Broker Gets Fired from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield

[yellowbirdnj]

I got a call from a contract company who has a contract with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield who were interested in me to sell Medicare and Affordable Care Act plans for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield company here in New Jersey. The plans were to be marketed at kiosks in the local malls here in New Jersey Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield gave me a week of training in their Headquarters in Newark, NJ on issues like the products and diversity and their code of ethics. I got the position because I am a broker who holds both their Medicare cert and the ACA cert. Plus I sell their products. On my second day in the kiosk, a Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield employee ask me about selling the Horizon products and I told her that most brokers don't want to sell the product because its expensive, the most expensive of all Medicare Advantage plans in NJ for 2014, and that they don't pay the brokers for 6 months their commissions after the sale. Then I went on to say some positive things about the company and that I sell it. The next day I came to work and the mall and was fired with my words about the product being expensive and not paying the brokers for 6 months used against me. The term trash talking the company was mentioned.

 

[Yagents]

Sounds like a particular political party, can't handle the truth.

Lesson of the day........trash talk the other carriers instead

 

[xrac]

Some people do not tolerate the truth. Sounds like our White House.

 

[yellowbirdnj]

I didn't even slam the product, just mentioned the fact that it was expensive and they didn't pay for 6 months. I was told that they are sensitive to this. For 2014 Horizon wanted $149 per month for their MAPD.

Sounds like a particular political party, can't handle the truth.

Lesson of the day........trash talk the other carriers instead

----------

I agree. Well now they made enemies of me, a broker. Guess they don't care.

Some people do not tolerate the truth. Sounds like our White House.

 

[AllenChicago]

On my second day in the kiosk, a Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield employee ask me about selling the Horizon products and I told her that most brokers don't want to sell the product because its expensive, the most expensive of all Medicare Advantage plans in NJ for 2014, and that they don't pay the brokers for 6 months their commissions after the sale. Then I went on to say some positive things about the company and that I sell it. The next day I came to work and the mall and was fired with my words about the product being expensive and not paying the brokers for 6 months used against me. The term trash talking the company was mentioned.

YellowBird, was this a Horizon Blue Cross "secret shopper" who ratted you out? I hope you weren't getting much renewal income from that company.

Frankly, I'm surprised you went through the Newark training and accepted the assignment, considering that you knew Horizon BC was not competitive. They would expect you to show decent sales results. Right?
ac

 

[yellowbirdnj]

No secret shopper, this job was to sell mostly the Obamacare in the malls. Since the prices of the product is so high, and the commissions are low, they needed hourly workers to come in and staff the kiosks. Horizon has their own computer system that we are supposed to use that shows only Horizons products for ACA plans, so the competition is not seen.

Since I am a broker, I have both ACA and Horizons MAPD certs. I came in midway through the training, some must have quit or been moved, not sure, but I was able to complete the training. My second day out I made the comment and the next day I was told that I was trash talking the company. There was no commission involved, just per hour.

YellowBird, was this a Horizon Blue Cross "secret shopper" who ratted you out? I hope you weren't getting much renewal income from that company.

Frankly, I'm surprised you went through the Newark training and accepted the assignment, considering that you knew Horizon BC was not competitive. They would expect you to show decent sales results. Right?
ac

 

[RayNY]

If I paid for a week of training for an hourly employee, to work in the booth I'm paying for, and they badmouthed my company to a corporate superior the second day out, I'd cut them loose before they had a chance to do more damage as well.

No offence, but that was a pretty bad move.

 

[yellowbirdnj]

If I paid for a week of training for an hourly employee, to work in the booth I'm paying for, and they badmouthed my company to a corporate superior the second day out, I'd cut them loose before they had a chance to do more damage as well.

No offence, but that was a pretty bad move.

Your are right, I wouldn't want anyone like that in my camp, but it wasn't said like that. I told the woman that most brokers don't want to sell it but I recertify every year to sell it and produce sales in both the ACA and Medicare markets. Also, the kiosk was for the ACA plans primarily, not really medicare.

 

[cadylou]

If you're being paid on an hourly basis you are considered to be "their" employee, therefore, your job is represent them favorably. At any rate, maybe they did you a favor - now you don't have to worry about it. The nicest thing about being an independent broker is that my clients get an overview of what products on the market have to offer and the ultimate decision is up to them - based on their individual needs. I like to have a model that operates on freedom of choice on the part of my client. You're probably a good independent agent - be that and excel. You don't need them.

 

[RayNY]

Your are right, I wouldn't want anyone like that in my camp, but it wasn't said like that. I told the woman that most brokers don't want to sell it but I recertify every year to sell it and produce sales in both the ACA and Medicare markets. Also, the kiosk was for the ACA plans primarily, not really medicare.

I understand, I know it was just an off-hand comment said to the wrong person.

I'm sure you already know how the game of telephone works. Sometimes those little things turn into something big by the time it goes through half a dozen rungs on the corporate ladder.