ACA Lead Programs

How to choose between programs

Picking a lead program is less about the product and more about your people. Start by asking honest questions about your agency. How many licensed agents are on the phones, and in which states? Are they confident closing on a first call, or do they need context? Can they answer every call during your hours, or do they work in bursts? Do you have someone dedicated to follow-up?

If your agents are strong on the phone and available in set hours, live calls usually give you the best return per hour of agent time. If you have more people than skill, warm transfers help newer agents get started. If you have a big team that likes structured callback work, form leads can fill gaps, as long as you call them within minutes.

Inside the live call programs

Inbound ACA calls

The shopper sees an honest ad, decides to call and reaches your agent. You choose the states and ZIP codes you accept, your hours and your daily cap, and you pay only for calls that meet the agreed rules. Inbound calls tend to bring the most motivated shoppers because they made the first move. See pay-per-call health insurance leads for how billing works.

Direct live transfers

The caller answers a few quick questions, such as state and coverage need, and is connected straight to your agent. It is the fastest way to get a pre-qualified shopper on the line. Our ACA Live Transfer Leads page answers the common questions in detail.

Warm transfers

A screener stays on the line, introduces the caller to your agent and passes on what they learned. That extra step costs more but can lift close rates for teams still building experience, and it can make complex households, such as families with mixed coverage, easier to handle.

Seasonal and year-round programs

ACA demand peaks at open enrollment, which starts on November 1 for most Marketplace coverage. End dates vary by state and Marketplace, so plan around your own state's calendar. During these weeks, most agencies raise caps, add evening and weekend hours, and run every program they can staff.

The rest of the year is quieter but far from empty. People who lose coverage, move, marry, have a baby or go through other qualifying life events can enroll through a Special Enrollment Period. A smaller year-round program keeps your best agents busy, builds your book of business and means you start open enrollment with a team already in rhythm.

Building a program mix

Most established agencies do not rely on a single program. A common setup looks like this: inbound calls as the backbone, transfers added for specific states or newer agents, and a year-round campaign that runs at low volume between enrollment seasons. Each runs as its own campaign with its own caps, so you can see exactly what each one produces.

Keep products separate. ACA, Medicare and short-term plans need different conversations and, in many cases, different licenses and rules. Mixing them in one program confuses reporting and frustrates shoppers.

Testing a new program the right way

1. Set one clear goal. For most agencies, that is cost per effectuated enrollment.
2. Use your best agents first. You want to test the leads, not your newest hire.
3. Run it long enough. A few days can mislead you. Give it a few weeks.
4. Record outcomes on every call. Without outcomes you are guessing.
5. Scale in steps. Raise caps gradually and check that results hold at each level.

Programs that pass this test earn more budget. Programs that do not get paused, adjusted or replaced. It sounds simple because it is. The hard part is sticking to it during the rush of open enrollment.

Questions to ask before joining any ACA lead program

Whoever you buy from, the same questions will tell you a lot about the program before you spend a dollar:

• Where does the traffic come from? Ask for sample ads and landing pages, not just a list of channels.
• How is consent captured? You should be able to see the wording shoppers agree to and get proof for any call or lead.
• Is it exclusive? Know whether anyone else receives the same shopper.
• What are the billable rules? Duration, states, hours and duplicates should be in writing.
• What controls do I have? You should be able to set states, ZIP codes, hours and daily caps, and pause when needed.
• How are bad calls handled? There should be a clear review process using recordings.

Red flags in a lead program

Some warning signs are worth walking away from. Be careful with any program that advertises "free health insurance," uses government-style names or logos, mixes Medicare or short-term plan offers into ACA traffic, will not show you its ads, or quotes a price without asking about your states, hours or call length. Programs like these may look cheap, but the leads tend to cost more in wasted agent time, complaints and lost enrollments.