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I have a client...husband and wife, that have Medicare supplements with me....and pay annually. The wife purchased a PDP plan when they first came out. ...
I have a client...husband and wife, that have Medicare supplements with me....and pay annually. The wife purchased a PDP plan when they first came out. The husband didn't because he could get his at the VA. The wife called me this morning saying she wanted her husband to go ahead and get one...that he was tired of fooling with the VA(for whatever reason....copays, etc.) She's aware of the 1% per month penalty he will pay. Even so, the AdvantraRX value plan won't run over $32 per month with low copays for preferred brand and brand named drugs.
My question...how thrilled would you be to make an 80 mile round-trip visit for a whopping $27 in commission? I already have all of his information off of his med-supp application. She wants him on the plan....mail the app? Is it legal to do that? I won't say what I did...just curious what others would do?
I have a client...husband and wife, that have Medicare supplements with me....and pay annually. The wife purchased a PDP plan when they first came out. The husband didn't because he could get his at the VA. The wife called me this morning saying she wanted her husband to go ahead and get one...that he was tired of fooling with the VA(for whatever reason....copays, etc.) She's aware of the 1% per month penalty he will pay. Even so, the AdvantraRX value plan won't run over $32 per month with low copays for preferred brand and brand named drugs.
My question...how thrilled would you be to make an 80 mile round-trip visit for a whopping $27 in commission? I already have all of his information off of his med-supp application. She wants him on the plan....mail the app? Is it legal to do that? I won't say what I did...just curious what others would do?
First of all, you need to understand PDP rules and penalties before you advise anyone.
The VA is creditable coverage so there is no penalty.
The commisison on him would be $54, not $27.
You might turn this over to someone who has more experience and/or knowledge of this part of the business. It can get tricky if you don't know what you're doing.
Lastly, you can write Advantra on-line.
Rick
------------------------------------ ILIAA
Training, Community, Support, and Success Independent Life Insurance Agents Assn rick@iliaa.org
VA is Creditable Coverage. Knowing whether or not his current prescription coverage is creditable coverage is important. He will at some point get a questioner in the mail and will need to obtain the VA Creditable Coverage Letter. Seems it can be downloaded off VA site -- though not 100% sure.
Some carriers are allowing through the mail applications. Contact in writing your FMO (No Phone Calls). This is the job of our FMO’s. They should be working for us in light of our commission reductions and new rules. I have written clearance from one of my carriers through my FMO. That works for me.
I told my FMO “…with all the new rules (SCOPE) and commission reductions (1/2 to 2/3) we all need to re-look at which carriers still require face to face sales. I have an existing block and I plan to move it for my client’s best interest. I can’t afford a $50 or less commission step-up for a renewal replacement of an MA. I obtained the response I needed.
No, I will not drive and see new business PDP’s for $28 bucks. I’ll take care of my existing client’s. I will mail out my recommendation and have them send it directly into the carrier. If I get credit – good, if I don’t get paid then I’ll take my lump. Coventry will most likely be the one to screw the agent who did this. They are not the most agent friendly carrier. I know many on this site have had nothing but good things to say about Coventry.
PDP’s through the mail via my client is the best I can do. Not for $28 bucks! Your time and expenses are worth $28 buck!
First of all, you need to understand PDP rules and penalties before you advise anyone.
The VA is creditable coverage so there is no penalty.
The commisison on him would be $54, not $27.
You might turn this over to someone who has more experience and/or knowledge of this part of the business. It can get tricky if you don't know what you're doing.
Lastly, you can write Advantra on-line.
Rick
That shows my stupidity, but in my defense I did call Conventry and ask them about Mr. Prospect in the situation he was in. They advised me he would have to pay the penalty...or the lady did that I talked to on the phone..the one that I could tell didn't want to talk to me in the first place.
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Originally Posted by walleyeb1
Enroll him on line and take the ride 48 hours later. After you cool off. Can't forget to cool off!
LOL!
That stupid "48 hour cooling off" period....for a prescription drug plan...lol. We're not talking about a $30,000 investment in an SUV here....it's a prescription plan.
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Originally Posted by MedSuppPro
VA is Creditable Coverage. Knowing whether or not his current prescription coverage is creditable coverage is important. He will at some point get a questioner in the mail and will need to obtain the VA Creditable Coverage Letter. Seems it can be downloaded off VA site -- though not 100% sure.
Some carriers are allowing through the mail applications. Contact in writing your FMO (No Phone Calls). This is the job of our FMO’s. They should be working for us in light of our commission reductions and new rules. I have written clearance from one of my carriers through my FMO. That works for me.
I told my FMO “…with all the new rules (SCOPE) and commission reductions (1/2 to 2/3) we all need to re-look at which carriers still require face to face sales. I have an existing block and I plan to move it for my client’s best interest. I can’t afford a $50 or less commission step-up for a renewal replacement of an MA. I obtained the response I needed.
No, I will not drive and see new business PDP’s for $28 bucks. I’ll take care of my existing client’s. I will mail out my recommendation and have them send it directly into the carrier. If I get credit – good, if I don’t get paid then I’ll take my lump. Coventry will most likely be the one to screw the agent who did this. They are not the most agent friendly carrier. I know many on this site have had nothing but good things to say about Coventry.
PDP’s through the mail via my client is the best I can do. Not for $28 bucks! Your time and expenses are worth $28 buck!
Thanks for the information. Most of the time the rep. with Coventry does a good job helping me. Sometimes I would be better off talking to a wall. Ditto with UHC...I talked with someone yesterday that wouldn't shut-up long enough for me to say what I wanted and they questioned whether I was even certified to write a particular policy.
No...I won't drive 80 miles round-trip for $28 bucks either.
Last edited by Russ : 12-02-2008 at 03:34 PM.
Reason: Posts merged
You're missing the point. You mentioned that they have been clients of yours for several years. Well, that's commission. The wife has a PDP. That's commission.
My point being: Sometimes, to keep current clients, you need to spend more than you take in. You've been taking in commissions on their previous years' premiums. Well, this is one instance where you'd spend more to keep them as clients, and make the $54, IN ADDITION TO the current commissions you are realizing.
And, please, I don't mean it in a harsh way. It's just that we salespeople sometimes forget about the CURRENT commissions we are receiving, where there is very little maintenance.
What if you wanted to return an item at a store, and their response to you was, "Well, can you pay for shipping? I mean, you haven't really spent THAT MUCH in our store, and we just thought, until you do, you could handle the bulk of it. After all, we don't make that much on returns."
Relationship selling is a give and take. Sometimes you have to give more than you take. In the past several years, while you've been receiving those commission checks, have you had to make the trip every month?
Look at the big picture. Put yourself in their situation.
That shows my stupidity, but in my defense I did call Conventry and ask them about Mr. Prospect in the situation he was in. They advised me he would have to pay the penalty...or the lady did that I talked to on the phone..the one that I could tell didn't want to talk to me in the first place.
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LOL!
That stupid "48 hour cooling off" period....for a prescription drug plan...lol. We're not talking about a $30,000 investment in an SUV here....it's a prescription plan.
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Thanks for the information. Most of the time the rep. with Coventry does a good job helping me. Sometimes I would be better off talking to a wall. Ditto with UHC...I talked with someone yesterday that wouldn't shut-up long enough for me to say what I wanted and they questioned whether I was even certified to write a particular policy.
No...I won't drive 80 miles round-trip for $28 bucks either.
If you want to enroll them in a Coventry PDP, you can do it online at the customer site. Just put in your agent number where it asks for it and you will get paid.
He will not have a penalty if he has had uninterrupted VA drug coverage. It's still best to inform them of a possible penalty and let CMS sort it out for sure.
If you want him in something besides Coventry, you can do it by mail or drive to see him. I have a similar situation with a guy that 45 miles from me and now want to change his PDP. They both have life insurance with me. They both have MA plans with me. I told him I would stop by when in the area before Dec. 31 and take care of it personally. Sometimes the big picture is worth more than the $20 or $30 commission for the PDP now.
Seems as though the best thing to do is to mail the app to them and have him sign and return to you. Case closed. You CAN do it online, but you're supposed to be with the client when you do it!! That would defeat the purpose of not driving the 80 miles.
No matter what they told you at Coventry, VA IS CREDIBLE COVERAGE! If we could just get those broker services people to get an education we would be alright. They are worse than trying to get a correct answer from CMS. As for Coventry itself goes, I find them to be as good or better than any of the other "MA" companies. I've had no problems that haven't been corrected.
Keep it simple!
------------------------------------
Todd R. King
800-590-7207
540-400-6275
888-748-3978 Fax
Do the right thing because it's simply the right thing to do.
Seems as though the best thing to do is to mail the app to them and have him sign and return to you. Case closed. You CAN do it online, but you're supposed to be with the client when you do it!! That would defeat the purpose of not driving the 80 miles.
No matter what they told you at Coventry, VA IS CREDIBLE COVERAGE! If we could just get those broker services people to get an education we would be alright. They are worse than trying to get a correct answer from CMS. As for Coventry itself goes, I find them to be as good or better than any of the other "MA" companies. I've had no problems that haven't been corrected.
Keep it simple!
Seems the whole system is flawed, including me not knowing about VA being creditable coverage, but I did call. I've never run into a VA situation before. The scope form...the 48 hour cooling off period.....the cut in commissions...people don't like the donut hole....and why can't you just enroll clients you've got online? If they say they want it...you've reviewed the medications with the formulary list...make it easy for the agents whether their there or not.......I could see a problem though if you were enrolling folks on-line without their approval though...a few calls by folks questioning what you've done and you would be in trouble....
Coventry helped me when I was on disability from Kidney failure. Their prescription plan always paid with no problems.
Luckily my kidneys came back. Dialysis sucks.
Seems as though the best thing to do is to mail the app to them and have him sign and return to you. Case closed. You CAN do it online, but you're supposed to be with the client when you do it!!
I agree with online with the client... It's not worth losing a block of Coventry over!
I have come to the conclusion that I can train most of my existing clients to fish. Not all of them, of course. The ones that can. I look-up the best plan and I'll advise them of the best plan regardless of whether I sell it or not. That's integrity!
If I represent the best plan then I'll complete most of the application and mail them a complete packet. If I don't I'll give them the 800# of the carrier I don't represent. Walgreen's will look up the best plan but will not always show mail order. I will!
If they accept my recommendation then I send a completed application and advise them to send it directly into the carrier and then the "case is closed". If I have them send the application back to me then I have to handle it and scan it and track it. No way! Not for $18 - $28 for five years. I sell my service not minimum wage. I have a family to feed.
I have had none of my clients threaten to leave or leave over this. They know up front that I'm doing this for less than minimum wage. I tell them this. And besides they would have a snowballs chance in hell trying to find another agent whom will do this service.
I have a client...husband and wife, that have Medicare supplements with me....and pay annually. The wife purchased a PDP plan when they first came out. The husband didn't because he could get his at the VA. The wife called me this morning saying she wanted her husband to go ahead and get one...that he was tired of fooling with the VA(for whatever reason....copays, etc.) She's aware of the 1% per month penalty he will pay. Even so, the AdvantraRX value plan won't run over $32 per month with low copays for preferred brand and brand named drugs.
My question...how thrilled would you be to make an 80 mile round-trip visit for a whopping $27 in commission? I already have all of his information off of his med-supp application. She wants him on the plan....mail the app? Is it legal to do that? I won't say what I did...just curious what others would do?
Coventry enrollments require you to physically be with the applicant. You can't do it over the phone.
Plus, I don't think they will pay a commission to the agent on a PDP if you use the online enrollment. They will on an MA or an MAPD but not on a PDP.
I would fill it out and mail it to them and have them mail it to Coventry.
That's ridiculous that they won't pay a commission if you do an online enrollment.
The mail-the-app option seems like the most likely solution.
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Originally Posted by GreenSky
First of all, you need to understand PDP rules and penalties before you advise anyone.
The VA is creditable coverage so there is no penalty.
The commisison on him would be $54, not $27.
You might turn this over to someone who has more experience and/or knowledge of this part of the business. It can get tricky if you don't know what you're doing.
Lastly, you can write Advantra on-line.
Rick
Turn this over to someone else? I've been writing them for 3 years...have written between 100-200 of them. Just hadn't run into a VA situation before.
True..the commission is $54. Oh boy!
Last edited by Russ : 12-03-2008 at 06:18 AM.
Reason: Posts merged
You could just go to the plan finder at www.medicare.gov and enroll them in the best plan for them. If Advantra comes up in the top position I'd be surprised. I've helped over 150 of my clients to date move from Humana PDP's using the plan finder on medicare.gov, enrolled them in the best plan, print the confirmation, file one, mail one to client, explain to client I have no affiliation with the plan, etc... it's what's best for them.
I'm sure I broke a rule somewhere, but it's like they put up a "KEEP OFF GRASS" sign after we're in the middle of a golf course.
IMO the $15 renewal's I'm killing from Humana or the $27 I'd get from Coventry is peanuts compared to the hundreds of dollars it means to a client to have the right plan. I have switched several via mail to the Coventry and Aetna plans I represent, but all of them are long time clients and neither the client nor I see the point of setting up a meeting to switch drug cards... I mean... It's a sign here and see ya thing.
Coventry enrollments require you to physically be with the applicant. You can't do it over the phone.
Plus, I don't think they will pay a commission to the agent on a PDP if you use the online enrollment. They will on an MA or an MAPD but not on a PDP.
I would fill it out and mail it to them and have them mail it to Coventry.
I was told by my "go to guy" yesterday that with Coventry you can do a phone enrollment. I'm waiting for him to send me the e-mail explaining exactly how it works.
For $100 I will send it to you when I receive it but you will have to wait for 48 hours to open the e-mail.
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What would you do on a PDP sale?
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