Bob Vineyard's Outstanding Article

[scagnt83]

Posting the truth about the way the plan works is considered scare tactics. Good to know.

I will note that for future posts.

When will your revealing look at cancer treatment with an MA plan come out? I can hardly wait.

When you tell both sides of the story do you reveal your compensation on MA plans plus all the add-on policies to "fill the gaps in the MA plan"? Do you explain why someone might need or want a plan to supplement their MA plan?

And the OOP. Do you mention that is only for in network approved A & B claims in most cases and does not include outpatient Rx? Of course some MA plans don't cap your OOP. Others have a separate cap for OON claims. Bet you thought I did not know that.

Or is that not part of telling the story?

And in case you want to know, when someone asks about MA plans I do compare the two and mention the MA compensation is roughly 2x what is paid on Medigap plans. I also talk about the agent comp on the MA "gap" plans and point out that even with a cancer plan and HI plan they still have gaps.

But that's OK. That $0 premium plan that suddenly became $80 because of the MA Plus coverage pays the agent close to $1,000 or almost 4x what I make.

I have been reviewing and comparing plans for 40 years. Pretty sure I have a handle on how these things work, especially at claim time.

Did I mention they still have gaps in their MA coverage that would not exist if they had a Medicare supplement plan?

Have a nice day.

Good article Bob. Did you push this out to Facebook too? If not you should.

 

[somarco]

Thanks for the offer Mr. Greensky, but I don't take handouts from strangers. Even if I did sell MA plans, I don't have those free CA MAPD plans with $1200 OOP including Rx and no networks. We don't do things like that in GA.

Yes I did Tyler. Just as a post, not boosted, etc. Got 80 views, 2 likes, no shares.

Tribute to Yogi got 236 views, 5 likes, 2 shares.

Dead baseball player gets 3x more attention than post about cancer. Maybe I am doing something wrong.

Haven't boosted a post in a month. Watching the posts that get a lot of eyeballs to see what I need to rework and boost. SS planning for divorced spouses got 220 eyeballs, 3 likes and 22 clicks.

Must be a lot of lonely women needing money in my followers.

Even my "free" posts (no boosting) is generating some traffic. Trying to figure out which ones to use outside of AEP and which to use to generate lead traffic.

 

[rousemark]

"If you have a Medicare Advantage plan you pay the 20% out of pocket."

would be a little less scary if you mentioned that MA MOOP by law is no higher then 6700. MA plans in urban area as low as 3400.00 - not that much more then the premiums for med supp/pdp combo.Also programs available to help middle class seniors facing 20% chemo charges.In fact all my clients on MA who brought it to my attention that they went through chemo were able to qualify for a program.


"The average price of cancer drugs for a year is estimated to exceed $100,000."

cancer drugs can be part B or D.Even within the context of article I couldn't distinguish which you were referring too.



using scare tactics to sell the medicare health plan of your choice I guess works for you but I prefer to show both sides of the story.

Even if everything just as you said, did you ever think there are some seniors that want to be as self sufficient as possible and not be dependent on charity or some government handout in the form of a "program"?

 

[sman]

Just as a post, not boosted, etc. Got 80 views, 2 likes, no shares. Tribute to Yogi got 236 views, 5 likes, 2 shares. Dead baseball player gets 3x more attention than post about cancer.

Maybe Yogi should have died of cancer.

And watch out for those 'free' handouts from those California people. There are always strings attached. Next thing you know he'll make you go out with Mah.

 

[WCMason]

Good piece. I run into so many MAPD enrollees who were sold on $0 premium alone and made their decision solely on that. They had no idea of the out of pocket costs, the selling agent never mentioned that. When I show them that their MAPD plan has thousands of out of pocket costs, especially for medical services such as chemo/radiation treatment, they typically get angry and want to know how they can get out. As to Yoogle's point about no MOOP mentioned, Bob's piece does say thousands of OOP costs, which is correct for every MA plan. Had he said tens of thousand that would have been a different issue, as the max out of network OOP for PPO MA plans is $10K.

That said, I do certify every year with all the major carriers for MAPD and about 10% of my clients choose one of these plans. I'm not against them, and if someone wants to enroll in one after understanding its disadvantages--provider network restrictions and OOP costs--I will enroll them. But once I fully explain the differences, many of those who come to the meeting intending to enroll in an MA plan decide on a med supp. I am content whichever way they go. I find my med supp clients are happiest in bad health years, my MA clients are happiest in good health years. "Do you want to insure in case of bad health years or good health years?" That question usually leads them to med supp, though not always.

 

[yogooglethis]

Posting the truth about the way the plan works is considered scare tactics. Good to know.

I will note that for future posts.

When will your revealing look at cancer treatment with an MA plan come out? I can hardly wait.

When you tell both sides of the story do you reveal your compensation on MA plans plus all the add-on policies to "fill the gaps in the MA plan"? Do you explain why someone might need or want a plan to supplement their MA plan?

And the OOP. Do you mention that is only for in network approved A & B claims in most cases and does not include outpatient Rx? Of course some MA plans don't cap your OOP. Others have a separate cap for OON claims. Bet you thought I did not know that.

Or is that not part of telling the story?

And in case you want to know, when someone asks about MA plans I do compare the two and mention the MA compensation is roughly 2x what is paid on Medigap plans. I also talk about the agent comp on the MA "gap" plans and point out that even with a cancer plan and HI plan they still have gaps.

But that's OK. That $0 premium plan that suddenly became $80 because of the MA Plus coverage pays the agent close to $1,000 or almost 4x what I make.

I have been reviewing and comparing plans for 40 years. Pretty sure I have a handle on how these things work, especially at claim time.

Did I mention they still have gaps in their MA coverage that would not exist if they had a Medicare supplement plan?

Have a nice day.

"when someone asks about MA plans I do compare the two and mention the MA compensation is roughly 2x what is paid on Medigap plans.


- I learned a long time ago that using negative selling, disparaging the competition etc. turns people off and doesn't make a good impression on your professionalism.Most people who made it to age 65 are smart enough to know there is always 2 sides to a story.

- You show both options but only sell med supp? hmmm....honestly how many prospects have you met with and then recommended an MA? -( and not just the prospect who you knew couldn't stroke a check for a med supp)


- I don't even consider what the commissions are going to be when I discuss options with clients- it's all about the needs analysis. 35 % of my clients buy med supp from me and the rest MA which I imagine is inline with the medicare AI population buying pattern.The compensation for ma is the same for every plan and this information is available on med.gov .Compensation for med supps differs between carriers and plans/premiums and there is so much less rate transparency compared to MA. I have even heard of agents avoiding GI Med supp applications ,exposing clients to underwriting issues before or after the effective date in order to bolster commissions.

-I don't sell cancer plans and rarely sell HI plans with MA because my MA clients get it that are accepting the risk of paying copayments at time of service in exchange for the benefit of not having to prepay the copayments in the form of monthly premiums. .

 

[sman]

"when someone asks about MA plans I do compare the two and mention the MA compensation is roughly 2x what is paid on Medigap plans. - I learned a long time ago that using negative selling, disparaging the competition etc. turns people off and doesn't make a good impression on your professionalism.Most people who made it to age 65 are smart enough to know there is always 2 sides to a story. - You show both options but only sell med supp? hmmm....honestly how many prospects have you met with and then recommended an MA? -( and not just the prospect who you knew couldn't stroke a check for a med supp) - I don't even consider what the commissions are going to be when I discuss options with clients- it's all about the needs analysis. 35 % of my clients buy med supp from me and the rest MA which I imagine is inline with the medicare AI population buying pattern.The compensation for ma is the same for every plan and this information is available on med.gov .Compensation for med supps differs between carriers and plans/premiums and there is so much less rate transparency compared to MA. I have even heard of agents avoiding GI Med supp applications ,exposing clients to underwriting issues before or after the effective date in order to bolster commissions. -I don't sell cancer plans and rarely sell HI plans with MA because my MA clients get it that are accepting the risk of paying copayments at time of service in exchange for the benefit of not having to prepay the copayments in the form of monthly premiums. .

In defense of Bob, I have been copied in on several emails where Bob is referring someone to me recommending that they contact me about enrolling in a MAPD. Some call, some don't.

I can say with certainty that Bob puts the clients needs ahead of his own. You're barking up the wrong tree here google.

 

[somarco]

Most people who made it to age 65 are smart enough to know there is always 2 sides to a story.

Agree. And they get both sides.

I really don't need a lecture on how to handle clients. Been doing it for 40 years. If I was doing something wrong I would have figured it out a long time ago.

how many prospects have you met with and then recommended an MA?

None.

And I don't meet with people. All by phone, email.

But I don't recommend Medigap either.

And I never ask what they can afford.

Obviously I am doing this all wrong.

 

[Midlevel]

The article starting out with a false statement saying when you T-65 may be the only chance you will ever get to choose a Medicare Supplement. How about the 12 month trial period for someone new to Medicare and choosing a Medicare Advantage plan for their initial coverage. I always contact the client after 10 months of being on the Med Adv plan to see if they want to keep it or use their GI to a Medicare Supplement. I think I have had about 3 people choose to go to a Med Sup after getting used to not paying any premium for their plan.

 

[somarco]

Midlevel, do you understand what the word MAY means?

Apparently not.

I won't even bother to ask you to explain how that sentence it patently false. Perhaps you and Google have similar reading comprehension issues.