48 Hour SOA Requirement

[Tkruger]

So, I just received an email from a carrier stating the following:

"One of the new rules put out by CMS this past January was that Scope of Appointments (SOAs) are now required to be completed at least 48 hours prior to the appointment, this includes the Voice Recorded Appointment (VRA).

There are only 2 exceptions:

(A) When a beneficiary requests an appointment within four days of the end of a valid election period, including the AEP, OEP, SEP, ICEP or the month, based on eligibility.

(B) When a beneficiary initiates an in-person meeting (i.e. tabletop event, office walk-in, formal seminars, etc.)?

Thought this was for 2024 plan year....

I called broker support and was told that this "rule" went into effect Jan 1 NO other carrier has sent out material regarding this matter...

Thoughts?

 

[TwoCents]

It was the proposed rule released Dec/January. The final rule was released just this month (April 2023) and goes into effect 9/30/23 for all activity related to 2024 (at least the part including SOA).

 

[Tkruger]

It was the proposed rule released Dec/January. The final rule was released just this month (April 2023) and goes into effect 9/30/23 for all activity related to 2024 (at least the part including SOA).

Yeah, that's what I was under the same impression, that said this carrier blasted all agents with this email and when called and questioned even the supervisor doubled down that it has to be done now.

 

[Todd King]

Yeah, that's what I was under the same impression, that said this carrier blasted all agents with this email and when called and questioned even the supervisor doubled down that it has to be done now.

Sounds like the company is wanting to make damned sure they are in compliance! LOL

 

[Tkruger]

Please disregard the e-mail that was sent at 8AM this morning with misinformation about 2023 SOA regulation.

The changes outlined in this morning's broker blast will take effect September 30, 2023 for calendar year 2024.

I am 100% I wasn't the only agent calling on this.....

 

[20th Maine]

This caused me to check with my top MAPD carrier --they said its simple, just mark every SOA as "walk in"

 

[titeye]

This caused me to check with my top MAPD carrier --they said its simple, just mark every SOA as "walk in"

...until it's a Secret Shopper!

 

[20th Maine]

I had ONE CMS shopper like ten years ago at an AEP seminar and she was in her 30s so pretty obvious

CMS is not serious about scams. Or they are and just have no clue how the real world works

 

[goillini52]

I had ONE CMS shopper like ten years ago at an AEP seminar and she was in her 30s so pretty

Better be careful, next time they might send an ugly one.

 

[20th Maine]

Carriers tell me one thing that keeps them up at night--is average age of agents/brokers has been going up for years. Who would want to do this? With the insane, irrelevant, costly, ineffective rules and regs.