A licensed insurance professional who can help you enroll in a health insurance plan. Agents may work for a single health insurance company, while brokers may represent several companies. In Virginia, agents and brokers are commonly referred to as producers.
Agents must be licensed in Virginia and have signed agreements to sell qualified health plans through Virginia's Insurance Marketplace, and are required to act in the customer's best interest.
Agents often get payments ("commissions") from insurance companies for selling plans. However, you won't pay anything additional if you enroll with an agent.
You can qualify for a premium tax credit and other savings if you enroll with an agent. But to get the savings, the agent must enroll you in coverage through Virginia's Insurance Marketplace.