AEP-Contacting Your Clients

[insurance0707]

Does anyone know the rules for 2010 on contacting your MAPD clients? I'm sure with the funding cuts to the program many of my clients will want to look at Med supps. From some of the training I've gone through it's not too clear about the rules on contacting them.

One company said you can call your clients only if you are calling to discuss another product with that same company. For example, If I have them with a particular company and you wanted to let them know about another companies product, that's not allowed.

What's the verdict? Anyone know the new rules?

 

[jdeasy]

Does anyone know the rules for 2010 on contacting your MAPD clients? I'm sure with the funding cuts to the program many of my clients will want to look at Med supps. From some of the training I've gone through it's not too clear about the rules on contacting them.

One company said you can call your clients only if you are calling to discuss another product with that same company. For example, If I have them with a particular company and you wanted to let them know about another companies product, that's not allowed.

What's the verdict? Anyone know the new rules?

You can contact your clients for an annual review. You just have to be sure that they are still enrolled in the plan you enrolled them in. If they are not, it's considered a cold call.

That's a company rule that says you can't call them about other companies. In fact, it's sounds like Pyramid. They tried that same stuff last year.

 

[insurance0707]

Thanks JD.....what if another agent came in and wrote your client something different. I'm sure I've lost some of my clients this last AEP. I don't know who's still enrolled and who's not. I guess if you don't know they had moved to another carrier that wouldn't be a cold call

 

[jdeasy]

Thanks JD.....what if another agent came in and wrote your client something different. I'm sure I've lost some of my clients this last AEP. I don't know who's still enrolled and who's not. I guess if you don't know they had moved to another carrier that wouldn't be a cold call

Yes, that would be a cold call. CMS, in their infinite wisdom, places the responsibility on the agent. You "must" know if you call them.

 

[Josh]

Thanks JD.....what if another agent came in and wrote your client something different. I'm sure I've lost some of my clients this last AEP. I don't know who's still enrolled and who's not. I guess if you don't know they had moved to another carrier that wouldn't be a cold call

You can always start the call by asking how they felt about there ____ plan you sold them. If they say they're not enrolled in it anymore then just get off the phone with them. One way to check before you call, assuming you have a copy of the app, is to go medicare.gov and check their current enrollment.

What you can do is call them up and explain to them that their benefits may change for next year and they should be getting a letter in the mail soon about that. Ask them what they think of their plan/how do they like it/etc and if they say "it's great except...." then you can setup an appointment to discuss other plans. You can even set an appointment to review the changes to their current plan so they fully understand what it is and odds are they'll ask about other plans. Whether they love their plan or want to move you'll have locked down those clients for the year and probably will even get some referrals for your time.

 

[MedSuppPro]

I'd add, check your carrier's contracts -- some have restrictive contact clauses (i.e. Anthem).

 

[insurance0707]

Can you imagine if they did this with homeowners or car insurance....ok agents, you can't call your clients and let them know of another carrier with lower rates you can only call them if their still your clients....you have to know for sure that they're still your clients, we have a hard time paying you on the new business and we haven't really gotten around to letting you know about who's renewed or not, so maybe their still your client maybe not, but you better know for sure before you call. It almost seems like a scene out of the three stooges.....Soitenly, Nyuk, Nyuk, Nyuk

 

[jdeasy]

I'd add, check your carrier's contracts -- some have restrictive contact clauses (i.e. Anthem).

That's right, some carriers are more restrictive than CMS. Pyramid is one. They have all those "sales prevention" rules in effect and it's hard to deal with that.

 

[policy doctor]

Would it be ok to just send them a letter asking them to call YOU about any concerns with their present plans or for info on the new changes in Medicare?

 

[jdeasy]

Would it be ok to just send them a letter asking them to call YOU about any concerns with their present plans or for info on the new changes in Medicare?

Yes. You can mail to them, even if they are no longer with the plan.

That's what I'm doing for all my clients that are with Wellcare and Coventry PFFS. Those plans are ending Dec. 31 and I'm sending them letter telling them that they will have many options and to save the letter they get from the company because that's their ticket for a med sup on a GI basis.

Since I'm not selling MA plans anymore, I could call them about the med sups and I will. I'm sending the letter because I want them to hear about their plan ending from me first. Although the word is out already and I've gotten many calls.

The really bad ones are the full dual Wellcare folks. There won't be anything to take Wellcare's place for them here.