I Drank the Kool Aid

[chainedtotelesales]

I work in a call center selling AARP UHC Supplement & Rx plans. It is my first and only gig with selling insurance. I've been there 4 years. I am so used to telling people why AARP is better than other companies (allowing them to switch between plans any time of year with no review or application, better customer service, easier medical underwriting, lowest rate increases in the industry yadda yadda)...I totally drank the Kool Aid.

Can you tell me why they aren't the best? I know an 'F' is an 'F', is an 'F' but what else am I missing? WHY do they have the largest % of the market? Are other companies truly better? If there are better companies; which ones? Why are those companies better?

 

[DS4]

I am so used to telling people why AARP is better than other companies (allowing them to switch between plans any time of year with no review or application, better customer service, easier medical underwriting, lowest rate increases in the industry yadda yadda)...I totally drank the Kool Aid.

What you state is all true. I would add, here in California, birthday rule is three months. Month of, prior month, and, month after. This is much more generous than my other carrier.

 

[GreenSky]

I can't speak to customer service, but nothing you have written is wrong.

Except by promoting Plan F (or even worse, Plan K), you may not be doing your customers as good a service as an independent agent.

Rick

 

[chainedtotelesales]

OMG no. I think plan F is only good in a very few cases. My fav plan is N. I usually do the math and work it out to how many doc visits per year someone can have before they reach the premium for plan F.

I know you all know plan F will be phased out by 2020 but if someone is on ANY of the UHG plans when it goes away, they can still switch up to and down from a plan F. FYI

 

[DS4]

I know you all know plan F will be phased out by 2020 but if someone is on ANY of the UHG plans when it goes away, they can still switch up to and down from a plan F. FYI

I would suspect, knowing how generous AARP/UHC is, in 2020, they will probably allow down/upgrades from closed plans. Just my guess.

 

[Nikita]

I work in a call center selling AARP UHC Supplement & Rx plans. It is my first and only gig with selling insurance. I've been there 4 years. I am so used to telling people why AARP is better than other companies (allowing them to switch between plans any time of year with no review or application, better customer service, easier medical underwriting, lowest rate increases in the industry yadda yadda)...I totally drank the Kool Aid.

Can you tell me why they aren't the best? I know an 'F' is an 'F', is an 'F' but what else am I missing? WHY do they have the largest % of the market? Are other companies truly better? If there are better companies; which ones? Why are those companies better?

My experience with AARP UHC Med Supps is that they are overpriced compared with other companies like Aetna or Equitable. I never get complaints about customer service issues with any of the companies I sell for, and typically I can save a client at least $50/mo by switching them off of the AARP med supp to a competitor. And that would be the case whether they are on an F, G or N.

 

[sshafran]

The "kool-aid" on the indy side (by some, surely not all) is that we should stay away from UHC/AARP.

methinks commissions have a thing or two to do with it. I personally think they are just fine to sell, especially if competitive in your market (they are not in some states).

 

[JimmyUt]

The "kool-aid" on the indy side (by some, surely not all) is that we should stay away from UHC/AARP.

methinks commissions have a thing or two to do with it. I personally think they are just fine to sell, especially if competitive in your market (they are not in some states).

I sell them because people ask for them, plus I have a big MAPD book as well with UHC. That being said, there are better options in the market I work, but for years it seemed like the only supplement plan agents in Utah sold was the AARP plan, so many are sold before they buy. I educate folks on the other options and price difference and I still get 20 to 30% who want it regardless of price.

 

[Chazm]

UHC is the "best" option in FL, where you are.

 

[Cencal]

Liberals love UHC. Its good for sales in that regard. Silver Sneakers is cool. Blue Shield offers that too and are cheaper in most cases. $15 a month off for the first 12 months(CA). I think Plan N is weak. I talk about F,G,and High F.