CMS Changes Are Going to Lead to Commission Cuts for MAPD

[sman]

I just read my emails from UHC and I am ticked. At myself, really. I should have known something was underfoot with this company when the dr network was being thinned out. or when they didn't have enough enrollment kits to go around for their CIP plans and their HMO.....or when there was no area advertising for their mapd plans, just the AARP med supps. Signs I missed along the highway. Now they are discontinuing their MAPD plans in GA unless they are chronic-SNP's/ Does that include the duals? Anyone know? Our area mgr is gone....thru the end of the year anyway. (Maybe longer). I'm still getting my commissions...but you know I will be eyeing for accuracy. Thinking forward..to next OEP....I'll have a bunch to re-write ...again.

Most of their plans here in GA are crap anyway.

 

[hassy99]

Good news is you can now sell Silver Script again.

I have been in this business for 42 years. Never experienced such turmoil as the past few years have brought. Unfortunately (especially with a hostile administration towards mapd business) the turmoil is probably going to get worse this next year or two The good news is if the ma business disappears. We will be able to convert our books to med supps. (Which requires minimal service and generally pays as much or more than the ma business) Oh and yes I am this business to make a living while offering those who put their trust in me the best service I can muster. But I would bother offering something that pays $0 commission with the added liability that you take on As far as us agents being of marginal consequence to the insurance industries bottom line. Take away all commissions and imagine how many policies would be purchased direct. A good agent is an asset to the company not a liability (I do agree there are some Johnny come lately's who only are around for the oep and then disappear until next oep). Enough of my rant

 

[Nikita]

I have been in this business for 42 years. Never experienced such turmoil as the past few years have brought. Unfortunately (especially with a hostile administration towards mapd business) the turmoil is probably going to get worse this next year or two The good news is if the ma business disappears. We will be able to convert our books to med supps. (Which requires minimal service and generally pays as much or more than the ma business) Oh and yes I am this business to make a living while offering those who put their trust in me the best service I can muster. But I would bother offering something that pays $0 commission with the added liability that you take on As far as us agents being of marginal consequence to the insurance industries bottom line. Take away all commissions and imagine how many policies would be purchased direct. A good agent is an asset to the company not a liability (I do agree there are some Johnny come lately's who only are around for the oep and then disappear until next oep). Enough of my rant

In Iowa where I live, a good percentage of people just plain can't afford the med supps and if MAPDs go away in this state, most people will just revert back to Basic A & B, I really don't see that as a business opportunity for anyone if that happens....there will be alot of PDP's to write, yippie

 

[yogooglethis]

I seriously don't know how to handle the calls I am going to get asking for the UH MAPD their Sister or buddy has. If I can't write a Hospital Indemnity plan along with it what good would it do to write them? From what I have seen in the past if they make them non commissionable then the plan ends at the end of that year. That's probably what I will tell everyone is that the UH MAPD will be ending so you don't want to go on it. Screw em.

It sucks that the carrier's put us in this position were we have to be creative with the truth to get out of an appointment with a prospect that until we recently got the memo we were working hard to set the F2F meeting however I would be careful about what excuse you use.

Unfortunately we can get in just as much trouble misrepresenting the facts to get out of a sale as we can misrepresenting the facts to make a sale

 

[Norwayguy]

Hey Bob, would you be happy if it went to $0 commissions like a lot of places are? Would you still sell them and smile out of the goodness of your heart?

First I am not in the MA market...I always thought something wrong with the government setting commission rates. But I have wondered, IF it is truelly CMS mandating the commission levels why would a carrier be allowed to NOT pay commissions on some plans, would that not act just like asking customers about drug usage leading to selective enrollments just in this case due to commission payments.

 

[Russ]

UHC is not on the top of my list of companies to sell for anymore....in MA and med-supps to females. It was strange that they did no advertising, that I saw, for PDP's during AEP. None for MAPD's either.

I wonder if Humana will do the same on cutbacks?

 

[Guest]

I personally think UHC is leaving the advantage plan arena and are only going to sell med supps.

 

[GreenSky]

First I am not in the MA market...I always thought something wrong with the government setting commission rates. But I have wondered, IF it is truelly CMS mandating the commission levels why would a carrier be allowed to NOT pay commissions on some plans, would that not act just like asking customers about drug usage leading to selective enrollments just in this case due to commission payments.

Our benevolent government does not set commission rates. Humana, I mean Max Baucus, I mean CMS sets the maximum rates.

Rick

 

[wehotex]

We have met the enemy, and they is us.

Listen to you! This is why our industry needs to tighten the requirements for selling to one of the most vulnerable segments of our population. Here we are, griping about not getting a "signing bonus" for enrolling those that are aging in.

YOU ARE NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN THIS EQUATION!

I am sick and tired of, every October through December, hearing from these order-taking gnomes, who crawl back into their little huvels the other 9 months of the year. If you have $175 and can fog a mirror, you can sell Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans. Something that is VITAL to the well-being, all year round, for the Medicare Beneficiaries. And our industry let's these knuckle-draggers handle something so important to the Greatest Generation that has ever lived.

Why in the he77 should you get paid more? Because the person was born in a certain year? What does that have to do with you? Do you realize there is actually LESS paperwork involved?

We should get paid, as earned, based on how much it costs per month. PERIOD! Do your F$%^ck&*(g jobs. It's like a football player who makes a tackle, then pumps his chest, like a caveman, for 3 minutes.

YOU DID WHAT YOU ARE PAID TO DO! NOW GET BACK OUT THERE AND DO IT AGAIN!

A large part of the FWA in Medicare is non-ethical agents twisting and wriggling people into plans that pay more to the agent, based on the age of the client.

And for those of you leaving MA and PDP for this reason - GOOD. Thinning the herd. You think, maybe, if they didn't pay us this huge up front, first year commission, they would have the money to pay us a fair wage for subsequent years? Putting off immediate gratification for long term gain.

Growth of money 101, for goodness sake.

Can't wait until January, so we can begin talking about Life Insurance, Disability, Long Term Care, and Critical Illness policies, and these postules will wither and scramble away until next October.

Wrong.. The enemies are and have always been CMS and the greedy FMOs and insurance companies who passively make $$ off of our sweat. I don't get paid ENOUGH for the services that I provide. I'm as much a de facto social worker as a salesman.
If the insurance co is getting ~$1000/mo from the govt and I'm making $17.25/mo, that's not really such a great percentage of the pie. A T65, while enjoyable is also a harder prize to obtain because so many agents are still cold calling them. Because they usually require more service and education, I agree that compensation should be more than a regular app.

 

[bpenn9]

Wrong.. The enemies are and have always been CMS and the greedy FMOs and insurance companies who passively make $$ off of our sweat. I don't get paid ENOUGH for the services that I provide. I'm as much a de facto social worker as a salesman.
If the insurance co is getting ~$1000/mo from the govt and I'm making $17.25/mo, that's not really such a great percentage of the pie. A T65, while enjoyable is also a harder prize to obtain because so many agents are still cold calling them. Because they usually require more service and education, I agree that compensation should be more than a regular app.

How much of that $1000 a month goes towards paying claims? How much of your $17.25 goes towards paying claims?