Any Captive UHC Med Advantage Agents?

[Nikita]

Well I have read posts on this insurance forum from people who said they made $20-$30K selling MA plans on a captive basis during the AEP, so there does seem to be an opportunity there somewhere. Not sure what state they were in though....I am also licensed in CA so I could work there as well....just trying to research and find out the facts right now...
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Grod or anyone - if you don't get many leads as an ICA then why would anyone bother becoming captive? I thought the whole advantage to becoming captive was to get the free leads?

 

[ALG]

I know of agents who are direct doing very well. It is a situation were you must one of the top few who receive leads.
Leads are distributed on a bias bases.

 

[grod]

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Grod or anyone - if you don't get many leads as an ICA then why would anyone bother becoming captive? I thought the whole advantage to becoming captive was to get the free leads?[/quote]
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The ICA program has changed significantly in the last 18 months or so. UHC staffs heavily with Telesales during AEP. These are call center licensed employees who's only purpose in life is to convert incoming calls from the mass mailings and television advertisement into enrollments. If the caller is not ready to enroll for x reason that lead is placed into the system for distribution. The person who distributes these leads is the Sales Manager for that respective market. ISR's report to that Sales Market Manager, who incidently has goals and quotas to meet. They take the bulk of the leads passed by Telesales. Finaly is the ICA. They take the overflow, if any and usually those leads that still need alot of work to get them ready to enroll.

When the ICA program initially started, UHC would do a great deal of marketing with the agent. That is not the case now. Their focus is somewhere else...(telesales).

If you think you will sign up as an ICA today and expect to make $20-$30 during AEP you are in for a rude awakening. I work in a major market and out of 60-65 ICA's only 5-6 will make that money. Those are the tenured agents with a track record who are trusted not to screw things up or be calling their supervisors with questions. Even if you were one of those agents making $20-$30 during AEP, once that is over you will be getting a lead every other month.

Your market could be different. My suggestion would be to talk to other ICA's that have been in the program in your area.

 

[Guest]

Well I have read posts on this insurance forum from people who said they made $20-$30K selling MA plans on a captive basis during the AEP, so there does seem to be an opportunity there somewhere. Not sure what state they were in though....I am also licensed in CA so I could work there as well....just trying to research and find out the facts right now...
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Grod or anyone - if you don't get many leads as an ICA then why would anyone bother becoming captive? I thought the whole advantage to becoming captive was to get the free leads?

When i started as an ica i was getting many many leads, as the years go on things change. I make a good living selling mapd all year long so I don't need the leads that badly. I was making a point that if you think you can make a ton of money coming in as an ica you are in for a rude awakening.
I am also one of the top ten agents in Florida and they are far and few between.

 

[MrMack]

The ICA Manager is also constantly recruiting year round. They hire all these agents, give them leads and do not get many sales from them. I believe that they should get a core group that is successful and let them work the leads.

 

[grod]

The ICA Manager is also constantly recruiting year round. They hire all these agents, give them leads and do not get many sales from them. I believe that they should get a core group that is successful and let them work the leads.

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They need them to staff those retail booths.

 

[Nikita]

It is just curious the UHC advertises very heavily in pretty much all 50 states for agents to sell during AEP. Why are they seeking ICA's so badly if they don't have that many leads for them or can't offer them a very attractive package, it seems like a waste of time to me.

 

[AllGold]

It is just curious the UHC advertises very heavily in pretty much all 50 states for agents to sell during AEP. Why are they seeking ICA's so badly if they don't have that many leads for them or can't offer them a very attractive package, it seems like a waste of time to me.

They want you to find your own leads and sell their product.

 

[yogooglethis]

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Grod or anyone - if you don't get many leads as an ICA then why would anyone bother becoming captive? I thought the whole advantage to becoming captive was to get the free leads?[/quote]
***********************
The ICA program has changed significantly in the last 18 months or so. UHC staffs heavily with Telesales during AEP. These are call center licensed employees who's only purpose in life is to convert incoming calls from the mass mailings and television advertisement into enrollments. If the caller is not ready to enroll for x reason that lead is placed into the system for distribution. The person who distributes these leads is the Sales Manager for that respective market. ISR's report to that Sales Market Manager, who incidently has goals and quotas to meet. They take the bulk of the leads passed by Telesales. Finaly is the ICA. They take the overflow, if any and usually those leads that still need alot of work to get them ready to enroll.

When the ICA program initially started, UHC would do a great deal of marketing with the agent. That is not the case now. Their focus is somewhere else...(telesales).

If you think you will sign up as an ICA today and expect to make $20-$30 during AEP you are in for a rude awakening. I work in a major market and out of 60-65 ICA's only 5-6 will make that money. Those are the tenured agents with a track record who are trusted not to screw things up or be calling their supervisors with questions. Even if you were one of those agents making $20-$30 during AEP, once that is over you will be getting a lead every other month.

Your market could be different. My suggestion would be to talk to other ICA's that have been in the program in your area.

Some markets like here in Florida even tenured agents are going to have a hard time making more first year commissions because UHC has introduced new and sometimes superior product ( ie HMO's with lower co pays in markets where only the PPO was available before) Telesales will distribute inquiries about the new products from your existing clients that they can't close to next ICA agent in Que without regard to who the agent of record is.If telesales enrolls them you you are safe but if another ICA agent enrolls them your SOL.You must enroll do all enrollments in person since they don't permit paper applications and they have stopped allowing 3 way calls to do tele apps. Bottom line in some markets your biggest competition is other ICA agents and if you have built up a good book of business you will be doing good if you can write more new enrollments than the number of the renewals you will lose you to the churn created by the new products UHC introduces into a market like they did in the Tampa area.

 

[Nikita]

Tins - I received your PM but I cannot send a PM yet. Would you mind PMing me your email? Thanks...