CMS Proposal to End Multilevel FMO Marketing

[AgentGeneral]

Looks like the voting is almost down the middle with a little room for error.

I'm all for the FMO I use above me. With that said, I had to decide what I wanted out of what they offered. It's so much it was hard to weed through what was right for me and what wasn't.

In the end, I made a few mistakes, they made a few mistakes (in how I do things). I've been mad enough at times to be quite verbose on what I didn't like (marketing that I thought was dumb for me---maybe good for others) and they just listened and helped and guided. I couldn't be where I am right now without them. I know that for sure.

Now I know them better, they know me better and how I operate, usually on a down low but steady writing and working and full steam ahead in AEP, as well as steady through the year...I like to be left alone, but appreciate them and hope theyre not affected by this in the end. Now I even get override on my own, which I never asked for....and another agent which I also never asked for. I don't care about that for myself much anyway....it's not much but adds up, really only average $25 an enrollment and much lower on renewals--on top of whatever marketing dollars I need or want. Appreciate my FMO. I don't want agents or too many extras now, and again, like to work alone.

Anyone who thinks though that we have any leverage is wrong when it comes to the gubberment. We are worker ants. Period. I'll never forget what happened with the old "if Obamacare passes.......you will be way better off bs" Slaugherhouse for the hard working business people of America who do not qualify for free health insurance up to age 65. Not to mention what it did for many agents.

I do hope theres no chopping to what we get now though....that would suck. Wouldn't doubt it though if it happened.

Agents will still work, maybe not me if the slash is too much, but come on...many were doing this when it was just G and F and low PDP commish, and barely $200 an enrollment. I like ancillaries too so there's always that.

 

[wehotex]

I'm still trying to figure out where all this "incentive money" is. Can I get in on this?? I'm a normal broker....I don't see a red cent extra from my FMO(s) or the carriers, aside from the one-time-peanuts-payment to do an HRA that I can go buy a few packs of gum with. Is this the "incentive money" people and CMS thinks us brokers are "ballin'" with and buying imaginary Lamborghinis?

If that's what they're referring to as "iNcEntiVe MonEy," to "sTeeR" a person onto MAPD's, then these bureaucrats are absolutely f*cking clueless and lost. Let's also not forget (and this is something that NEVER gets mentioned), the FMO's take an extra 25% from me (us), per policy, on average, right off the top as their commission from us. That's a HUGE chunk of money, especially when you factor in the huge taxes we all pay.

I easily make WAY more on a supplement, with bonuses, extra D/V/H policies, and extra PDP policy. What's happening right now is what happens when government starts meddling in things they know absolutely nothing about.

They all think people are being "heavily incentivized" to "steer" people to MAPD's. Excuse me for a second..... LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL! Okay, I'm back now. Nothing but misinformation. The way this is all shaping up, pretty soon we're all gonna be better off saying "Would you like fries with that?"

The more clownish f*ckery I see in life from the government, the more I understand why the Mafia was formed and exists.

My piddling override is not enough to sway what I offer. But, I could understand how the previous upline (with about 25-30 agents) and $150 annual override (1/2 of agent’s comp) could be swayed to write certain carriers over others.
When THEY write business, CMS’ argument makes better sense. On top of that, they have their under table dealings between themselves and the carriers/FMO uplines. Those are the levels that CMS should go after, or at least make it to where those layers are not actively selling, but only administrating. I have had only 1 FMO that did not sell alongside the agents.

 

[hockeyday]

Though you were doing t65

QUOTE="DonP, post: 1475780, member: 90591"]Your incorrect . It specifically beats up fmo overrides . 4 fmo’s I listened to said game over for fmo’s if this passes . Your interpreting this wrong . I for one will cut my Medicare business at least 50% without marketing money . I’ll go back to fe mostly . Lol I’m not paying $70 for a direct mail lead we’re in July you make $150 .[/QUOTE]

 

[AgentGeneral]

Anyone complaining about FMO not doing a thang for them, might should look around at FMO options at the first of the year. Just sayin....maybe I got lucky, or maybe I knew who to align with by asking people I know who are top notch.

Got a call not two hours after I posted above from FMO for whatever I want for marketing. Straight from carrier to FMO to me. 100% straight dollars, skys the limit (they know I won't ask for outlandish amounts--lollll).

Hmmmm, what should I do with it? Scotts T65 program up and running, more mailers, seminars, hmmmmm? This is all just bonus...never asked for it and didn't expect it.

 

[kstein]

Whose your upline.

 

[DonP]

I'm still trying to figure out where all this "incentive money" is. Can I get in on this?? I'm a normal broker....I don't see a red cent extra from my FMO(s) or the carriers, aside from the one-time-peanuts-payment to do an HRA that I can go buy a few packs of gum with. Is this the "incentive money" people and CMS thinks us brokers are "ballin'" with and buying imaginary Lamborghinis?

If that's what they're referring to as "iNcEntiVe MonEy," to "sTeeR" a person onto MAPD's, then these bureaucrats are absolutely f*cking clueless and lost. Let's also not forget (and this is something that NEVER gets mentioned), the FMO's take an extra 25% from me (us), per policy, on average, right off the top as their commission from us. That's a HUGE chunk of money, especially when you factor in the huge taxes we all pay.

I easily make WAY more on a supplement, with bonuses, extra D/V/H policies, and extra PDP policy. What's happening right now is what happens when government starts meddling in things they know absolutely nothing about.

They all think people are being "heavily incentivized" to "steer" people to MAPD's. Excuse me for a second..... LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL! Okay, I'm back now. Nothing but misinformation. The way this is all shaping up, pretty soon we're all gonna be better off saying "Would you like fries with that?"

The more clownish f*ckery I see in life from the government, the more I understand why the Mafia was formed and exists.

Depends on your production what type marketing money you can get . Pretty

Though you were doing t65

QUOTE="DonP, post: 1475780, member: 90591"]Your incorrect . It specifically beats up fmo overrides . 4 fmo’s I listened to said game over for fmo’s if this passes . Your interpreting this wrong . I for one will cut my Medicare business at least 50% without marketing money . I’ll go back to fe mostly . Lol I’m not paying $70 for a direct mail lead we’re in July you make $150 .

[/QUOTE]

I was doing a lot but returns got shitty . So I dropped $20 -$50 k heavy this aep for lower middle income .

 

[DonP]

Anyone complaining about FMO not doing a thang for them, might should look around at FMO options at the first of the year. Just sayin....maybe I got lucky, or maybe I knew who to align with by asking people I know who are top notch.

Got a call not two hours after I posted above from FMO for whatever I want for marketing. Straight from carrier to FMO to me. 100% straight dollars, skys the limit (they know I won't ask for outlandish amounts--lollll).

Hmmmm, what should I do with it? Scotts T65 program up and running, more mailers, seminars, hmmmmm? This is all just bonus...never asked for it and didn't expect it.

That will be mostly be gone by aep 2025

 

[AgentGeneral]

That will be mostly be gone by aep 2025

Ok. Good to know what could be coming down the pipe.

Change always comes, it's all good (or do I mean bad).

 

[Yagents]

https://www.modernhealthcare.com/insurance/medicare-advantage-marketing-rule-brokers-cms?

CMS already limited how much carriers can pay individual brokers and agents before proposing the new policy. But some insurers sidestep this maximum by categorizing payments to salespeople as administrative or marketing expenses, enlisting sales representatives to perform health risk assessments or contracting with middlemen that pass bonuses on to brokers and agents on their behalf.

The agency's new marketing proposal does not clearly limit payments to cooperative marketing agencies, Humana Chief Financial Officer Susan Diamond said at Stephen’s Annual Investment Conference on Nov. 15.

“There is no technical cap on other payments that are made to agencies that sit on top of those brokers,” Diamond said. “There are arrangements between all health plans and those brokers that might allow for co-op marketing or administrative fees for some of the services they perform.”

 

[DonP]

https://www.modernhealthcare.com/insurance/medicare-advantage-marketing-rule-brokers-cms?

CMS already limited how much carriers can pay individual brokers and agents before proposing the new policy. But some insurers sidestep this maximum by categorizing payments to salespeople as administrative or marketing expenses, enlisting sales representatives to perform health risk assessments or contracting with middlemen that pass bonuses on to brokers and agents on their behalf.

The agency's new marketing proposal does not clearly limit payments to cooperative marketing agencies, Humana Chief Financial Officer Susan Diamond said at Stephen’s Annual Investment Conference on Nov. 15.

“There is no technical cap on other payments that are made to agencies that sit on top of those brokers,” Diamond said. “There are arrangements between all health plans and those brokers that might allow for co-op marketing or administrative fees for some of the services they perform.”

That’s 100% against what cms clearly stated . It said “ Nothing above the $642 proposed for 2025”’ . If what Humana says is true Fmo’s will simply mark everything as co-op money and cheat the system. They mentioned taking aim at Fmo’s many times and there compensation.