Walmart AEP: Independent Agents are out!

[Fisher]

When I picked up my meds at Walmart today, they shoved 4 of these flyers in the bag.

And when you put in a zip code at the WM website shown, it takes you straight to a Sunfire page that lists every single available MA/MAPD plan in the zip I put in. Looks like they're short a couple of PDPs for some reason (according to medicare.gov).

 

[AgentGeneral]

And when you put in a zip code at the WM website shown, it takes you straight to a Sunfire page that lists every single available MA/MAPD plan in the zip I put in. Looks like they're short a couple of PDPs for some reason (according to medicare.gov).

Oh boy...so glad WM was a one time thing for me and not all my business came from there. What's next?

 

[somarco]

The Wally World quote engine shows Amana as the top choice (at least when I ran a quote).

Odd, the quote engine didn't have any Medigap plans. Probably an oversight that will be corrected.

 

[BALDELMO]

Called the Wally World toll free. Surprise! they did not start the conversation with the required disclaimer. Rules for Thee, but not for Me!

 

[Kb4391]

Shit happens.

The carriers and FMO's, especially the larger ones, don't give a damn about you. They DO care about your block, which in reality is their block, you are just a caretaker.

Every damn one of them will cut you out in a heart beat. The day you realize they are not your friend, not your partner, is the day you change your strategy about how you market yourself so you can keep 98% of your business no matter what happens.

I have had uplines cut me off and cut me out without warning. They don't accept new business, send an FU letter, and cut off renewals.

And they don't take your calls either.

My clients belong to me and no one takes them away. My closing ratio is high 90's. Retention is close to 100%. I belong to them and they belong to me.

Everything is done by phone & email, no F2F. My block is 100% Medigap and I still close almost everyone I talk to. No tricks. No pressure. People hate to be sold but they love to buy, and I give them that opportunity when they are ready.

I have to be honest, I can understand how some FMO/IMO's may come across this way, but don't put us all in the same basket. I've worked with several agents/agencies for almost a decade now that have become some of my greatest friends. I've flown agents into our home office and cooked for them at my house with my family. We've organized events to just get together and be face to face even when it means hitting 3 connecting flights across the country just to build a relationship. We've helped fund marketing events that have truly helped groups get off the ground when we've known their potential. Yes, there will always be the bad groups out there in this industry. Yes, there will always be times when business decisions are made that aren't controllable but at the end of the day, find an upline that is transparent with you. End rant.

 

[DonP]

I have to be honest, I can understand how some FMO/IMO's may come across this way, but don't put us all in the same basket. I've worked with several agents/agencies for almost a decade now that have become some of my greatest friends. I've flown agents into our home office and cooked for them at my house with my family. We've organized events to just get together and be face to face even when it means hitting 3 connecting flights across the country just to build a relationship. We've helped fund marketing events that have truly helped groups get off the ground when we've known their potential. Yes, there will always be the bad groups out there in this industry. Yes, there will always be times when business decisions are made that aren't controllable but at the end of the day, find an upline that is transparent with you. End rant.

Excuse Somarco . He’s the most negative dude on the planet . My fmo and regionals have been awesome . Any marketing money I ask for I get without question . They’ve bent over backwards ti do anything I’ve asked . But understand they do that for producers . If you don’t produce there doing nothing for you . Now we know why Somarco feels like he does

 

[Ali y]

We are hiring Medicare agents for all Walmart's in Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego County.

 

[AgentGeneral]

At $1500 last year, I almost didn't do it at all. This year it's going to be a charge per app set up. Not sure what that charge will be but if it's $50 per app, would've cost 4k-5k. I'd load up on co op mailers instead, along with a handful of other options.

$20 would have been just ok. It won't be lower than that and with many agents opting out at $1500, I'd bet this is not going to go well.

With that said, I was reimbursed more than what I put it by Humana directly, dressed up as marketing money for my hard work. So who knows. Not too worried about doing one last year and not doing it this year.

 

[AgentGeneral]

So I’m assuming if you built your book mostly at Walmart during aep you got a great amount of dual/lis

It was a fair amount. To be precise, it was 30%, almost to the nuts.

 

[senioradvisor60]

So now it's changed again and FMOs have gotten back some of the Walmarts for Independent agents BUT Walmart wants a cut of commissions FOR LIFE! $100 per MA or MS written during AEP and $25 for PDPs. $50 for life of MA and MS policies and $6 for PDPs. Doesn't Walmart already make enough money then to try to take almost a third of agents commissions? I've been at the same store for 14 years, originally with Humana, but this is so wrong of Walmart to do and I can't figure out how it's even legal since you can't split commissions for MAs and PDPs.