CMS proposed rule petition

[axeman462]

. If no marketing money or overrides crushes call centers I’m all for this new rule .They need to up agent comp $100 an app to cover enrollment software. But I’ll say my fmo has been very helpful in track down everything from commissions , wrong aor’s to disappearing members off my portal .

One could only hope Joe nameth goes out of business

 

[somarco]

I think it would be naive to think the FMO's are not providing any value added benefits to the agents. Maybe the solution is not a complete gutting of the override, but instead an adjustment of the dollar values.

I don't use an FMO with exception of one carrier . . . for the rest I contracted direct through the carrier.

The FMO can bring value for those who are new to the insurance business, and some offer more than others. Training and lead generation are two areas where a rookie needs the help . . . but once the agent has a year or two under their belt the value of the FMO should be diminished.

Many of the FMO services, such as quote engines, CRM, back office support, etc are nice, especially for the rookie but all of these services are available a la carte allowing the agent to tailor the package to their individual needs.

When I see agents complain about the override but milking the FMO for all the "freebies" I have to wonder if those agents know, or care, how much it costs to provide support services. It's like the agent wants the highest contract and a full service support team.

SMH

 

[maalox]

If you dont think the agents are the next to get cut out of MA sales you have not been paying attention. This FMO override rule is the first shot . CMS wants agents/FMO's out of the MA business. Everyone calls 1-800 medicare in their world.

 

[bluediamond]

I'm not arguing that FMOs don't provide value to agents. I have no problem with my uplines, and think they mostly deserve an override. I have no problem with that one bit.

But to argue that my uplines not collecting commissions on my sales will lead to higher premiums and copays, and fewer benefits and options, to my customers is a bit of a stretch...

This petition has shown up 3 times on my FB page in the past week and to the consumer it is attempting to scare the crap out of them. It does not mention FMO's but rather meant to mislead the consumer that their benefits will go away, premium's go way up and etc. I have reported them all 3 times as a misleading ad.

 

[MedicareAgent]

not gonna happen.

 

[axeman462]

If you dont think the agents are the next to get cut out of MA sales you have not been paying attention. This FMO override rule is the first shot . CMS wants agents/FMO's out of the MA business. Everyone calls 1-800 medicare in their world.

if they could accomplish that, it would have happened already

 

[ValeRosso]

. If no marketing money or overrides crushes call centers I’m all for this new rule .They need to up agent comp $100 an app to cover enrollment software. But I’ll say my fmo has been very helpful in track down everything from commissions , wrong aor’s to disappearing members off my portal .

Wait...you think this will eliminate call centers? Literally zero chance on that one.

I agree on the FMO part, mine has been great, and has provided many benefits. How do you think your FMO pays for all of those leads you get from them?

 

[ValeRosso]

if they could accomplish that, it would have happened already

Absolutely not true. Things take time, and this is the first step. Slippery slope approach...you take one thing away, then another, everyone says "well that wouldn't happen to XYZ, its been this way forever, they'd NEVER do that!"...and then that exact thing gets taken away.

 

[somarco]

Obamacare was supposed to eliminate the need for agents . . . and it almost did . . . probably 80% of agents writing IFP left the market or switched to offering junk health insurance . . . which was also supposed to be eliminated by the new law.

The projection was that everyone would have health insurance or Medicaid by 2014 and they would get their coverage from the HC dot gov website.

Of course that didn't work out as expected either, even though buying health insurance was as easy as ordering an airline ticket online . . . yeah, that didn't happen either.

The Obamacare roll out was pretty much a disaster and 3 years later it was still broken . . . no idea if it is fixed now or not.

Now this new rule/legislation will eliminate FMO's and call centers while agents will make more money?

Don't think so.

The sky is not falling . . . at least not yet.

 

[Russ]

Obamacare added 7 million so far this year. From an email I got from healthcare.gov the other day. They're doing something right. I'm still waiting for Trumps alternative that never materialized.