matters.”

When Harris submits an application, he immediately follows up to make sure that it was received by the carrier. Often times he will email or fax it over to help speed up the underwriting process.

“It avoids a lag time,” he says. “Once the carrier receives the application, medical records might be requested. If this is the case, a third-party service goes into copy the medical records. But if someone like me makes a couple of calls, the application suddenly goes from the bottom of the pile to the top. And my client’s underwriting process can be shortened from six weeks to less than two.”

That’s the difference in having Harris as your insurance specialist versus other brokers.

“His performance under the pressure of our deadline removed our stress and worry,” Jim Waxon says. “He’s just fantastic to work with.”

Contact:
Marc L. Harris
(949) 713-7222
marc@nocobra.com

[Rick Weinberg is Editor-in-Chief at California Business Journal. He is a well-known journalist, writer and reporter who has worked for the New York Times, FOX and ESPN. He launched CalBizJournal.com to focus on California businesses and business professionals and California business information and news.]