CMS Nails WellPoint - Must Read!

[MedSuppPro]

The marketing and enrollment freeze will have no effect on members of WellPoint Medicare plans unless they choose to drop out, or “disenroll,” said Medicare spokesman Peter Ashkenaz in a telephone interview today. That choice is available to people who call 1-800-MEDICARE and request a special enrollment period to choose a new plan by the end of the month, he said.

This is not a McDonald quote.

I read Peter's statement to mean we have till the end of this month for an SEP.

Not sure why they only have till the end of the month!
Seems this should be SEP for all of 2009. If someone feels they have been wronged they should get an SEP!

 

[scottfree]

Actualy, AEP, Annual Enrollment Period, ends on Dec. 31.

OEP, Open Enrollment Period, ends on March 31.

oops! That's what I meant.

 

[retread]

The marketing and enrollment freeze will have no effect on members of WellPoint Medicare plans unless they choose to drop out, or “disenroll,” said Medicare spokesman Peter Ashkenaz in a telephone interview today. That choice is available to people who call 1-800-MEDICARE and request a special enrollment period to choose a new plan by the end of the month, he said.

This is not a McDonald quote.

I read Peter's statement to mean we have till the end of this month for an SEP.

Not sure why they only have till the end of the month!
Seems this should be SEP for all of 2009. If someone feels they have been wronged they should get an SEP!

You're taking a gamble if you go by what a reporter says. I plan to check with CMS to find out if, in fact, they have issued an SEP for this situation. It may be that CMS has established a one-month SEP for Wellpoint members.

If anyone else finds out the facts from CMS before I do, please post it here with a link to the CMS site you find it.

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review: It appears to me that these errors were for LIS. All LIS beneficiaries have monthly SEP. I missed this in my first reading.

 

[insurance0707]

I noticed Blue Cross of Michigan was not showing up on Medicare's website when you listed medications to compare them to other plans. Their MAPD plans and PDP's just aren't there. They're not part of Anthem though, I wonder if Medicare made a mistake and took them off their website thinking they were part of Anthem

 

[GreenSky]

The bottom line here is that once again CMS has proven they don't give a crap about seniors. The only MAPD PPO plan in CA is from Anthem. So the choice is many areas would be a Med Supp and PDP for $200+ per month, a PFFS that may or may not be accepted by their docs, or the PPO.

Well now there is no PPO. CMS has not harmed Anthem nearly as much as they have harmed the very people they apparently want to help and protect.

What's that they say about absolute power?

Rick

 

[MedSuppPro]

[FONT=&quot]Freedom Blue PPO (RPPO)[/FONT]​

Enroll in Freedom Blue (RPPO) ​

January 12, 2009 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ordered Anthem Blue Cross to temporarily suspend enrollment and marketing of our Medicare Advantage (MA), Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) and Prescription Drug Plan (PDP). ​

We have been working with CMS for several months to resolve issues identified as a result of a recent CMS audit, our own self-audit, and issues stemming from our members’ ability to access their pharmacy benefits. Our plan is to continue working with CMS to make the necessary business improvements in our operations and processes as quickly as possible so that we can re-enter the market in a position to better serve our current and future Medicare members. ​

The MA, MAPD and Medicare Supplement members we currently serve can continue to count on us to provide their health benefits. We will continue to sell our Medicare Supplement products.​

Source: California Anthem Web Site Jan 15, 2009

Note: This web page and the agent email posted on another thread was wordsmithed through the Georgia Anthem regional office. Hum -- that seems a little weird!

Who’s on first and What’s on second!



PS Rick did you read and return the last 09/25/08 "Broker Contract Addendum" If you did, ask yourself who's fooling who about looking out for the client? Look at # 13 "letters to members". Look at #16 Unsolicited Contacts (a. Place any outbound marketing calls to Members... ). And I'm holding back... ( a Frank quote) Don't ya think they saw this coming?

 

[theinuranceguy]

Wellpoint should be audited for not paying their sales force. It is crazy that it can take 4 or 5 months to get paid on stuff.

A new agent simply couldn't survive.

 

[MedSuppPro]

A new agent not getting paid is bad.

However, I have been paid and still am getting paid on cases that were replaced several years ago! I don't think they have a grasp of their commissions, nor claims. This is not good for anybody!

The true bottom line here is that heads will roll. A little house cleaning is in order!

 

[beatuplunchbox]

At least Coventry is now starting to pay.

 

[retread]

bump!
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You're taking a gamble if you go by what a reporter says. I plan to check with CMS to find out if, in fact, they have issued an SEP for this situation. It may be that CMS has established a one-month SEP for Wellpoint members.

If anyone else finds out the facts from CMS before I do, please post it here with a link to the CMS site you find it.

------------------------------------------------------------------
review: It appears to me that these errors were for LIS. All LIS beneficiaries have monthly SEP. I missed this in my first reading.

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