Am I the only one?
- Thread starter David C
- Start date
- 919
At their inception, MA's were the cost effective go between med supps and medicare alone. We used to describe them as "medicare-replacements" so our prospects could more easily understand their concept. (Not technically correct...) That meant the prospect no longer had to juggle between medicare and what their supplement covered. It was all wrapped up in one medical card so to speak-- a friendly HMO... Well, in the last few years the roof has caved in and the advantages once enjoyed by MA's have been exploited by carrier and agent alike-- from confusing marketing efforts to flooding the field with agents. The third, and most complicated component to the equation, is the government police in the form of CMS. They are giving away the whole circus and the senior is losing. Long story short-- the end is near... 
- 1,802
I do not like or sell them either. I have been getting a great deal of calls for them though. So I have set up an affiliated marketing arrangement with a local agency here where I live to go out and run my clients that call me for them.
- 15,319
You need to have a high IQ to sell the plans.
Rick
Rick
Maybe it's...someone needs to have a high IQ to not sell the plans.
Never written one....too much BS involved with them...
- 2,370
All depends on your market.
In markets where they have been for quite some time (going on roughly 18 years in Kansas City), the only real changes to this year in no cold calling, need a scope of appointment form and no cross selling.
I have had more supplement to MA sales then I had last year due to rate increases. Most of these sales were from people who talked to their friends that had a MA plan and decided to change.
So, in KC, it is best to have both supplements and MA in your bag. Granted, we have all types here (HMO, PPO, PFFS, MSA, SNP).
In markets where they have been for quite some time (going on roughly 18 years in Kansas City), the only real changes to this year in no cold calling, need a scope of appointment form and no cross selling.
I have had more supplement to MA sales then I had last year due to rate increases. Most of these sales were from people who talked to their friends that had a MA plan and decided to change.
So, in KC, it is best to have both supplements and MA in your bag. Granted, we have all types here (HMO, PPO, PFFS, MSA, SNP).
I write for M of O...med-supps....they have been swarmed with med-supp apps. since the open enrollment started. They told me so today when I called to check on a med-supp application I had mailed in 2 weeks ago today. Must be quite a bit of MA plans biting the dust.
- 3,384
Everything I have read over the last few days seems to indicate that they will need to be moved back to traditional supplements in a year or two anyway.
It appears the new administration sees MA and the current PDP as flawed and a major money drain on the Medicare budget. They want to kill it off.
It appears the new administration sees MA and the current PDP as flawed and a major money drain on the Medicare budget. They want to kill it off.
- 1,802
"IQ is relevant; perception is ideal" - ME
- 2,370
There is a big focus on PFFS plans and networks that have to be established. Sure, that will hurt the new areas that did not have MA plans prior to the MMA of 2003.
However, your core MA markets (major metropolitan areas) will continue with their network based MA plans, such as HMO and PPO plans.
Many of the network plans have been expanding in the KC market to include 1 hour east and west of Kansas City. PFFS plans may be phased out here for that reason, but the major players will reap the rewards when they switch to network based MA plans.
However, your core MA markets (major metropolitan areas) will continue with their network based MA plans, such as HMO and PPO plans.
Many of the network plans have been expanding in the KC market to include 1 hour east and west of Kansas City. PFFS plans may be phased out here for that reason, but the major players will reap the rewards when they switch to network based MA plans.
