2009 MA Commissions

[Todd King]

I would like to clarify something if someone can help here. Am I to understand that CMS says I can't even contact my existing clients on an MA plan for any reason without sending them a letter 1st and getting permission from the client to do so? If that's what they are really saying let me say for the record, SCREW CMS! I don't need CMS to regulate how I service my clients. I've done a pretty good job over the years and don't have one client that would complain that I've churned or did them a disservice in any way!
If I've misunderstood this please let me know and then disregard the above statements.

 

[insurance0707]

I had written an MADP plan for one of my clients with a 12-1-07 issue date. I saw what the plan was going to be like for 2009, higher premiums, higher copays, etc. So I mailed out info on a Med supp that had lower premiums and coverd all of Medicare's dedcutibles and copays. The client wanted it and wondered how to cancel the MAPD plan. I told her the quickest way was to call 1-800-Medicare. The client called and told Medicare that she was using her 12 month trial period SEP. I was concerned that Medicare would say, how were you contacted, did your agent call you or did you call the agent, etc. etc.

No, instead Medicare told her she couldn't enroll now. She'd have to wait until AEP. My client explained the SEP trial and was put on hold. The lady came back on and said, yes you can change now, I"ll have to transfer you. She was transfered to another lady who told her "NO" you have to wait until the AEP, then she proceeded to read from some script about AEP. My client gave up, we're just going to contact the MAPD plan and cancel that way.

CMS may have issued all of these new rules, but they can't even figure out the old rules.

 

[jdeasy]

I would like to clarify something if someone can help here. Am I to understand that CMS says I can't even contact my existing clients on an MA plan for any reason without sending them a letter 1st and getting permission from the client to do so? If that's what they are really saying let me say for the record, SCREW CMS! I don't need CMS to regulate how I service my clients. I've done a pretty good job over the years and don't have one client that would complain that I've churned or did them a disservice in any way!
If I've misunderstood this please let me know and then disregard the above statements.

There seems to be as many interpretations of this ruling as there are companies. What most of them are saying is that you can contact your current clients now only for service related issues with their current plan and not just to tell them about other MA plans. Some companies, Pyramid, for example, are saying that you tell them about other options as long as it's with the same company, {wonder where they get that?}.

It seems these rules are still changing everyday. Pyramid indicated yesterday on their weekly conference call that the rules had been "modified" since last week.

It's a total mess. I'm getting out of this mess and this will be my last AEP. My only concern now is finding a legal way to contact all the people I told during lock in that I would contact them in Nov. I want to keep my word to people, but, CMS, in conjunction with the companies, is making it a near impossibility for me to do so.

 

[MedSuppPro]

CMS contracts with third parties to service the 1-800Medicare#. Problems with these contracted third parties are well documented and the CMS director has promised to clean it up. These third party CMS call centers will prompt callers of their agent contact history. Cases of marketing violations will be sent to the regional CMS office and then on to the agent through various channels. These third party call center will also retro dissenroll if the Medi Elligible simply calls a foul. They read scripts and respond by scipt.

The services we contracted third party field agents provide is priceless. Yet, CMS thinks we are all out CHURNING!

CMS recently stated that they will track the 5 year Rent-A-Agent or term limit clause on behalf of the plan carriers. Good thing they have the time and resources to make shure we just simply go away!

 

[scottfree]

CMS may have issued all of these new rules, but they can't even figure out the old rules.

Things like that happen every day with Medicare. Goverment employees that get hourly wages and good benefits but have no clue as to what they are talking about. I have had to hang up on whoever I was talking to at 1-800-Medijoke and call back to get someone who actually knows how these plans work.

I have also called the regional CMS office (Dallas for me) to get help. That has even been a challenge and be careful not to hang up on them, you have to be verrrry patient and take your time with them. There is only a few people that work in that office so if you hang up, you better hope you don't talk to the same person when you call back. I even had someone in the CMS office say they hated dealing with these plans.

I guess this is just part of the job. If Medicare trained their people it sure would help with a lot of the problems and confusion. I never let any of my clients call Medicare, all that happens is they get even more confused and sometimes make things worse.

I have a love hate relationship every year. Can't wait till October to see what the new plans and options are for the next year and then within a couple of weeks, can't wait for it to be over!
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There seems to be as many interpretations of this ruling as there are companies. What most of them are saying is that you can contact your current clients now only for service related issues with their current plan and not just to tell them about other MA plans. Some companies, Pyramid, for example, are saying that you tell them about other options as long as it's with the same company, {wonder where they get that?}.

It seems these rules are still changing everyday. Pyramid indicated yesterday on their weekly conference call that the rules had been "modified" since last week.

It's a total mess. I'm getting out of this mess and this will be my last AEP. My only concern now is finding a legal way to contact all the people I told during lock in that I would contact them in Nov. I want to keep my word to people, but, CMS, in conjunction with the companies, is making it a near impossibility for me to do so.

I heard that on TO's call about just talking about the same company thing. These are my clients and I will contact them to review all their Medicare options for the coming year. I am telling them I will review their PDP, MA and show them other options such as a BCBS or other supplements available to them. I am also asking them to sign a permission sheet to contact them in the future and leaving them a copy.

The way I look at it is if what I am doing is wrong, take my license and have my clients tell CMasS how I have always looked out for their interest. I am not doing anything that I wouldn't do to help my own parents understand something that they want and need my help.

I just love this time of the year!

 

[AgentOrange]

I'll be honest, this is a nightmare and unclear ... carriers are saying one thing and CMS is mandating another. I advise to plan for the worst and hope for the best.

 

[The Rabbi]

With all the fear expressed here, one would think CMS is an angry god.

Rules are made to be broken. The crooks will get punished and the honest agents will not be bothered. Prompt your clients about the rules so they won't throw you under the bus if contacted. I'm sure the only time CMS will know about a violation is when an agent cheats and the client calls. Don't cheat. If caught, deny deny deny. That's the rules in the business world.

 

[theinuranceguy]

With all the fear expressed here, one would think CMS is an angry god.

Rules are made to be broken. The crooks will get punished and the honest agents will not be bothered. Prompt your clients about the rules so they won't throw you under the bus if contacted. I'm sure the only time CMS will know about a violation is when an agent cheats and the client calls. Don't cheat. If caught, deny deny deny. That's the rules in the business world.

What the hell are you talking about Joel? We are honest agents here.

Rules are made to be broken? You gotta be kidding me.

 

[Hank]

With all the fear expressed here, one would think CMS is an angry god.

Rules are made to be broken. The crooks will get punished and the honest agents will not be bothered. Prompt your clients about the rules so they won't throw you under the bus if contacted. I'm sure the only time CMS will know about a violation is when an agent cheats and the client calls. Don't cheat. If caught, deny deny deny. That's the rules in the business world.

This is part of the problem for us honest agents trying to make a living helping the senior population !

Think about that statement ! Somebody call the !

 

[insurance0707]

I'm starting to hear positive rumors about 2009 and commissions...Rick may be right. They might even go up. I'm hoping that the business I wrote in 2008 will have a decent renewal for 2009.