How to Hold a Medcare Educational Seminar

[Newby]

Tell them you would love to answer their questions and if they want to get together and go into further detail talk to me after the Seminar and I will get you the information you need to contact me. It would be hard not being able to go into details on the MA or PDP plans when people are asking about them because they are the most confusing.

That would definitely get you a violation. You answer questions there as a group. If you try to steer them to meeting with you one on one you won't be doing many educational seminars.

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I've done around eight or nine educational seminars a year for the past 5-years. They are always at the local hospital and promoted by the hospital. You can not sit business cards out and you can not offer them. But people do ask for them.

It's been well worth the time. A lot of good sales come from these.

And yes, CMS secret shoppers are at every one of them. You have to be very compliant.[/QUOTE

Someone in my company set up an educational power point and was telling me about his set up. Biggest problem I saw was he was calling it informational and requiring RSVPs which is how he created a list. After he would call all the RSVPs for an appointment.

I have a little concern about spending the money on a dm campaign, invite them to a seminar and sit back and wait for people to call me. I've been going back and forth on just calling it a sales event so I can collect information and actually answer questions about plans.

Trying to stay compliant and also not waste my time.

You definitely can't collect their information.

I wouldn't spend money on them. Contact you local hospital and see if they have an agent they work with already. Hospitals like to hold educational events and will do the mailings, newspaper and radio notices, etc. They usually pack 30-50 people in the audience for each one for me. As long as you keep it educational and never salesy, they are happy. If you do a good job, you will come across as the only person the audience has ever met that really understood it and explained it well. They will seek you out and you have been positioned as a very credible source.

 

[copious]

Perhaps I can run them out of my office or another free location like the chamber. Classify them as sales events so I can collect information and meet with people one on one.

I'll definitely get on the hospital suggestion as well.

 

[midwestbroker]

So, let me ask this...

Let's say you do a Medicare 101 and it is more of a run through the Medicare & You handbook. The focus being more on overall Medicare benefits like physical exams, bone mass tests, diabetic supplies, etc.

So then you go into if there is a cost, how to cover some or all of the cost with private insurance.

Page 16 has the chart that goes over how to supplement your Medicare (Supplement and Part D or MAPD).

Because you are doing a generic Medicare 101, would you have to register that as an Educational event due to the MAPD mention?

My stance is you would not have to since the core focus of the seminar would be Medicare's benefits and not the detailed benefits of a MAPD plan.

Thoughts?

 

[WCMason]

So, let me ask this... Let's say you do a Medicare 101 and it is more of a run through the Medicare & You handbook. The focus being more on overall Medicare benefits like physical exams, bone mass tests, diabetic supplies, etc. So then you go into if there is a cost, how to cover some or all of the cost with private insurance. Page 16 has the chart that goes over how to supplement your Medicare (Supplement and Part D or MAPD). Because you are doing a generic Medicare 101, would you have to register that as an Educational event due to the MAPD mention? My stance is you would not have to since the core focus of the seminar would be Medicare's benefits and not the detailed benefits of a MAPD plan. Thoughts?

My understanding is talking about existence of MA and PDP, and in general how MA differs from med supp are OK so long as no MA or PDP companies or plan specifics are mentioned.

 

[kennethbroyles]

So, let me ask this...

Let's say you do a Medicare 101 and it is more of a run through the Medicare & You handbook. The focus being more on overall Medicare benefits like physical exams, bone mass tests, diabetic supplies, etc.

So then you go into if there is a cost, how to cover some or all of the cost with private insurance.

Page 16 has the chart that goes over how to supplement your Medicare (Supplement and Part D or MAPD).

Because you are doing a generic Medicare 101, would you have to register that as an Educational event due to the MAPD mention?

My stance is you would not have to since the core focus of the seminar would be Medicare's benefits and not the detailed benefits of a MAPD plan.

Thoughts?

FYI.. "Generic Medicare Education" only events are fine and no requirement to notify CMS or Plans because you don't use plan names or materials; I don't even have plan logo cards. This positions you as the "expert/ go to person" in many settings. You are allowed to answer specific answers to a direct question about a plan, if you are asked. Be careful, if you go to far with your answer, your treading on " thin ice." I don't get a lot of enrollments at the time... but I think it does have a cumulative effect over time.

PS... Please , Please , Please.. do not do this as a new agent. This is something you need to do after years of experience. I started by doing sales events all compliant sponsored by UHC, for years and lots of experience, before changing my marketing to being a broker and contracted with all of the MAPD's and lowest cost Medigap plans that have value.
Remember a complaint could trigger a termination "with cause," and loss of renewals. Keep in mind, I am not CMS.

Ricks statement I also abide...... " Always do the right thing, because it's the right thing to do."

I do wish all of you a very "Merry Christmas", from
Broyles and Associates / "Insurance Made Simple"

 

[coachd]

I have done educational sem. on only Medicare. Business came in from them. It was one of the better things I did.

 

[cadylou]

All of the guidelines for marketing rules are out at the CMS site.

Managed Care Marketing - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

They are very specific. Also, you'll find these reiterated in any carrier specific training you would have had to complete prior to the annual enrollment period.

 

[coachd]

All of the guidelines for marketing rules are out at the CMS site.

Managed Care Marketing - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

They are very specific. Also, you'll find these reiterated in any carrier specific training you would have had to complete prior to the annual enrollment period.

This link is a good one.

Most companies for Medicare supplements do not have training however. We do not certify to sell most Medicare supplements.

If one is giving general knowledge on Medicare and not MA or PDP plans you do not need to register with CMS. Not, to say you should not through a MA carrier. Since I am Lic and sell PDP and MA plans, I do go through those hoops. I think everyone should if they sell PDP and/or MA plans

 

[Todd King]

Ricks statement I also abide...... " Always do the right thing, because it's the right thing to do."

I do wish all of you a very "Merry Christmas", from
Broyles and Associates / "Insurance Made Simple"

Now where did I hear this before?

 

[smokin goose]

I believe that was a famous WC Stone quote.