Client forgot to sign up for Part B

[somarco]

doesn't UHC have the largest market share in Georgia with some of the lowest rate increases?

They have 34% of the state, 31% national per CSG

Anthem doesn't have any GA stats yet. BCBSGA stats were close to UHC state wide.

Omaha has 8% of the state, 2% national

They have the highest market share because of name recognition (AARP, not UHC) and they have been here longer under the same name.

Omaha has been here about 4 yrs under the same name.

All the other carriers are too new to establish a brand.

The NEW plan G from UHC is competitive while their other plans are not.

The NEW Anthem G is also competitive.

Omaha is not competitive. Watch for them to kill off OIC in GA and replace with (probably) MOO just in time for AEP

I have never encouraged clients to chase low rates but have had to change more clients the last 2 years than in the previous 6. Been "forced" to use carriers I would never have used before to preserve my client base and write new folks.

More people asking about Silver Sneakers . . . only available on Medigap from Anthem, Humana and UHC.

In the past they had to buy F to get SS. Now that all 3 are offering G and all but Humana competitive, an agent is essentially forced to write Anthem, UHC or both to attract and retain new clients.

UHC doesn't care about agents. They don't need agents. The majority of their business comes via AARP referrals.

Anthem will also write business direct once people figure out they are BCBSGA in a different suit.

Folks going on the BCBSGA site or calling in will hear and see BX but will be issued an Anthem policy.

It would be easy for an agent to see that UHC, BX and Omaha have almost 80% of the Medigap market and give up.

Until they started offering G it was relatively easy to compete. (Omaha has been competitive in the past, not so much now, but they still trade on name recognition. Most boomers associate them with Marlon Perkins Wild Kingdom. Google it if you have no idea about Wild Kingdom).

BX claims to average 4% rate increases.

They can say anything they want. Other carriers say similar things. Some agents have even claimed that UHC has never had a rate increase.

If you want to compete in this market you have to pick your battles and make your plan.

Currently I am pushing Anthem even though that may come back and bite me.

T65, female, non-smoker, no HH disc, with Western $110, UHC $125, MOO $140, and others in between and up.

What is Anthem's rate? I presume those are G rates.

Or go with UHC, forget it and move on to the next. They now pay "lifetime" renewals for what that's worth.

 

[WCMason]

She lost her group coverage 6/30/2017. It's my understanding that she would now not be able to sign up for Part B until January 1, 2019 for a 7/1/2019 effective date.

She was supposed to sign up for Part B for a 7/1/2017 effective date. She didn't realize she didn't sign up until now.

Her deadline to enroll in Part B was March 31. You wrote the med supp app in June. Wouldn’t she have realized it when you asked her about it in June? Seems pretty standard to confirm Medicare enrollment before or when taking the app.

 

[Hopes]

You have to do it the way you believe is right. Everybody doesn't have the same philosophy about the way they run their business.

After you familiarize yourself with different companies and their underwriting, you'll probably feel more comfortable going with price, because you'll know that most conditions can be covered by someone when it's time to move them to another company. I even tell them that I'll switch them every few years to keep their price as low as possible...as long as they're able to pass underwriting.

Also, if you stick them in a much higher premium, you're giving them a reason to let another agent in their house, that can save them $20-$30 a month or more.

You are absolutely right about knowing more about each companies' UW. If I'm perfectly honest, I probably should have taken only a couple of carriers to start and gotten to know them before adding more but I grabbed the bull by horns.

I'm slowing down now and trying to learn more about each plan but there's so much to know, it all doesn't stick. I guess that's I focus more on the one I know best.

 

[Midlevel]

I never write the Med Sup application or MA application without verification they have Medicare Part B. Either they have their Medicare card, letter stating their Medicare Part B will be starting or having them call Medicare while I am with them. You can also check on Medicare.gov for their enrollment status.

 

[Hopes]

They have 34% of the state, 31% national per CSG

Anthem doesn't have any GA stats yet. BCBSGA stats were close to UHC state wide.

Omaha has 8% of the state, 2% national

They have the highest market share because of name recognition (AARP, not UHC) and they have been here longer under the same name.

Omaha has been here about 4 yrs under the same name.

All the other carriers are too new to establish a brand.

The NEW plan G from UHC is competitive while their other plans are not.

The NEW Anthem G is also competitive.

Omaha is not competitive. Watch for them to kill off OIC in GA and replace with (probably) MOO just in time for AEP

I have never encouraged clients to chase low rates but have had to change more clients the last 2 years than in the previous 6. Been "forced" to use carriers I would never have used before to preserve my client base and write new folks.

More people asking about Silver Sneakers . . . only available on Medigap from Anthem, Humana and UHC.

In the past they had to buy F to get SS. Now that all 3 are offering G and all but Humana competitive, an agent is essentially forced to write Anthem, UHC or both to attract and retain new clients.

UHC doesn't care about agents. They don't need agents. The majority of their business comes via AARP referrals.

Anthem will also write business direct once people figure out they are BCBSGA in a different suit.

Folks going on the BCBSGA site or calling in will hear and see BX but will be issued an Anthem policy.

It would be easy for an agent to see that UHC, BX and Omaha have almost 80% of the Medigap market and give up.

Until they started offering G it was relatively easy to compete. (Omaha has been competitive in the past, not so much now, but they still trade on name recognition. Most boomers associate them with Marlon Perkins Wild Kingdom. Google it if you have no idea about Wild Kingdom).

BX claims to average 4% rate increases.

They can say anything they want. Other carriers say similar things. Some agents have even claimed that UHC has never had a rate increase.

If you want to compete in this market you have to pick your battles and make your plan.

Currently I am pushing Anthem even though that may come back and bite me.



What is Anthem's rate? I presume those are G rates.

Or go with UHC, forget it and move on to the next. They now pay "lifetime" renewals for what that's worth.

Really great information! And I was a kid but I do remember Wild Kingdom! That's exactly what I thought of when I picked up MOO.

I ran across someone at Walmart last year that had been picked off UHC and moved to MOO for a lower rate. And, I've had the guy who wanted the absolute lowest cost plan available and wanted the HDF. I cut him loose though.

I do like that UHC has more generous UW, as far as I understand. That's who I put the guy on Remicade last year with. They never questioned it. He's happy on the F. Even when I mentioned sliding him to G when it came out, he said he wanted to stay where he is.

I just picked up BCBS this year for the group plans but have the medsupp materials on their way which I plan to look read through when they come.

I plan to go into this AEP knowing 3 or 4 medigap carriers front and back and hoping that will take care of the people I talk with who are going with a supp. UHC will of course be at the top of the list. And, I don't have Western but my fmo has pushed them at me before so I see the rates.

 

[Hopes]

They have 34% of the state, 31% national per CSG


What is Anthem's rate? I presume those are G rates.

Or go with UHC, forget it and move on to the next. They now pay "lifetime" renewals for what that's worth.

Yes those were G rates and Anthem is $115.

I need to make Anthem one of my go to perhaps...

 

[goillini52]

Really great information! And I was a kid but I do remember Wild Kingdom! That's exactly what I thought of when I picked up MOO.

I ran across someone at Walmart last year that had been picked off UHC and moved to MOO for a lower rate. And, I've had the guy who wanted the absolute lowest cost plan available and wanted the HDF. I cut him loose though.

I do like that UHC has more generous UW, as far as I understand. That's who I put the guy on Remicade last year with. They never questioned it. He's happy on the F. Even when I mentioned sliding him to G when it came out, he said he wanted to stay where he is.

I just picked up BCBS this year for the group plans but have the medsupp materials on their way which I plan to look read through when they come.

I plan to go into this AEP knowing 3 or 4 medigap carriers front and back and hoping that will take care of the people I talk with who are going with a supp. UHC will of course be at the top of the list. And, I don't have Western but my fmo has pushed them at me before so I see the rates.

If you're worried about your clients future premium increases, the last company I'd use is MOFO.

 

[somarco]

I'm slowing down now and trying to learn more about each plan but there's so much to know, it all doesn't stick. I guess that's I focus more on the one I know best.

You can't know it all out of the shoot.

Unless you spend years on a forum like this offering advice on a subject matter where your answers did not impact your income.

Surprisingly, even investing countless hours here won't help that much.

It's like reading golf magazines and watching training videos yet never even going to the driving range to see if you can make contact with the ball.

In my mind I am a decent golfer.

Get me out on the course and I play Army golf.

Take baby steps. Stick with what you know and don't be shy about admitting you don't know the answer. You WILL lose a few sales that 6 months from now you will close. And some folks won't give you a chance to redeem yourself.

Get over it.

When I switched to the Medicare side I had about 35 years in the health insurance side. Thought this would be easy.

It wasn't.

I made stupid mistakes and lost sales that today I will close.

Time and practice combined with falling down and getting back up will make you a better agent.

UHC has more generous UW

Yes, but that comes at a price.

I don't even fool with sub-standard Medigap.

I don't have Western but my fmo has pushed them at me before so I see the rates.

WULA has good rates.

Before them so did MLIC.

Good rates are like smoke. They don't last very long.

Yes those were G rates and Anthem is $115.

I need to make Anthem one of my go to perhaps...

Even though you will have to explain that Anthem is BX you will have a much easier time pushing them (at least for now) than someone nobody ever heard of and may not be in the Medigap business 3 yrs from now.

 

[Hopes]

You can't know it all out of the shoot.

Unless you spend years on a forum like this offering advice on a subject matter where your answers did not impact your income.

Surprisingly, even investing countless hours here won't help that much.

It's like reading golf magazines and watching training videos yet never even going to the driving range to see if you can make contact with the ball.

In my mind I am a decent golfer.

Get me out on the course and I play Army golf.

Take baby steps. Stick with what you know and don't be shy about admitting you don't know the answer. You WILL lose a few sales that 6 months from now you will close. And some folks won't give you a chance to redeem yourself.

Get over it.

When I switched to the Medicare side I had about 35 years in the health insurance side. Thought this would be easy.

It wasn't.

I made stupid mistakes and lost sales that today I will close.

Time and practice combined with falling down and getting back up will make you a better agent.



Yes, but that comes at a price.

I don't even fool with sub-standard Medigap.



WULA has good rates.

Before them so did MLIC.

Good rates are like smoke. They don't last very long.



Even though you will have to explain that Anthem is BX you will have a much easier time pushing them (at least for now) than someone nobody ever heard of and may not be in the Medigap business 3 yrs from now.

You are right of course. All the research and reading in the world does not equate to practical knowledge. And, I am definitely the type of person who learns by doing. I realize it will take time and I will trust in the Lord to provide.

It's interesting, to me, that now I'm very hesitant to read just anyone's website because I've learned that so much of it is either out context, out of date, piecemeal, or just incorrect on some level. I know some sites are accurate but I don't have time to figure out who's is who's.

I do love the forum though. There's some of the same things I listed above and then some but it's worth it to have so much experience in one place and to have somewhere to ask questions.

Those rate increases are what scare me about some of the lower priced carriers but I've ran across a couple of people who will take their "chances."

One T65 guy early on last year did not want anything but his A and B because his BROTHER in MD said that's all he needed. No PDP, nothing - didn't care about LEP, etc. His brother said he didn't need to worry. Okay, that's fine.

Tuesday, he walked out to go to work and had heart palpitations so he went to the ER and they ran numerous tests to tell him he had a panic attack. Now, I'm curious to see what his bill will be. Obviously, I know the guy so I'm certain I can find out.

 

[somarco]

Those rate increases are what scare me about some of the lower priced carriers but I've ran across a couple of people who will take their "chances."

Until a year or so ago it was somewhat predictable. Now it seems like everyone is ready to roll a block from the old carrier to the new one.

Before last year I probably moved 3 or 4 clients per year.

Last year I think I moved 40.

So far this year maybe 30.

Would have moved more but too many have health issues now and are stuck.

And it's not just the lowball carriers. Big names, especially the Omaha group, come out with new, lower priced carriers every 3 yrs or so.

Since 2010 we are on our 3rd Omaha and will probably see #4 by years end.

Our 4th Aetna carrier.

2nd or 3rd Cigna.

And now we have BX leaving to be replaced by Anthem.

One T65 guy early on last year did not want anything but his A and B because his BROTHER in MD said that's all he needed. No PDP, nothing - didn't care about LEP, etc. His brother said he didn't need to worry. Okay, that's fine.

Tuesday, he walked out to go to work and had heart palpitations so he went to the ER and they ran numerous tests to tell him he had a panic attack. Now, I'm curious to see what his bill will be. Obviously, I know the guy so I'm certain I can find out

When I run into folks who don't want anything other than original Medicare (rare, but it happens) I tell them about B.

No cap on your 20%. You pay until you get well, run out of money or die.

That seems to get their attention.