Scroll down for a discussion on Medicare's New Rules within the Senior Insurance Forum.
Originally Posted by midwestbroker
Humana said that they are going to inform prospects on the phone that MA and other products will be discussed. This, ...
Humana said that they are going to inform prospects on the phone that MA and other products will be discussed. This, they say, will get them around the 48 hour window. I do not see how it will but they seem to think so.
BCBS of TN just told us the same thing in a seminar this morning. Tell the client that you will be discussing medicare advantage, medicare supplements, and medicare part D with them. As long as they agree, you are covered (according to BCBST). If they then say they only want to hear about "x", then you cannot bring up anything beyond "x". Also, no financial products can be discussed without a 48 hour cooling period. Although BCBST thinks it is ok to leave a brochure about LTC (or whatever) if the beneficiary brings it up first and then set the appointment for 48 hours later to discuss...
You are getting all worked up about something that most probably will not even be an issue six years from now.
...you will realize that it is difficult enough to project what is going to happen next year let alone six years into the future.
...since you were trying to project what may happen six years from now and actually going to tell that to new clients.
I had no idea that something that may happen six years from now has become such an emotional issue with you. Had I known I would have never brought it up. I really am very sorry I even mentioned it.
As for your psychoanalysis piss. Your full of goat crap when it when it comes to Part C and Part D. So here is the first step of your recovery. First, you need to get out of denial. (just alitttle humor or more piss back at ya).
I don't work the senior market, so I'd appreciate some input from the vets.
1. Are you prohibited from charging clients fees for your services in addition to the commission you get? If not, can you charge fees just for your advice instead of commission?
2. If you can charge clients fees, what's to stop you from "thinking outside the box" and charging a client a fee to speak to you once or twice a year for health insurance advice similar to the fee only financial planning model? You could offer a sliding scale model for those with lower incomes!
3. It is illegal to sell any of the health plans online? Supps, Advantage plans, Prescription Plans, etc.?
-J.R.
1. Illegal
2. Illegal
3. Depends. Some carriers provide online filing of application, others demand fax or mail. Some allow telephone enrollment, others do not. CMS (Medicare) has an online enrollment option, but I don't trust them to credit my agent writing number, so I haven't tried them. Maybe somebody else can report on this option.
Note: CMS is encouraging carriers to expand online application because it demands completed forms, thereby reducing re-filing and subsequent delay of enrollment. Online application (if allowed) can be real-time or deferred (uploaded on return to office or internet availability). Electronic signature is required, or signed document by beneficiary that confirms permission. Not all carriers have worked out the issues required to provide online application. Compounding this is reluctance of some seniors to do the "computer thing". Distrust of computers is inherited, I believe.
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To be truly independent, an agent should not be dependent on a government bureaucrat for contracts or commissions.
At least I was when I came in from feeding this morning. We raise full-blood, registered South African Boer Goats. (They are like dogs with horns.)
That was interesting. Thanks for sharing.
However, I never pictured you with a beard and was under the impression you would speak faster than that since you are an insurance agent. I guess it just "shows to go you" how wrong I can be.
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Medicare Supplement Sales Training and Coaching.
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Six years ago, Humana had the strongest plan in Kansas City. Coventry was still building networks and CIP, AARP (MA), Today's options, and Sterling were not here.
Now, Coventry has the most benefit rich plan, Humana is second, and we have a new carrier on the MO side (Cigna).
Every year I have to look at 6-7 different MA carriers to see what best suits my clients. This will vary by county as well since Coventry is stronger on this side of Kansas City, and on this side Humana is stronger, etc. Even Medicare on the inside cover tells their beneficiaries to look every year because what worked for them this year, may not be the best option for next year. Medicare had created a plan that in some cases requires "churming" clients.
I would like to see a Medicare survey done. When you have a question about your policy, would you rather call: 1. your local agent 2. Medicare
Looks like I will have to fire off a letter to Max Baucus (Democrat Montana) who sponcered the bill.
You are absolutely correct about how "Medicare" has created this so called churning. Humana was good here the first year and now they are about 4th. That is one of the reasons I left being captive. I just could not sell an inferior plan.
I have already started to write letters to all my representatives and also starting to draft a letter to the editor to our local paper. CMS may say that I have even lost my right to criticize their rules and all I have to say is bring it on.
Well just waiting to see what all the companies have to say about all this BS.
I completely agree with you, except for one thing:
YOU'RE vs. YOU ARE
Rick you're correct! Thanks! After you go and check out Franks goat crap I have some horses crap you can roll in. Makes ya want to stay in California.
Anyway, back to the Thread...
Prohibition on the Provision of Meals 42 CFR 422.2268(p)
While CMS does not intend to define the term “meal” or create a comprehensive list of food products that qualify as light snacks, items similar to the following could generally be considered acceptable:
Fruit (the more you eat, the more you toot)
Raw vegetables (remember to remove your dentures)
Pastries (coverage gap -- you can't call them donuts)
Cookies or other small dessert items (such as crumbs)
Crackers (I'll let Rick figure that one out)
Muffins (Oh Ya!)
Cheese (smile aren't we haven fun yet)
Chips (Goat Chips)
Yogurt (plain only and manufactured in a communist country)
Nuts (Rocky Mountain)
Most of CMS activities are through contracted entities. Claims and 1-800Medicare are examples of sub-contracted entities. And we agents are sub-contracted and certified entities. However, we have no say in the contract. It is a take it or leave it proposition. The FMO's did nothing!
And so we have good meaning people at CMS who have education and lots of experience running the CMS business. These administrators are now looking at a new job description that they have had no experience with. They now have to regulate sales activities and develope a set of rules to regulate this new responsibility. This is something that has taken state's years and years to figure out.
CMS has created a new sub-contractor definition called "RENT-A-AGENT". The unitended consequence of their newly created rent-a-agent will be to harm the senior client whom needs our services and advise. This is not a Win-Win solution. And one could argue that their rent-a-agent will ultimately help the insurance carrier's bottom line! CMS should have gone with a levelized commissions model like Anthem has offered for years. Levelizing commissions would have eliminated the quick buck agent and would have meet the requirement set by congress. Instead CMS went overboard on this one.
Should we RENTA-AGENT's fully disclose our limited relationship to perspective clients? [indent]"Mr. and Mrs. Jones, I'm required to disclose that I am compensted by this plan... A MA / PDP works differently than a Medicare supplement plan... Due to CMS rules, I will be prohibited from servicing your future MA / PDP needs beyond {insert 6 or less} years." After {insert 6 or less} years you may go to any agent willing to accept the terms and conditions set by CMS and you will then need to switch plans in order to have a local agent to assit you with your health insurance needs. Or you may call the carrier direct. These home office people are compensated differently then an independent agent and may on a case by case basis accept the terms and condition of an independent agent and agree to service your needs and or advise you of your insurance choices. If at that point you unable to get service and advice that you feel you need and have come to appreciate, you may call 1-800Medicare.
I seriously believe we will need to disclose our Rent-A-Agent relationship to our clients. I don't want to assume the liability in outlying years. The client needs to know this upfront. Isn't this the ethical thing to do? What would AARP say?
Perhaps this is the dawn of a new type of Medigap coverage - The Medi Agent Gap service agreement. " Picks up agent support where other agents leave off "
Not a Medigap policy thats pays the balance for Medicare covered A and B benefits after Medicare pays but a Medigap service agreement that pays for expert and unbias advice from a licenced and certified MA agent after the six years of CMS covered MA certified and licensed agent service agreement runs out.
This is not anymore absurd than what CMS is doing now.
The commissions rule is to stop what CMS is calling "churning." This is taking your book of MA business and moving clients from one to the other whether it is a benefit to them or not. We had former employed agents telling clients they were just updating their existing contract or that one company merged with the other. We are all paying for this gross misconduct just like we are in the financial markets
The commissions rule is to stop what CMS is calling "churning." This is taking your book of MA business and moving clients from one to the other whether it is a benefit to them or not. We had former employed agents telling clients they were just updating their existing contract or that one company merged with the other. We are all paying for this gross misconduct just like we are in the financial markets
What about moving them because it is in their best interest? You in favor of stopping that too?
Re: Medicare's New Rules
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