CMS Commission Change

[AzBroker]

Russ
I was comparing aep 2008 to aep 2009, next time you want to compare plans that I sold in az, ask Greensky or ask questions so that your comparison is not a waste of time.
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Patchie
Oh, so when you flip your customers it's ok because you have a good excuse but when all the other agents across the country find a better plan for their customers it's flipping, you're a joke! Yup, it's better that our dialog is over, waste of time dumbing down to your level. You're right, I did over estimate my totals, so what. We'll see if you don't respond to any of my posts, jerkoff.
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Orange
How's your reading conprehension, apparently not very good. When the ruling came down from cms most complained about the loss of commission except Ding Dong, go back and read the posts. He kept saying writing more age-ins & the renewels would make up for it, which it won't, I compared 08aep to loss of comm for 09aep, & he stil doesn't get it. My customers are very happy being churned to better benefit plans with lower premiums, I guess if you weren't chillin so much you'd be doing a much better job for your customers.
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sman
Then why waste all your time doing the wrong comparison, man, I wish I had that much time to waste. Ask questions next time and you will get answers. I don't think anybody has any idea what is gonna happen next, if you do let me know. I'm doing great it's just dealing with certain meatheads that don't get it.

 

[Russ]

AZBroker....I was just looking at the Aetna MA plans in Arizona. I don't need any help understanding them. I should have never posted a reply.


From Mutual of Omaha...today...."
Compensation Update
As you know, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) have tightened regulations for the 2009 sales and marketing of Medicare products, including the Part D prescription drug program.
Coventry just sent us the Part D compensation regulations. At first glance it appears we might need to change the compensation for AdvantraRx polices effective January 1, 2009 and beyond to be in compliance.
Be assured, we are working to make any adjustments to be as minimal as possible. As soon as we know what, if any, AdvantraRx compensation changes are required, we will communicate them to you."......




Just sent the part D compensation regulations? OMG....M of O is really dropping the ball lately. Maybe I should start playing the lottery again. If I win, I'm retiring from the insurance industry.
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After reading jdeasy's new thread on new CMS rules.... "Compensation Structures"....I may have jumped the gun on not understanding with M of O's statements.

 

[sman]

sman
Then why waste all your time doing the wrong comparison, man, I wish I had that much time to waste. Ask questions next time and you will get answers. I don't think anybody has any idea what is gonna happen next, if you do let me know. I'm doing great it's just dealing with certain meatheads that don't get it.

I assure you it took me less time to do the comparison than it did for you to put this reply together. Thanks for your concern though.

 

[retread]

I assure you it took me less time to do the comparison than it did for you to put this reply together. Thanks for your concern though.

It takes even less time to put AzBroker on ignore!

 

[Josh]

I agree with Rick that every problem in this market has been the result of some kind of silly ass CMS rule or regulation.

Not that CMS hasn't done their fair share of messing things up, but let's not forget that agents have been poisoning the well for a while too. Writing dead people and dogs? Enrolling seniors without them knowing about it? Not to mention quoting the wrong benefits or telling seniors their doctor(s) participates with the plan when they don't. Those problems are all over the place and I don't think they have much to do with CMS rules and regs.

 

[jdeasy]

Not that CMS hasn't done their fair share of messing things up, but let's not forget that agents have been poisoning the well for a while too. Writing dead people and dogs? Enrolling seniors without them knowing about it? Not to mention quoting the wrong benefits or telling seniors their doctor(s) participates with the plan when they don't. Those problems are all over the place and I don't think they have much to do with CMS rules and regs.

There might be a very, very, very small percentage of agents that fit your ugly painting of them. And, even those were not working in a vacuum. Somebody knew what they were doing and, most likely, taught them.

I do not buy into the company and CMS line for a second that this is an agent problem.

But, just for a second, let's say that you are correct and this all the fault of the terrible agents. That's even more reason to eliminate lock-in so those people can be rescued from those terrible plans that the terrible agents put them in.

Now, how about Humana mailing all of their current members an enrollment into the new PPO without explaining what it is or how it works? How you gonna blame those future problems on the agents?

 

[sman]

Now, how about Humana mailing all of their current members an enrollment into the new PPO without explaining what it is or how it works? How you gonna blame those future problems on the agents?

What makes this even worse is that the letter is written so as to make the client believe it's from the agent. I can't tell you how many of my Humana clients got a letter from Humana and it was signed with my name at the bottom. I got a call from a client about "the letter I mailed him". I knew nothing about it. Then I got several more, but was at least prepared at that point.

I don't mind the letter so much, but I'd at least like to know it's going out so I can be prepared to answer questions.

 

[retread]

What makes this even worse is that the letter is written so as to make the client believe it's from the agent. I can't tell you how many of my Humana clients got a letter from Humana and it was signed with my name at the bottom. I got a call from a client about "the letter I mailed him". I knew nothing about it. Then I got several more, but was at least prepared at that point.

I don't mind the letter so much, but I'd at least like to know it's going out so I can be prepared to answer questions.

Just curious... I'm not contracted with Humana, so I have not seen this "letter".... but does it have the CMS stamp of approval?

 

[Russ]

There might be a very, very, very small percentage of agents that fit your ugly painting of them. And, even those were not working in a vacuum. Somebody knew what they were doing and, most likely, taught them.

I do not buy into the company and CMS line for a second that this is an agent problem.

But, just for a second, let's say that you are correct and this all the fault of the terrible agents. That's even more reason to eliminate lock-in so those people can be rescued from those terrible plans that the terrible agents put them in.

Now, how about Humana mailing all of their current members an enrollment into the new PPO without explaining what it is or how it works? How you gonna blame those future problems on the agents?

I talked to a lady yesterday that had her husband on a med-supp with Shenandoah Life with me. Rates for him here in Florida are rather high. They took out the policy in January of 2008 and kept it until the summer when they dropped it(couldn't afford anymore). I called them yesterday to see what they had done about his coverage. They got him on an MAPD w/Humana. $56 a month PPO.

Here's where the problem comes in...the hospital he uses was not on Humana's network in 2008 and the agent told them it was added in 2009. I went to Humana's website....sure enough it WASN'T on the list. I called Humana to confirm my findings...the rep. told me the same.

Nice going agent! I'm heading down to their house this afternoon to switch him to AARP's MAPD PPO plan that's zero dollars a month and DOES include his hospital in their network. Now watch them call up and cancel the appointment


Oh no...should I have given them a 48 hour cooling off period? It will have only been about 30!

 

[Josh]

There might be a very, very, very small percentage of agents that fit your ugly painting of them.

I may have been born at night but it wasn't last night. I recruit and train agents for a living and have a difficult time believing it's a "very, very, very small percentage of agents." I could list at least 10 agencies and two health plans that in my area alone probably have in excess of 50% of their agents using high pressure tactics and not fully explaining coverage to seniors. I have colleagues in other markets who could share similar numbers.

It would be worth mentioning that as irony would have it the post just before mine is an agent talking about another agent lying about the network, what are the odds?