CMS to Launch Medicare Advantage Enrollment Assistant in 2011

[bobgio]

You must not read very well. Here's the exact passage from the memo CMS put out (I've put in bold the segments that pertain to Medigap and enrollments:

CMS is especially interested in information and feedback in the following topic areas:​

1. Enrollment Assistance Functions

CMS envisions that the Medicare Enrollment Assistance Demonstration will be designed to provide unbiased information and assistance to beneficiaries to help them learn about and evaluate their coverage options, including: Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Coverage, Medicare supplemental insurance coverage (Medigap), and employer coverage. Possible functions of the contracted entity include:​

1. Operating a call center with representatives specifically trained to provide one-on-one assistance to beneficiaries to help them understand their coverage options and enroll in plans;
2. Conducting direct mail and telephone outreach to targeted beneficiaries (such as beneficiaries new to Medicare) to offer assistance in evaluating coverage options;
3. Conducting direct mail campaigns to Medicare beneficiaries to inform them of coverage options and enrollment periods;
4. Conducting community outreach and education activities focused on coverage options;
5. Sub-contracting with community-based organizations to expand outreach efforts and reach targeted populations;
6. Establishing community-based enrollment centers;
7. Processing enrollment applications received from beneficiaries and submitting enrollment requests to plans.

Seems to me it includes every plan available.

You can keep your head in the sand if you want to.

In approx 2 to 3 years, you will wish you had a Plan B for when this 3rd party marketer/FMO takes 90% of your business prospects from you.

It's going to happen - all I'm saying is get ready.

 

[Professor Leads]

It's going to happen - all I'm saying is get ready.

The Mayans predicted this was going to happen! They even gave the date:

December 21, 2012!!!!!

 

[stormtracker]

So, this amounts to government centralization of senior, and underage health care. It is called a takeover-- or, monopolization for lack of better terms. Sounds like we are all going to be "G-men."

 

[Russ]

You must not read very well. Here's the exact passage from the memo CMS put out (I've put in bold the segments that pertain to Medigap and enrollments:

CMS is especially interested in information and feedback in the following topic areas:​

1. Enrollment Assistance Functions

CMS envisions that the Medicare Enrollment Assistance Demonstration will be designed to provide unbiased information and assistance to beneficiaries to help them learn about and evaluate their coverage options, including: Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Coverage, Medicare supplemental insurance coverage (Medigap), and employer coverage. Possible functions of the contracted entity include:​

1. Operating a call center with representatives specifically trained to provide one-on-one assistance to beneficiaries to help them understand their coverage options and enroll in plans;
2. Conducting direct mail and telephone outreach to targeted beneficiaries (such as beneficiaries new to Medicare) to offer assistance in evaluating coverage options;
3. Conducting direct mail campaigns to Medicare beneficiaries to inform them of coverage options and enrollment periods;
4. Conducting community outreach and education activities focused on coverage options;
5. Sub-contracting with community-based organizations to expand outreach efforts and reach targeted populations;
6. Establishing community-based enrollment centers;
7. Processing enrollment applications received from beneficiaries and submitting enrollment requests to plans.

Seems to me it includes every plan available.

You can keep your head in the sand if you want to.

In approx 2 to 3 years, you will wish you had a Plan B for when this 3rd party marketer/FMO takes 90% of your business prospects from you.

It's going to happen - all I'm saying is get ready.

I can read just fine and my head is not in the sand.

I think you need to count to 10....relax.

 

[JoeyRock58]

Thanks Craig but I'm going to have to agree with policy doctor on this one it just seems like that's going to be the deal.

JoeyRocks58

 

[Googly Moogly]

Anybody want to become a third party contracter? Probably gonna make a few people very rich.

 

[MedSuppPro]

Here's an interesting change in CMS policy that relieves the carriers of staffing an outbound phone verification call center and now is being handled by another 3rd party contracted entity who the tax payers are paying extra for.

Carriers must love this cost saving -- cost shifting...

New for 2010

• The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will now make verification calls to your Part D applicants.

​

The more I look at this crap, the more I want to join a Tea Party!

 

[stormtracker]

I wonder where CMS is going to get these "third party" enrollers? Will they be licensed? Advantage certified? Or, will they be hacks like the IRS phone room and know absolutely nothing about what they are doing and saying? I can just see these verification calls-- probably loaded questions to trick the applicant into implicating the agent for violations...