Mental Health Care + Medicare Advantage

[somarco]

Mental health and substance abuse disorder services are needed by people of all ages, including older adults. In February 2023, 20% of adults 65 and older reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. Medicare covers a range of mental health and substance use disorder services, and Medicare Advantage plans are required to cover the same set of services as traditional Medicare.

About 60% of Medicare Advantage enrollees were in plans that did not cover out-of-network outpatient mental health and substance use disorder services

98% of Medicare Advantage enrollees were in plans that required prior authorization for some mental health and substance use disorder services

Medicare Advantage plans can and do apply cost management tools to mental health and other services, such as prior authorization requirements, referrals, and limited networks that can restrict beneficiary choice of in-network physicians and facilities.


https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-...isorder-coverage-in-medicare-advantage-plans/

 

[Packerland]

The Google master with another fear mongering post...

 

[goillini52]

Mental health and substance abuse disorder services are needed by people of all ages, including older adults. In February 2023, 20% of adults 65 and older reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. Medicare covers a range of mental health and substance use disorder services, and Medicare Advantage plans are required to cover the same set of services as traditional Medicare.

About 60% of Medicare Advantage enrollees were in plans that did not cover out-of-network outpatient mental health and substance use disorder services

98% of Medicare Advantage enrollees were in plans that required prior authorization for some mental health and substance use disorder services

Medicare Advantage plans can and do apply cost management tools to mental health and other services, such as prior authorization requirements, referrals, and limited networks that can restrict beneficiary choice of in-network physicians and facilities.


https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-...isorder-coverage-in-medicare-advantage-plans/

Scare tactics.

 

[somarco]

Scare tactics.

Education . . .

Most folks, and especially agents, don't know these things and this kind of information is a hindrance to the sales process. If one does not want to learn, don't click the link and remain uninformed and uneducated.

FWIW, most of the linked articles originate from health related newsletters and periodicals I read daily . . . not from searches

If you are not learning you are going backwards. Prospects have questions and want answers, not just a sales pitch.

Truth be known, I am a lousy salesman. Always have been, but I learned how to LISTEN to a prospects questions and have ANSWERS they were not getting anywhere else. This approach may not work for others, but it is the reason why my closing ratio is in the high 90's.

 

[Yagents]

I learned early on, reading industry articles daily is a must to keep up with the changes, and of course..... the facts. I get 20 emails a day from NAHU, Kaiser, and others. I read probably 15-20 articles a day. I'd suggest other agents do the same.

Truth is hard to swallow for some.

 

[Midlevel]

I suggest anyone who has not read The Compound Effect written by Darren Hardy to do so. He explains what a waste of time it is to sit and read meaningless articles written by journalists or trade groups who have an agenda and spin it anyway they want to draw attention. He said he watches 0 news because 99% of all news has no bearing on his personal life or his personal goas, dreams, and ambitions anyway. I have zero interest in listening to a person's personal opinions on Fox News, CNN or any network. It is just that, a personal opinion that does not affect me at all.

To sit and read all these articles is such a waste of a person's time when they could be listening to self help podcasts, learning more about the products they are selling, etc. Case in point is the article I posted from BCBS that said MA plans are far superior to Med Sups. Someone who doesn't know anything about Medicare may believe that but hopefully anyone in the business knows it was just totally spun to push MA plans. Same with all these articles bashing MA plans, those of us that actually have clients utilizing them see how well they work for them. We can see through the BS Med Sup articles.

Pretty sure NAHU, Kaiser, etc might be a little biased also depending on their personal needs and agenda's. I have read the book 3 times and get inspired each time.

 

[T Sparks]

I suggest anyone who has not read The Compound Effect written by Darren Hardy to do so. He explains what a waste of time it is to sit and read meaningless articles written by journalists or trade groups who have an agenda and spin it anyway they want to draw attention. He said he watches 0 news because 99% of all news has no bearing on his personal life or his personal goas, dreams, and ambitions anyway. I have zero interest in listening to a person's personal opinions on Fox News, CNN or any network. It is just that, a personal opinion that does not affect me at all.

To sit and read all these articles is such a waste of a person's time when they could be listening to self help podcasts, learning more about the products they are selling, etc. Case in point is the article I posted from BCBS that said MA plans are far superior to Med Sups. Someone who doesn't know anything about Medicare may believe that but hopefully anyone in the business knows it was just totally spun to push MA plans. Same with all these articles bashing MA plans, those of us that actually have clients utilizing them see how well they work for them. We can see through the BS Med Sup articles.

Pretty sure NAHU, Kaiser, etc might be a little biased also depending on their personal needs and agenda's. I have read the book 3 times and get inspired each time.

Very well said!

 

[Midlevel]

Very well said!

Have you read the book? He also does a 5 minute Darren Daily every morning with inspirational stories and business ideas. You can sign up to get his email every morning, first thing I do every morning M - F.

 

[goillini52]

Have you read the book? He also does a 5 minute Darren Daily every morning with inspirational stories and business ideas. You can sign up to get his email every morning, first thing I do every morning M - F.

1st thing I do every morning involves the toilet.

 

[somarco]

I learned early on, reading industry articles daily is a must to keep up with the changes, and of course..... the facts. I get 20 emails a day from NAHU, Kaiser, and others. I read probably 15-20 articles a day. I'd suggest other agents do the same.

Truth is hard to swallow for some.

Some people are happy to remain ignorant . . . don't rattle their cage.