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You might consider investment banker.Heck, I sure picked a fine time to start out in the insurance business. Sigh! (Well, it was either this or real estate.)
Rick
Cold calling rules
- Thread starter jdeasy
- Start date
Rick
You might consider investment banker.
Rick
I hear Lehman Brothers had a lot of employees leave recently... maybe there will be a vacancy there!
- Thread starter
- #23
- 18,984
Wellcare's version;
Urgent Update: Changes to CMS Marketing Guidelines CMS recently implemented new guidelines for 2009 Medicare Advantage marketing activities. As such, it is WellCare’s responsibility to ensure that all contracted producers are aware of these changes and comply with the new guidelines. WellCare is in the process of seeking clarification of certain specifics of the new CMS measures, and producers will be informed as WellCare refines its policy with respect to these new regulations. In the meantime, Producers need to be aware of the following marketing guidelines and restrictions with which they must begin to comply as of October 1, 2008:
If you have any questions, please contact your FMO.
Sincerely,
WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
Note: WellCare is developing communication regarding new compensation guidelines, which will be forthcoming shortly. Producers should continue to monitor e-mail for updates on these developments as they become available.
Urgent Update: Changes to CMS Marketing Guidelines CMS recently implemented new guidelines for 2009 Medicare Advantage marketing activities. As such, it is WellCare’s responsibility to ensure that all contracted producers are aware of these changes and comply with the new guidelines. WellCare is in the process of seeking clarification of certain specifics of the new CMS measures, and producers will be informed as WellCare refines its policy with respect to these new regulations. In the meantime, Producers need to be aware of the following marketing guidelines and restrictions with which they must begin to comply as of October 1, 2008:
- Before meeting with a beneficiary, producers must document the beneficiary’s advance consent to engage in a sales meeting and the scope of products to be discussed. This consent may be in writing or recorded, and must be maintained by the producer.
- Use of food at sales meetings must comply with guidelines; providing meals to beneficiaries as part of marketing activities is prohibited.
- All outbound telemarketing activities without prior beneficiary consent are prohibited effective October 1, 2008.
[*]Producers must ensure that only appropriate activities and materials are used for educational events (i.e., producers may not conduct sales activities or distribute or accept enrollment applications at group events).
[*]Interactions with beneficiaries must be initiated by the beneficiary. Producers cannot contact any beneficiary in an unsolicited manner, including door-to-door sales, outbound telemarketing, and conducting sales presentations or distributing and accepting plan applications in provider offices or other places where health care is delivered.
If you have any questions, please contact your FMO.
Sincerely,
WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
Note: WellCare is developing communication regarding new compensation guidelines, which will be forthcoming shortly. Producers should continue to monitor e-mail for updates on these developments as they become available.
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What I'd like to know is how CMS and the insurance companies plan to watch us? The inbound calls they made us do last year? I checked the box that the client didn't want to do it, and let the client know they'd be getting a call from the insurance company to go over the plan. I flat out told my clients I didn't want to waste our valuable time going over the plan AGAIN with some CSA at the company. My clients agreed!
How will they monitor me if I decide to bring up LTC or Financial planning while at their kitchen table? I'm a full service agent. I will present that to my client. I don't like those calls that start with "guess what I just did!" and end with "gee, I didn't know you did that!"
What if I coach my clients, let them know what to expect when that "verification" call comes in? Let them know that they don't have to answer any of their questions, and they won't lose their plan. What will the companies do to me? The client was the one they called. . .
So, they cut our commissions and then they cut our ability to make a living with the other products we sell. If CMS feels the need to regulate everything so much, they should just do everything themselves and cut us out of the loop! It will give us more time to actually make money!
I am so looking forward to this years Medicare season!
How will they monitor me if I decide to bring up LTC or Financial planning while at their kitchen table? I'm a full service agent. I will present that to my client. I don't like those calls that start with "guess what I just did!" and end with "gee, I didn't know you did that!"
What if I coach my clients, let them know what to expect when that "verification" call comes in? Let them know that they don't have to answer any of their questions, and they won't lose their plan. What will the companies do to me? The client was the one they called. . .
So, they cut our commissions and then they cut our ability to make a living with the other products we sell. If CMS feels the need to regulate everything so much, they should just do everything themselves and cut us out of the loop! It will give us more time to actually make money!
I am so looking forward to this years Medicare season!
If you get a secret shopper and do as you just said, you won't be selling any plan or any other type insurance for that matter.
There is still lots of opportunities to do well this season and there will be legal and ethical methods to do this, The different companies will let us know here as soon as they go through and confirm it with CMS
. Monday Pyramid has a conference call and will at least give us some idea of what the heck is going on and the other plans will be soon to follow.
Stay smart and stop the thought process you are on
or you will not have to worry about checking on this forum any more....
Stay smart and stop the thought process you are on
ABSOLUTELY!! This goes for many others on this forum, too, including ME. I have resolved to learn to deal with it... you can't shovel sand against the tide, and it's coming in!
If you can figure out a way to play within bounds, you will stand a chance to win, just like in tennis, volleyball, etc. It doesn't guarantee you'll win, but if you are out of bounds, it's a guarantee that you won't!
I am working on two separate strategies designed to stay completely within bounds... one is a web site (people come to you as CMS is demanding), and the other I don't want to comment on at the present, but it's a no-brainer, just hard to do.
These type challenges separate the pros from the wanna-bes. I'm not immune to belly-aching and whining, but either I kick myself in the butt or someone else will...
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I don't know why ANYBODY would want to put up with this ever-increasing red tape having to do with Medicare. It was the same way in Florida with Medicaid. First, the state wanted private HMO's to take over to save the state money. So the HMO's hired agents to sign up Medicaid people. They were paid PER application. So what'd they do? They sought out the Medicaid people (won't go into which neighborhoods they frequented for this.) Anyway.. the state got too many complaints from the marketing tactics and took away virtually every sales avenue for the agents. The market dried up.
Same thing will happen (has happened now) with Medicare. Not a place for a new agent at all..
Same thing will happen (has happened now) with Medicare. Not a place for a new agent at all..
Heck, I sure picked a fine time to start out in the insurance business. Sigh! (Well, it was either this or real estate.)
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A
allhealthandlife
Guest
I heard today that cold calling rules do not effect the 2008 MA and PDP plans so you can still cold call these prospects through November for 12/1/08 effective.
- 15,319
I believe you are incorrect. The rules went into effect on 9/18.
Please post your source.
Rick
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One thing that I have seen is the larger producing agencies going to the carriers saying, if you want us to sell your product this year, what are you going to do to help us?
With cold calling out, they are looking to the carriers for co-op money.
What I see is that agents who just pop in for AEP and OEP will stop doing so since all the new rules and regulations have come into place. The agents who do this all year (like myself) will just have to see clients more then we do now, which is not such a bad thing.
With cold calling out, they are looking to the carriers for co-op money.
What I see is that agents who just pop in for AEP and OEP will stop doing so since all the new rules and regulations have come into place. The agents who do this all year (like myself) will just have to see clients more then we do now, which is not such a bad thing.
