Without certification, health insurers will no longer be able to run advertisements on Google’s platform after June 2.
Effective June 2, Google will implement a new policy for health insurance companies that advertise in the United States. By this date, all health insurers that want to advertise through Google’s Ad network must be certified by a third-party (G2) to verify they are able to advertise health insurance online.
Google said it will only allow advertisements from government exchanges, first-party providers, and licensed third-party brokers. This means health plans will need to provide documentation showing they are allowed under state law to sell health insurance. The policy includes plans for individual health insurance coverage, short-term coverage, and Medicare. Google will also require that private-sector providers promoting Affordable Care Act-compliant health plans provide proof they are registered with the U.S. government to do so.
The certification process is meant to create an additional layer of protection on top of Google’s misrepresentation policies, which prohibit advertisements with misleading claims about insurance plans or the advertiser’s affiliation with the government.
The certification process will validate that your plan is:
- In fact, a health insurance provider
- Permitted to sell health insurance
- Is or is not registered with the U.S. government to promote and sell ACA-compliant health plans
As part of the process, health plans will need to gather the following information:
- General business information (e.g., name, DBA, website, contact info, NAIC/NPN codes)
- Insurance license information for each state/locale where they do business (e.g., scanned license, license type, license #, expiration date)
- Proof of ACA qualification (if applicable)
The certification will need to be registered by a representative of your plan. Justin Stauffer, VP, integrated media, DMW Direct, suggests plans assign this to an internal representative who can furnish and be responsible for all the information listed above.
Google will begin to accept applications for the certification on May 3. There will be a cost for the application and ongoing monitoring, but Google won’t release the pricing information until May 3. However, the one-time application fee will be based on the number of states and locales where you do business. If approved, Google will also require plans to sign up for an annual subscription for ongoing monitoring.
Additional information can be found on Google’s support page and the G2 FAQ page (where you will submit applications).