Tough One - Need Medicare Plan Help

mcday · 09-30-2008, 12:46 PM

Just got off the phone with a client's wife:

She's had secondary insurance with her deceased husband's work (Cigna). She's 61, on disability with Medicare and can't qualify for any kind of Med Supp w/o GI (heart, back, diabetes, etc)

She just received a letter (yesterday) refunding all of her premiums back to 1/27/2008 for the insurance she had with her deceased husband's work. The reason given is because she remarried.

The cancellation effective date goes back more than 63 days and I'm not sure if she would qualify for a SEP to get into a Medicare Advantage plan. She also needs Part D if possible.

This is a tough one. If you have any insight as to what options she might have right now re: Med Supp and Part D, I would appreciate your help.

She may just be stuck until open enrollement for MAPD's.

Any ideas?

Dave020 · 09-30-2008, 12:56 PM

Check with your carriers. Usually, even though the cancellation is retroactive, they will use the date of notification and not the retro date of cancellation. Although they won't retro the coverage date (it would have to be 10/1), they should use the notification date.

*midwestbroker* · 09-30-2008, 01:01 PM

I agree. Just talk to your carriers and tell them the situation. Since the letter will be dated with in the past week, that should allow her to gain Med supp coverage with GI, even though they are retro'ing all her premiums.

mcday · 09-30-2008, 01:03 PM

Thanks for the help.

Does anyone know if AARP pays a reduced commission for GI? My other carrier (Provident) only pays $25 on those deals.

Winter · 09-30-2008, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by Dave020

Check with your carriers. Usually, even though the cancellation is retroactive, they will use the date of notification and not the retro date of cancellation. Although they won't retro the coverage date (it would have to be 10/1), they should use the notification date.

Ditto to that.

Also, I am not so sure about your conclusion that she would not qualify for any med supp without guaranteed issue. She should be good to go with AARP if she does not have ESRD. Might have to ride out a 3 month pre X period though.

Winter

mcday · 09-30-2008, 01:08 PM

Thanks Winter - I'll check with AARP on pre-x.

Winter · 09-30-2008, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by mcday

Thanks for the help.

Does anyone know if AARP pays a reduced commission for GI? My other carrier (Provident) only pays $25 on those deals.

Not that I know of but then again they dont pay much for anything. Might be like 270 commission and then 170 for renewals.

The Provident thing is a joke. Dump them and hold your head up a little in this world. This business is tough enough without agreeing to become and indentured serf for a carrier.