Client Cxls Med Supp for MAPD

[sshafran]

You may already know this - but at any time you can see a list of participating health plans in your state on SilverSneaker's website.

Also, I agree with what some others have said, basically, if you were contracted with (and/or offering) Aetna's MAPD and/or UHC/Humana's supps, you could say, "Oh, you want silversneakers? Got it. Aetna has SS with $0 premium, and UHC and Humana have SS for $x and $x for Plan G."

At that point, I don't think I'd push a different carrier - get them what they want, and in this situation you can offer both supps and mapd's with SS.

Side note: At least in Ohio, UHC is pulling out of SilverSneakers and starting Optum Fitness Advantage. Not sure about Georgia.

 

[Iwillpay]

She told you where you went wrong; she wanted Silver Sneakers. She doesn't care about your med supp benefits.

UHC has Silver Sneakers in most states, could have sold her one of their supps.

Thats the first thing came to my mind.

When it comes to medicare I show them everything but I will always give them what they want. Too many agents /companies vying for their business.

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You may already know this - but at any time you can see a list of participating health plans in your state on SilverSneaker's website.

Also, I agree with what some others have said, basically, if you were contracted with (and/or offering) Aetna's MAPD and/or UHC/Humana's supps, you could say, "Oh, you want silversneakers? Got it. Aetna has SS with $0 premium, and UHC and Humana have SS for and for Plan G."

At that point, I don't think I'd push a different carrier - get them what they want, and in this situation you can offer both supps and mapd's with SS.

Side note: At least in Ohio, UHC is pulling out of SilverSneakers and starting Optum Fitness Advantage. Not sure about Georgia.

Thanks for the SS info will send you a Starbucks $10.00 gift card lol

 

[Hopes]

You may already know this - but at any time you can see a list of participating health plans in your state on SilverSneaker's website.

Also, I agree with what some others have said, basically, if you were contracted with (and/or offering) Aetna's MAPD and/or UHC/Humana's supps, you could say, "Oh, you want silversneakers? Got it. Aetna has SS with $0 premium, and UHC and Humana have SS for and for Plan G."

At that point, I don't think I'd push a different carrier - get them what they want, and in this situation you can offer both supps and mapd's with SS.

Side note: At least in Ohio, UHC is pulling out of SilverSneakers and starting Optum Fitness Advantage. Not sure about Georgia.

Thanks for the link - I didn't know about it.

Yes, that's a great approach and I'll use it next time. I wish I'd taken more time to get to know the different med supp offerings instead of taking them at face value.

I've heard something about Optum but can't say which carrier or plans it was in relation to. Need to check if there's a UHC connection here.

 

[keith48]

Good job trying to educate your client. I did a video and have a page on my website where I talk about Silversneakers and how it is not a good value when you buy a plan just to get that. In most areas I work, the plans that have Silversneakers are $45-65 more per month. The most expensive gym membership in my area for seniors is $20 a month.

So yeah, good job trying to show her how she could save by buying a cheaper plan and paying out of pocket. She is the same type of client that will take a Plan F over Plan G just because it pays all the deductibles without looking at the money she could save.

Unfortunately, some people will not care about reason and logic. In that case, you should have given her what she wanted. Your job is to show her what is available and educate her about her choices. If she goes against your advice and throws reason out the window, just take the order - she's going to buy from someone else if you don't. At least you gave your best effort to help her. As Jerry McGuire said, "Help me help you!"

 

[somarco]

offering her the best solution by showing her a plan G

When I have someone vacillating between MA and Medigap I show them the N plan. Low(er) premium than F or G, has doc & ER copay's and best of all, you can keep your doctor . . .

Most of my clients, especially T65, are residents and have a doctor or doctors. They all ask if they can keep their doc.

Even though I show N when going up against MA most folks end up with G "for just a few dollars more".

You apparently are new to the game. Maybe new to sales as well. You will get through the learning curve quickly.

If you have not read Question Based Selling you should get a copy. It will completely change the way you approach prospective clients.

You will stop selling and start listening.

When I did F2F appointments I sat down with a yellow pad and a pen. Asked questions. Listened, and made notes. If you ask the right questions your prospect will tell you what they want. When that happens you take their order.

I stopped selling and telling years ago. It doesn't work. But when you learn to engage people in dialogue you will take the order almost every time.

 

[Hopes]

Good job trying to educate your client. I did a video and have a page on my website where I talk about Silversneakers and how it is not a good value when you buy a plan just to get that. In most areas I work, the plans that have Silversneakers are $45-65 more per month. The most expensive gym membership in my area for seniors is $20 a month.

So yeah, good job trying to show her how she could save by buying a cheaper plan and paying out of pocket. She is the same type of client that will take a Plan F over Plan G just because it pays all the deductibles without looking at the money she could save.

Unfortunately, some people will not care about reason and logic. In that case, you should have given her what she wanted. Your job is to show her what is available and educate her about her choices. If she goes against your advice and throws reason out the window, just take the order - she's going to buy from someone else if you don't. At least you gave your best effort to help her. As Jerry McGuire said, "Help me help you!"

She was very much a "follow the crowd" person. I should have picked up on the underlying desire of wanting be in a plan like her peers - one with Silver Sneakers - but I just didn't see how that be such a larger motivating factor.

But then, as I mentioned earlier, her husband was asking questions too. I had her to my left and him to my right. At one point, she actually looked at him and said, "This is about me today."

I probably lost the future sale for him too but the lessons I'm learning in this discussion are far more valuable to me.

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When I have someone vacillating between MA and Medigap I show them the N plan. Low(er) premium than F or G, has doc & ER copay's and best of all, you can keep your doctor . . .

Most of my clients, especially T65, are residents and have a doctor or doctors. They all ask if they can keep their doc.

Even though I show N when going up against MA most folks end up with G "for just a few dollars more".

You apparently are new to the game. Maybe new to sales as well. You will get through the learning curve quickly.

If you have not read Question Based Selling you should get a copy. It will completely change the way you approach prospective clients.

You will stop selling and start listening.

When I did F2F appointments I sat down with a yellow pad and a pen. Asked questions. Listened, and made notes. If you ask the right questions your prospect will tell you what they want. When that happens you take their order.

I stopped selling and telling years ago. It doesn't work. But when you learn to engage people in dialogue you will take the order almost every time.

Yes, I'm new to Medicare (this year) but have been in sales on and off for years. I've been wanting to get into the Medicare market for years so I left Allstate in February to go independent. I'm still doing the p&c that comes my way but my goal is to, at some point, drop that.

Thanks for the book suggestion. I'll take a look when I finish here. I may wind up with the ebook so I can try to read it this next week. (If my exhausted mind will let me) I hope that learning curve passes quickly - feels like it's taking forever.

I never like feeling like I am"selling" someone and I need to do a much better "neads" analysis than I do now - starting with the pen and pad. The more I learn, the more comfortable I am talking about Medicare to prospects.

 

[somarco]

Patience, grasshopper. Your knowledge and expertise will come.

 

[txpcsbent1]

UHC has announced some changes as to Silversneakers. In Texas as of January 2018, UHC will no longer offer Silversneakers for the Med Supp. Instead clients will get UHC's new product through Optum that gives discounts to gyms and online health and wellness content. Also in Texas the Advantage product has also dropped Silversneakers for the new program in most areas for 2018. Dallas-Fort Worth will continue with Silversneakers for 2018 but is scheduled to drop Silversneakers there in 2019. Aetna has also added Silversneakers for 2018 in Dallas Fort Worth for its advantage plan.

 

[jacobtn]

UHC has announced some changes as to Silversneakers. In Texas as of January 2018, UHC will no longer offer Silversneakers for the Med Supp. Instead clients will get UHC's new product through Optum that gives discounts to gyms and online health and wellness content. Also in Texas the Advantage product has also dropped Silversneakers for the new program in most areas for 2018. Dallas-Fort Worth will continue with Silversneakers for 2018 but is scheduled to drop Silversneakers there in 2019. Aetna has also added Silversneakers for 2018 in Dallas Fort Worth for its advantage plan.

Interesting. Wonder if it will end everywhere or just in tx?