Medicare Supplements Vs. Medicare Advantage

[Jessica Durphy]

My leads, Mr. Williams (the owner of the agency I work for) purchased a bunch of leads a few months ago. Turning 65 and those that are 68-75....

I have just sent out letters, gone to Senior Centers, I do a lot of "mingling"... I started with our clents that are within our agency... a right good many! (approximately 100).... get referrals, I always pass out 2 cards, one for them to keep and one for a friend or family member.

I'm definitely not a pro, but I'm learning! I'll copy and paste the most recent letter that I'm mailing out to all of our clients and folks on the mailer... (i'll do a small number first, in case this letter doesn't work) if it does, then I'll mail out some more!

"As you may well know it's that time of year again, Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) for all 2010 Medicare Advantage plans… this is the enrollment period when you can change into a new plan with very few or no medical questions.
There are many plans and options that we can choose from and I am confident that, TOGETHER, we will be able to find one that will fit your budget and benefit needs. Every company that I work with is very reputable while providing excellent service… companies such as Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Gerber Life, UPMC, Cigna, AdvantraRx, New Era Life, and many others. I’m sure with one of these companies we can find a product that’s perfect for you.
My goal in sending you this letter is to show you that there is a trusted local agent that is here to meet your Medicare health needs, rather than dialing an 800 number and getting a recording! With the Williams Agency, you will never get that! Feel free to call, even if you have questions or just want me to review your current plan. I’m able to make a current plan analysis, discuss benefits, provide premium quotes and work with you on understanding just how Medicare works.
I hope to hear from you soon regarding this letter and again feel free to call! I’ll do my level best to assist you in the best possible way."

I'm up for suggestions too, if someone thinks that this is too "passive" or not going to work... please let me know!!

 

[mickeystones]

Hello Ajax....I'm impressed with your posts on this Forum. I tried to send you a message but since I don't have 20 messages, I was unable to.
I'm an agent in Panama City Beach FL and would like to chat with you if you have the time. Thanks!
Steve

 

[craig_ritter]

My leads, Mr. Williams (the owner of the agency I work for) purchased a bunch of leads a few months ago. Turning 65 and those that are 68-75....

I have just sent out letters, gone to Senior Centers, I do a lot of "mingling"... I started with our clents that are within our agency... a right good many! (approximately 100).... get referrals, I always pass out 2 cards, one for them to keep and one for a friend or family member.

I'm definitely not a pro, but I'm learning! I'll copy and paste the most recent letter that I'm mailing out to all of our clients and folks on the mailer... (i'll do a small number first, in case this letter doesn't work) if it does, then I'll mail out some more!

"As you may well know it's that time of year again, Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) for all 2010 Medicare Advantage plans… this is the enrollment period when you can change into a new plan with very few or no medical questions.
There are many plans and options that we can choose from and I am confident that, TOGETHER, we will be able to find one that will fit your budget and benefit needs. Every company that I work with is very reputable while providing excellent service… companies such as Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Gerber Life, UPMC, Cigna, AdvantraRx, New Era Life, and many others. I’m sure with one of these companies we can find a product that’s perfect for you.
My goal in sending you this letter is to show you that there is a trusted local agent that is here to meet your Medicare health needs, rather than dialing an 800 number and getting a recording! With the Williams Agency, you will never get that! Feel free to call, even if you have questions or just want me to review your current plan. I’m able to make a current plan analysis, discuss benefits, provide premium quotes and work with you on understanding just how Medicare works.
I hope to hear from you soon regarding this letter and again feel free to call! I’ll do my level best to assist you in the best possible way."

I'm up for suggestions too, if someone thinks that this is too "passive" or not going to work... please let me know!!

Jessica:

You can't mention MA carrier names without CMS approval, so this letter is a marketing violation. You're better off saying "I offer Medicare Advantage Plans" and not mentioning Plan Names, Premiums, or Benefits. Not sure why you would sell Cigna PFFS in Bradford since GHP doesn't accept it for new patients and any major hospitalizations (heart, cancer, etc.) would likely be referred there. Highmark is Blue Shield (not Blue Cross Blue Shield) in the 13 counties in Northeast PA. The Blue Cross franchise is owned by "Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania" and they don't like Highmark being called Blue Cross in their 13 counties (to put it mildly). Not sure why would wouldn't offer Geisinger since they own the hospitals up there, other than Gutherie clinics not liking them. KSKJ is a Christian organization with great Med Supp rates in PA. I believe Dr. Chen (who owns New Era) is a Buddist (if I had to guess), not that I have anything against Buddists, I just find it ironic for some reason. I played Blackjack with Dr. Chen for about 10 straight hours in Montreal a few years back and he's a super, super guy. . .humble, funny and a heck of an actuary and business man.

Good luck!

Craig

 

[Jessica Durphy]

Mr. Ritter, thank you for your words, I really appreciate them. Just to clarify a few things, I'm steering clear of the fee for service plans, I personally don't care for them. I mentioned Cigna, because I'm appointed with them to sell PDP's.

Since writing this post, I've kinda geared my attention to Supplements with a PDP. There's a lot less stress!!! and from different agents opinions, I can see where a Supplement is so much better. I do sell some MAPD plans, because it just fits for some folks.

I wrote this letter for folks who do have a MAPD plan that are looking to get into something different. Believe it or not, I mailed out 150 and have gotten about 20 calls from them. Overall, for just getting started back in May, I'm doing fairly well!!

If you ever have any other advice you'd like to share, to help me become a better, more successful agent, feel free to criticize or be blunt with me.

 

[G.Gordon]

Like Craig said... don't mention companies or anything that will cause a violation. The client won't complain, but let another agent see that letter that knows his stuff and he'll mail that thing to CMS or your state's DOI in a heartbeat.

 

[Yoda]

"The client won't complain, but let another agent see that letter that knows his stuff and he'll mail that thing to CMS or your state's DOI in a heartbeat."
================================================

Shouldn't we preface that with "let another "weasel" insurance agent see that letter". No self respecting agent with half a brain would do that. Of course it does sound like a lot of the weasel insurance agents in this forum would but thankfully its not quite that bad out in the real world.

 

[G.Gordon]

Even though I can't see what Yoda said, I know this qualifies.

 

[Jessica Durphy]

you know... I spoke with a representative from Highmark who specializes in "town hall" Medicare Advantage meetings. What he does is have them all sign a form (NOT THE SOA form) that gives him permission to call them with a date of when he's going to hold this town hall meeting (informative), he said that he may have up to 100 at one time. He normally holds them at a YMCA or something like that... he will show a presentation given to him by Highmark, after the presentation, he'll answer any questions, give them the answers... once the meeting's done, he said that he will normally sign up the majority for a MAPD, Freedom Bluee PPO!!! I asked him about the legalities of it... does he have to stop everytime someone new has entered the meeting, or does he have to get each of them to fill out a SOA form, he said that he doesn't!!! He's been doing this for about 8 years or something like that! This guy, from what I know of him, is a really sweet and honest person.... I just wonder if I'd be able to do the same????

 

[Johnnyboy29073]

You may get a ton of answers on this, but from a sheer maintenance standpoint (you maintaining the member) I am seeing more and more that Medicare Advantage is a huge pain in the ass. I've done/am in the process of doing both MAPD and Med Supps, too.

Let me give you just one recent example.

Not too long ago, I enrolled this lady who is a dual eligible into a MAPD plan. Before you all go off on me for that, duals are my bread and butter, and I know how to put them in the right plan, and it is indeed a good plan for tem. Anyway, I had to make sure ALL her docs were in the plan's network, which was no easy task since she has several docs and a chiropractor.

Things roll along, and I have gotten several calls from this lady, pleased with the plan, and upset about some doctor issues that I reviewed over and over and over and over with her in the first place.

Thursday, I got 14 calls from her in about a 5 minute time span, and I'm not lying about that. She would call, hang up, call again, again, again. I was on an appt, so I didn't pick up, but when she FINALLY left a message, she said "hey, I need you to pick up, this is an EMERGENCY. I'm at my doctor's office, and they are not contracted with the plan". This just pissed me off, because of the multiple calls, and because of the flippant use of the word "emergency". No, lady, a head injury, chest pains, broken neck, THAT is an emergency. You sitting in a doctor's appt who you KNOW is not contracted in your medicare advantage network and trying to go see him anyway is NOT an emergency.

And this is just one issue among so many that can go wrong when a person has any minor problem with prescriptions, network docs, bills, denial of service, etc. And a person like this will not hesitate to try and throw me (you) under the bus, which is why I have to spend so much time documenting and covering my butt.

Med Supps, on the other hand - no "network", no bills/prior authorizations, or other such nonsense.

And add to that all the restrictions of who you can call, getting permission to call, scope of appt, recording conversations, etc.

So yeah, med supps are much more agent friendly, and, I dare say, easier and probably more cost effective for the seniors. There are people who MAPD is right for, but, overall, med supps are the way to go.

Wow, great response.