Educational Seminars with Meals

[bluediamond]

I don't know what AHIP says but an educational seminar is different than a marketing where you intend to sell your product. Marketing has the $15 rule.

Educational is just that.

 

[Medicare bro]

You can spend whatever you want at an educational seminar. You just can't ask for anyone to sign a scope or get an appointment. It's hard to fathom how so many agents have been doing this for so many years and are clueless about this stuff.

 

[Limozine]

I don't know what AHIP says but an educational seminar is different than a marketing where you intend to sell your product. Marketing has the $15 rule.

Educational is just that.

This is straight from AHIP:

 

[Limozine]

You can spend whatever you want at an educational seminar...It's hard to fathom how so many agents have been doing this for so many years and are clueless about this stuff.

Call me clueless all you want, but some of us actually read AHIP. This is straight from AHIP:

 

[Fisher]

Call me clueless all you want, but some of us actually read AHIP. This is straight from AHIP:

View attachment 16186

You are correct, Limozine - that was a change in AHIP last year to throw educational events in the same category as sales events. I promptly disregarded it and continued with what I was doing.

 

[rmhaire]

You are correct, Limozine - that was a change in AHIP last year to throw educational events in the same category as sales events. I promptly disregarded it and continued with what I was doing.

Good thing I don't feed people. The only way I could stay under the $15 limit would be this.

Let's talk Medicare ...

Meet me behind the local Hot Dog King.
You'll get one hot dog, one small fry and one small drink.
This event will be BYOS - bring your own straw.

 

[Tscholar]

I intend to advertise, so I'm (slightly) concerned that a secret shopper might pick up on it.

How would a secret shopper even know about your event, unless you submit it to your agency or CMS? Do secret shoppers just attend random events that they see advertised online, by mail, etc?

 

[Special Agent]

Good thing I don't feed people. The only way I could stay under the $15 limit would be this.

Let's talk Medicare ...

Meet me behind the local Hot Dog King.
You'll get one hot dog, one small fry and one small drink.
This event will be BYOS - bring your own straw.

Here's the asinine thing about the rules- it not only has to be less than 15.00 in value but it also can't be considered meal either even if it less than 15.00 in value.So a pig in a blanket,a cookie and and a coke prolly ok but a hot dog and fries is considered a meal up in here.I have never done educational events so i don't know first hand how often they are secret shopped but i assume not very much especially if it not advertised but believe me they will bust you for serving a hot dog and fries now.lol

 

[rmhaire]

Here's the asinine thing about the rules- it not only has to be less than 15.00 in value but it also can't be considered meal either even if it less than 15.00 in value.So a pig in a blanket,a cookie and and a coke prolly ok but a hot dog and fries is considered a meal up in here.I have never done educational events so i don't know first hand how often they are secret shopped but i assume not very much especially if it not advertised but believe me they will bust you for serving a hot dog and fries now.lol

Definitely some silly ass rules. And I've never done events either.

But don't worry about me. If I buy a sack of hot dogs, I'm going to sit there and eat every damn one of them.

 

[Limozine]

How would a secret shopper even know about your event, unless you submit it to your agency or CMS? Do secret shoppers just attend random events that they see advertised online, by mail, etc?

I have no idea. I don't know what techniques they use to find events.