Ask health plan executives to name their most important growth partners, and many will list hospital systems, PBMs, or digital health vendors before their broker channel. This long-held mindset is worth changing, especially given the fact that agents and brokers remain the single most influential touchpoint in how individuals, families, and employers choose health coverage.
The numbers speak for themselves. It’s currently estimated that nearly 50% of consumers who enroll in a marketplace plan do so with the help of an agent or broker. And according to Deft Research, during the tumultuous 2026 Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, 26% of seniors reached out to an independent agent for assistance. Meanwhile, research in Health Affairs found that brokers were the most common source of consumer assistance in the individual market. When it comes to commercial business, 79% of employers work with a broker to select and manage their employee benefits.
Whether the customer is an individual shopping for subsidized coverage, a small employer renewing its group plan, or a Medicare-eligible retiree comparing Advantage plans, a broker is very likely guiding that decision. To make the most of relationships with brokers, health plans should understand the following about the power of their broker network.
1.Investing in broker education is a member retention strategy. A well-educated broker network supported by consistent communication is the key to member and client retention. Every health plan market exit, network change, or plan redesign creates a moment of vulnerability for members, and without clear, timely guidance about these changes, brokers are either working with inaccurate information or quietly steering members toward a competitor whose changes they understand better. Proactive broker education during periods of change should include:
- Advance notice of market exits, network changes, or discontinuations whenever possible and before regulatory deadlines force disclosure.
- Plain-language communications materials that illustrate replacement options.
- Talking points and tools brokers can use directly with members, who often call brokers first.
Health plans that invest in broker education can insulate themselves from member attrition while giving their most trusted intermediaries a reason to keep recommending them.
2.Strong broker relationships can influence star ratings. Successful independent brokers not only live in the communities they serve, but they have built long-term relationships with businesses and established themselves as community leaders and trusted resources on insurance-related matters. Employers rely on broker guidance during times of market disruption, when carriers may need to withdraw from a geographic area or change plan designs, and for support to ensure employees end up in a plan that fits their clinical, financial, and network needs. The ability of a broker to find the right plan at the right time for each member can ultimately be reflected in the metrics CMS uses to calculate star ratings. More specifically, plan utilization, adherence, and satisfaction all improve when a member is placed correctly the first time, instead of discovering mid-year their specialist is out of network.
Star ratings carry real financial weight. In 2026, roughly 63.5% of Medicare Advantage membership sits with plans rated four stars or higher, and those quality bonus payments directly fund richer benefits the following year.
A broker who understands a plan’s formulary, network, and supplemental benefits is far more likely to place a member in a plan that keeps them satisfied all year, thereby reducing churn that drags down CAHPS scores.
3.Brokers reduce administrative burden for carriers. Every question a broker answers is one that never reaches a health plan’s member services line. Brokers routinely field questions about claims, prior authorizations, ID cards, and provider directories, and often do so faster and with more context than a call center, since they already personally know the member’s situation. That’s a substantial, under-recognized subsidy to a health plan’s operating costs.
But this only works if health plans invest in broker education and communication about the features and benefits of current plans. Plans that give brokers real-time data access and regular updates turn the broker channel into a genuine extension of member services, not just the sales force.
It’s fair to say that every carrier wants a bigger piece of the membership pie, but in order to achieve this, the industry dynamic must change. In the long run, carriers that invest in broker education and communication, and that respect the personal connection agents and brokers have with plan members and commercial customers will reap the sweet rewards of recognizing the power of their distribution network.
About the author
Aaron Niedorf is Executive Vice President of Sales for IFC National Marketing, one of the country’s fastest growing IMOs.