The Albany Gazette - Cutting Through Open Enrollment Confusion: A.D. Banker Helps Insurance Agents Guide Clients

OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS / ACCESS Newswire / February 4, 2026 / Open enrollment can be one of the most challenging moments in health insurance, especially for consumers who lack clarity around their coverage. To help agents better guide clients through this process, A.D. Banker has released a new educational blog that explains open enrollment in plain language, breaking down why it exists, how it works, and how agents can take practical, proactive steps to support and educate clients throughout the enrollment process.

The need for clearer education is well documented. Recent research from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found that 36% of insured adults say it is difficult to understand what their health insurance will and won't cover, a figure that rises to 46% among ACA Marketplace enrollees. For agents, this confusion creates both risk and opportunity - clients who don't fully understand their coverage may disengage from the process, or worse, choose plans that don't meet their needs.

"Open enrollment is usually the moment when people realize how much they don't understand about their coverage," said Pam Reihs, Senior Insurance Curriculum Specialist for A.D. Banker. "New enrollees especially try to make decisions quickly to meet their open enrollment deadline and this can be very stressful and overwhelming for first time insureds. Agents and HR Benefits Managers who take the time to go slow, ask clarifying questions, and really work to educate these enrollees can make all the difference for clients and employees."

A.D. Banker's blog outlines practical steps agents can take to close this gap, including mastering enrollment platforms, communicating clearly across channels, and using marketing and technology tools to stay visible and accessible to both existing and prospective clients during open enrollment.

The education gap this resource is designed to address is also reflected in how consumers seek help when issues arise. According to a KFF poll, only about 11% of insured adults who experienced a health insurance problem in the prior year contacted a navigator or broker for assistance. Instead, most relied on insurers or online plan documents - resources that may not address those stickier individual questions. A.D. Banker's blog points to a missed opportunity for agents to position themselves as the first call when confusion sets in.

"Many people will try to follow enrollment prompts on their own, even when help is available," Reihs said. "There is room here for more individual enrollee education at all levels. It is always better to get questions answered before a hasty enrollment decision results in a lack of coverage."

In addition to the blog, A.D. Banker supports agents with continuing education that helps reinforce regulatory knowledge and real-world application - giving professionals added confidence heading into open enrollment season and client conversations throughout the year.

To read the full article on open enrollment, visit: https://www.adbanker.com/blog/open-enrollment-explained-for-beginners/

About A.D. Banker
For more than 46 years, students have turned to A.D. Banker for the knowledge they need to pass insurance and FINRA licensing exams and complete continuing education. A.D. Banker offers online pre-licensing, exam prep and CE courses designed to help insurance professionals stay compliant, confident, and career-ready. A.D. Banker is part of the Career Certified family of educators. Learn more at ADBanker.com.

Media Contact: 

The CE Shop Press
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720.822.5314 

SOURCE: A.D. Banker

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

(E.Taylor--TAG)