MA OEP Coming Back in 2019?

[Cenla Agent]

Just got an email from SMS about this:

New Medicare Advantage Enrollment Peroid - Senior Marketing Specialists

I had thought that OEP actually went away a year or two prior to ACA, but I'm probably misremembering. Was it reduced to being less than 1/1-3/31 before that, or am I wrong about that too?

 

[Alston]

I think it was replaced by the Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period which started on Jan 1 and ends in the middle of February.

With the MADP, you can only go in one direction. You can move from MA to Original Medicare. You can't move from MA to MA or from Original Medicare to MA.

OEP gives you more options.

 

[Cenla Agent]

I think it was replaced by the Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period which started on Jan 1 and ends in the middle of February.

With the MADP, you can only go in one direction. You can move from MA to Original Medicare. You can't move from MA to MA or from Original Medicare to MA.

OEP gives you more options.

Right. I knew it changed around 2008-2010, but I didn't know the MADP replacing OEP was part of the ACA.

When "lock in" was first introduced, OEP went through 6/30 since the initial period for PDP enrollment went to something like 5/15/06 if not later. The next year (2007) the OEP went to 3/31 although for that year maybe it went through April? Either way, I don't think the OEP going to 3/31 lasted more than about 3-4 years.

Another big difference is that they could only make ONE change during OEP instead of the infinite number of choices during AEP.

For those who focus on Med Supps, you can look at this development negatively as well since it gives Humana and other carriers an additional 3 months to hammer PDP clients about switching to a MAPD.

 

[wehotex]

Right. I knew it changed around 2008-2010, but I didn't know the MADP replacing OEP was part of the ACA.

When "lock in" was first introduced, OEP went through 6/30 since the initial period for PDP enrollment went to something like 5/15/06 if not later. The next year (2007) the OEP went to 3/31 although for that year maybe it went through April? Either way, I don't think the OEP going to 3/31 lasted more than about 3-4 years.

Another big difference is that they could only make ONE change during OEP instead of the infinite number of choices during AEP.

For those who focus on Med Supps, you can look at this development negatively as well since it gives Humana and other carriers an additional 3 months to hammer PDP clients about switching to a MAPD.

It's not good for an agent with a larger book of business. It's more time for other agents to approach them at the clinics/grocery stores to move them into another plan. I've gotten used to the current system where I am in "safe harbor" on Dec 8 more or less.

 

[Cenla Agent]

It's not good for an agent with a larger book of business. It's more time for other agents to approach them at the clinics/grocery stores to move them into another plan. I've gotten used to the current system where I am in "safe harbor" on Dec 8 more or less.

I wonder who it could be (i.e. whose lobbyists) that was responsible for this change? Could it be.....

Well, maybe JD will be along shortly to give us his theory if he happens to check this thread.

 

[wehotex]

I wonder who it could be (i.e. whose lobbyists) that was responsible for this change? Could it be.....

Well, maybe JD will be along shortly to give us his theory if he happens to check this thread.

About 2 years ago, I remember reading that the OEP would be introduced in a House bill by a Dem. Since the House was Republican, it didn't go anywhere. It's great for the seniors who made a "mistake" though.

 

[vic120]

I don't think its necessary. I would However, like to see ADP extended to end of March

 

[Cenla Agent]

About 2 years ago, I remember reading that the OEP would be introduced in a House bill by a Dem. Since the House was Republican, it didn't go anywhere. It's great for the seniors who made a "mistake" though.

I agree that it is great for those who made a mistake or who couldn't find the time to check things out during the AEP. But many others who didn't make a mistake are just going to be annoyed by 3 additional months of marketing. And you won't have the "safe harbor" that you mentioned.

The increased publicity will have people shopping Med Supps during that time too and it will give them additional time to get out of a MA plan if they want to. So there are pluses and minuses to this as with so many other things.

 

[vic120]

It's not good for an agent with a larger book of business. It's more time for other agents to approach them at the clinics/grocery stores to move them into another plan. I've gotten used to the current system where I am in "safe harbor" on Dec 8 more or less.

I don't think you would lose much buis, At the time the OE was in place I worked for an agency selling Maj Med And Humana MA plans, It was the only Medicare plans they sold, I didn't lose a single policy during OE.

Now that I am independent and have enough clients, I think the result would be more calls questions and just check from the current client base, But then again I find many are just sick of going over and over again by mid nov so maybe not as much of that as I think

 

[Cenla Agent]

I don't think you would lose much buis, At the time the OE was in place I worked for an agency selling Maj Med And Humana MA plans, It was the only Medicare plans they sold, I didn't lose a single policy during OE.

Now that I am independent and have enough clients, I think the result would be more calls questions and just check from the current client base, But then again I find many are just sick of going over and over again by mid nov so maybe not as much of that as I think

In my experience the main "exposure" would be with those clients you may have who have a PDP with a MA carrier. The more they keep getting approached by a company they already trust, the more likely it is (however slight) that they may decide to check it out due to the promised savings and make a decision they may regret later on.