Those $0 Premium Drug Plans

[somarco]

Several complaints from clients who have that "Silver" drug plan. Carrier wants to discuss how they can eliminate the drug plan premium by switching to one of their "new" plans with no premium.

Carriers are such assholes . . .

 

[Fisher]

Wow, that's some straight-up bullshit.

 

[somarco]

Wow, that's some straight-up bullshit.

Not mine, or from my clients.

Has happened before from Amana and possibly one other PDP/MAPD carrier

 

[somarco]

Client email . . .

Bob,

We got a phone message today from #Silverscript offering additional dental and hearing coverage for Linda. This is a plan D drug plan, so I'm confused about what they are offering us. We haven't called them back yet and wondered what you knew about these opportunities?? I know this is a busy time for you, but when you get a moment, let us know what you know about this.

Thanks

 

[ValeRosso]

Client email . . .

Bob,

We got a phone message today from #Silverscript offering additional dental and hearing coverage for Linda. This is a plan D drug plan, so I'm confused about what they are offering us. We haven't called them back yet and wondered what you knew about these opportunities?? I know this is a busy time for you, but when you get a moment, let us know what you know about this.

Thanks

Facepalm

I have no other words

 

[somarco]

FWIW I sent an email to clients that warned them about possible calls regarding the drug plan with dental and vision + no premium.

Got over a dozen "thank you emails" from clients including several that said they had the same call.

I have seen this B & S before, but it seems to be RAMPANT this time through.

 

[Truce]

I don't understand enough about the mechanics of how the insurers profit from the Part D plans. Is there a subsidy for each enrollee or any sort of capitation? PDP seems like a good fishing expedition to enroll the healthiest Medicare eligibles into the least expensive PDP plans, and then build a future pool to market to for profitable MAPD. And it you combine this with a captive supplement membership who are getting rate increases each year and may not interact with their agent, it gives carriers a lot of internal lead flow if they want to prioritize MAPD membership (and they do). If that's the game I'm willing to play it with a healthy dose of client education and follow up, but yeah it's a tad agent unfriendly and I'll need to better prep clients for competing/contradicting calls coming from their own carrier.

 

[DS4]

Is there a subsidy for each enrollee....

yes!

 

[kstein]

I think pdp plans get around $1000/year if I remember correctly.

 

[margostl]

It gets tiresome, but Amanda's goal is to reap all the benefits under the guise of helping agents out or in this case leaving little doubt that they are not agent friendly.I also educate my clients on all plans I contract with.Whenever I can move them I will.One good turn deserves another.