Cold Calling Medicare Supplements: Realistic Hourly Rate in FYC?

[Justin Bilyj]

Indeed, but the client has to initiate contact with you. There is no way that you can effectively sell C or D plans over the phone when cold calling. You would have to mail the cold call a Scope form, have them mail it back to you, and then you could sell them C or D over the phone. Prospects 90% of the time will never mail a signed Scope form back to you for you to call them back and be in compliance. This is why I said it's impossible to sell over the phone. I'm referring to cold calling since this is what the original poster was talking about.

I have a hard enough time mailing a Scope form to a cold call T65 and picking it up when I meet them at their home for an appointment. About 50% of the time they never signed it and I have to better explain why it is needed and that I must leave if they don't sign it. Remember that 65 year olds are a very paranoid age group due to all the scams they experienced in their life and all the 'good deals' that previous salesmen have told them that turned out to be a bad deal for them.

You cannot cold call for MA or PDP PERIOD! You don't need to mail a scope for a T65 cold call or telemarketing lead because you couldn't possibly sell it if they were interested. If they wanted a MA plan or PDP you'd have to refer it to another agent and tell the prospeect to call that agent first...

 

[Residentzombie]

You cannot cold call for MA or PDP PERIOD! You don't need to mail a scope for a T65 cold call or telemarketing lead because you couldn't possibly sell it if they were interested. If they wanted a MA plan or PDP you'd have to refer it to another agent and tell the prospeect to call that agent first...

Correct, but you can cold call for Medicare supplements and your services in general. You then need a Scope form signed with a 2 day prior signature (you can do immediate appointments if a client requests them) and then you can sell MA and PDP plans. There is a fine line distinction here and this has been discussed many times over on this forum so I suggest you have your FMO better explain it to you or for you to research the older forum posts on the Scope. You can cold call T65s and walk away with anything as long as you have the Scope initialed, and signed with a 48 hour prior signature date. When I set a cold call T65 appointment, I don't discuss anything about C or D, but I do explain what the Scope form is and mail them out a Scope form to sign with instructions that I will pick it up during our appointment. I set the appointment out a ways to allow USPS to get them the Scope and have a 2 day prior signature when I have our appointment. When door knocking I just do a quick generic presentation on Medicare and schedule an appointment for 2 days out and my focus is getting the Scope form signed when I knock their door and schedule an official appointment 2 or more days later. The consumer can override CMS regulations with the Scope form. This is why Medicare allows you to come back 48 hours later. The Scope form is a pain, but it also allows you to have your client override CMS regulations regarding discussing C and D. Without the Scope in existence what you said would be 100% correct, so the Scope can be our best friend as well.

You are incorrect in that you cannot walk away with a C or D application if you marketed them with a cold call or door knock for Medicare supplements or your services in general. Again there is a very fine line you are walking here so it must be done the way I described, but yes an agent can essentially cold call for C and D business. You just need the 48 hour cool off period. You also don't want to use the 'client requested immediate appointment' that often. Always try to get the Scope signed 2 days prior and you won't have any problems over how you made first contact.

Feel free to market your way though, because that means more business for the rest of us. I understand this subject is confusing, but this is what your FMO gets paid to do for you. Ask for their advice and if you have a bad FMO find a better one that knows what they are talking about.

 

[Justin Bilyj]

You then need a Scope form signed with a 2 day prior signature (you can do immediate appointments if a client requests them) and then you can sell MA and PDP plans.

You couldn't possibly be more wrong, or doing things more illegally. I suggest you study up on the regs:
https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Ed...nar-Archive-Documents/MA-PD-Marketing-SMP.pdf

https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Health...ownloads/2017MedicareMarketingGuidelines2.pdf

In general, Plans/Part D Sponsors may not market through unsolicited direct
contact, including but not limited to:
• Door-to-door solicitation, including leaving information such as a
leaflet or flyer at a residence or car
• Approaching potential enrollees in common areas (e.g., parking lots,
hallways, lobbies, sidewalks, etc.)
• Telephonic or electronic solicitation, including leaving electronic
voicemail messages or text messaging
Note: Agents/brokers who have a pre-scheduled appointment with
a beneficiary that becomes a “no-show” may leave information at
the no-show potential enrollee’s residence.
The prohibition on marketing through unsolicited contacts does not
extend to conventional mail and other print media (e.g.,
advertisements, direct mail).

But hey, what do I know...

 

[Residentzombie]

You then need a Scope form signed with a 2 day prior signature (you can do immediate appointments if a client requests them) and then you can sell MA and PDP plans.

You couldn't possibly be more wrong, or doing things more illegally. I suggest you study up on the regs:
https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Ed...nar-Archive-Documents/MA-PD-Marketing-SMP.pdf

https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Health...ownloads/2017MedicareMarketingGuidelines2.pdf

In general, Plans/Part D Sponsors may not market through unsolicited direct
contact, including but not limited to:
• Door-to-door solicitation, including leaving information such as a
leaflet or flyer at a residence or car
• Approaching potential enrollees in common areas (e.g., parking lots,
hallways, lobbies, sidewalks, etc.)
• Telephonic or electronic solicitation, including leaving electronic
voicemail messages or text messaging
Note: Agents/brokers who have a pre-scheduled appointment with
a beneficiary that becomes a “no-show” may leave information at
the no-show potential enrollee’s residence.
The prohibition on marketing through unsolicited contacts does not
extend to conventional mail and other print media (e.g.,
advertisements, direct mail).

But hey, what do I know...

This is correct and I don't do this. I market for Medicare supplements and my overall advising capabilities and when the prospect wants to go over all their option they initial the supplement, Part C, and Part D boxes, and sign a Scope form you can return 48 hours later to present and collect the application for C or D.

I know that many agents incorrectly understand how to work the Scope form, so I suggest you learn more. I am correct and I have 11 years experience in this industry. You can never mention C or D anything when cold calling or door knocking however. You can cold call all you want for Medicare supplements and your services in general. I know what I am talking about. I continually score 92% to 98% on my AHIP exam every year on my first attempt (I struggle with the DSNP and Chronic questions).

Go research the 48 hour cool off period and you will quickly learn that I am correct. The 48 hour cool off period can further be disregarded if the client requests an immediate or next day appointment. You are welcome for me correctly advising you on how to work with the Scope form and become a more productive agent that offers all types of Medicare coverage.

Also I am a broker and not a captive agent. I'm aware that many carriers have additional corporate rules that their captive agents have to follow so disregard what I said if you work for one company and learn your employer's rules.

 

[Justin Bilyj]

You're disseminating false info on the forum. Show me exactly where it says a 48hour cool-off period negates the no unsoliciting rule for Medicare Advantage products.

But hey, keep on doing what you can until you get caught - but for any new agents reading this, don't listen to this guy...

 

[Residentzombie]

You're disseminating false info on the forum. Show me exactly where it says a 48hour cool-off period negates the no unsoliciting rule for Medicare Advantage products.

But hey, keep on doing what you can until you get caught - but for any new D during a Medicare supplement appointment. CMS isn't that insane about agents reading this, don't listen to this guy...

Sounds like you are a Med supp only agent and you don't care what the exceptions to the rules are in regards to clients requesting information on C and seniors getting information that they request and you are trying to scare new agents from marketing effectively. As I said you can only market Medicare supplements and your services in general, I am well aware that you cannot market C or D. This situation has happened 1,000,000s of times already and there is a proper procedure to follow in order to get your prospect the information that they want. This is one of the main purposes of the Scope of Appointment form, but you clearly don't sell C or D policies so continue deceiving beneficiaries from getting all information that they want.

You show me exactly where it says that you can never ever talk about C or D after a Medicare supplement appointment that was set from cold calling or door knocking or even during if the client requests that information. Now if you do talk about C and D there are no exceptions to the rule regarding discussing non-health related products during a health related appointment. Maybe this is what you are thinking of, but regardless I explained it correctly and am done wasting my time with you. The actual Scope of Appointment confirms that you are wrong as well since you can discuss Med supps, Indemnity, Dental, Part C, and Part D if the client requests those product types to be discussed. Continue marketing the way you think it should be done and your competition will thank you for your ignorance.

 

[JFS55]

When you go on an appointment or door knock, you really don't know what is best for that person. If a C plan or D plan makes sense you explain the rule, have them sign the SOA and make an appointment in a couple of days. That is what's best for the consumer.

 

[Residentzombie]

When you go on an appointment or door knock, you really don't know what is best for that person. If a C plan or D plan makes sense you explain the rule, have them sign the SOA and make an appointment in a couple of days. That is what's best for the consumer.

Exactly. Let him do it his way though, he is just making his career more difficult than it needs to be. Maybe he doesn't want to realize he is wrong on this issue because he has been doing it the wrong way for almost 8 years now. That is many lost clients and commissions and would devastate him to tell himself he was wrong.

 

[chasejordan1]

Don't listen to any of these guys that have not actually cold called for more than 3 days in row 6.5 hours per day. If Glen can create "leads" via cold calling then so can you, the difference is you are on the phone from beginning to end. If you call the right list with a decent script and you don't try to close on the first or second call you can create a huge pipeline of clients and start selling 1 or more apps per day. You must build trust with the client and confidence in yourself. It will be a huge grind and that is why most of the agents the "cold" call hire a telemarketer or two to do it for them. But you must do it first and master it first.

First call - Generate lead, get to know client, zero pressure on anything make sure they don't have local agent, make sure you can save them money, via casual talk.
Second contact - A nice personal letter outlining your conversation and the "possible" savings you can provide, with customers service and no change in Doctors or Hospitals etc, a pic of you and your familly or dog, whatever.
Third contact - follow up phone call - Hey did you get my letter, great I just wanted to make sure you got it, well hey i don't have much time because i have a phone call appointment with one of my clients who has (same insurance as them) and we are enrolling them in a (same plan as them) with a savings of (insert savings). But if you like I would like to set an appointment with you to see if we can help you also?

Now if that is too slummy or sale person for you then just skip the takeaway and try and set a phone appt to sell them. The third contact is designed to pre close them to see if they have any interest in actually doing anything.

For all you snowflakes out there who will nit pick this, please don't act like you don't use takeways to gain interest now. Yes you can nit pick what i said, at some point he will be saving "jimmy crack corn" with Mutual Of Omaha on a plan F $400 a year, so telling a client that every phone call is real and does it's job as it should. It's like telling a client I have been doing medicare for 20 years vs NOT telling the client I have been doing medicare for 8 hours.

Anyway hope this helps.

 

[Devin01]

Welcome to the world of Med Supps! This is a great business and if you have determination you will be very successful.

In terms of cold calling anyone can do it, and it is the most cost effective way to develop leads, and start in the business, especially when first starting. Everybody should learn Medicare this way. You will have the most contacts with people if you are calling yourself, and the more people you talk to the more you will learn.

I agree with many people on the post do this 8 hours a day is difficult to do and many people burn out. Realistically shoot for 4 hours to start, select a dialer figure out where you want to sell, what parts of the country and where to buy your data. Realistically you can expect 3-4 good contacts a session some people achieve more. After a week you will have some very good leads to work and the leads start to accumulate. Your product knowledge will differentiate you from others on the phone, I hear this all the time from people I talk with. Your script should be conversational and you need to listen and figure out if the person on the other end needs Medicare. You will need to explain the entire process from how to enroll in Medicare through SS to helping them with their prescription drug coverage. Many people selling med sups just do the med supp. I think this is wrong

I have my own agency with agents in my office and I help agents all over the country. I still cold call people turning 65, and so do my agents. Because we are established I work with some lead vendors and provide leads to my agents and we focus on both T65 and older age markets. We do a mix of programs to ensure the leads are coming in. PM me if you are interested in chatting on any of this.

Good luck, be realistic and set goals!