Enrollment Periods Need to Be Modified, Increased....

[selfgen]

I am fed up with enrollment periods!! they are too restrictive, too short. the government needs to address this matter: there are too many seniors aging-in ( 10,000 each day ) A glimpse at the near future reveals that there are not enough agents to counsel and advise these seniors. As agents, we often feel like advisors, even ombudsman to our clients. They rely on us greatly for advice, and they want an agent that will sit down with them and discuss options. Many of us are already overwhelmed. Seniors are not going to get the help they need. Those drug plans are tricky. If an ANOC slips by a member unnoticed ( not a difficult task, given the huge load of junk mail that is spewed into these seniors' homes every year during AEP)then it's possible for a drug to be removed from a formulary or switched to a non-preferred tier without the member being aware of it. This can be a costly oversight- and I know it happens every year. maybe we could eliminate the AEP and instead every senior would be allowed to make one change each year. Something could be worked out. There's more seniors coming onto the program, and there is not enough of us to handle everyone.


I am really considering writing a letter to President Obama about this just to express my feelings about this matter. I don't think it will bring about any change.

How do y'all feel about it?


Tommy

 

[WCMason]

I am fed up with enrollment periods!! they are too restrictive, too short. the government needs to address this matter: there are too many seniors aging-in ( 10,000 each day ) A glimpse at the near future reveals that there are not enough agents to counsel and advise these seniors. As agents, we often feel like advisors, even ombudsman to our clients. They rely on us greatly for advice, and they want an agent that will sit down with them and discuss options. Many of us are already overwhelmed. Seniors are not going to get the help they need. Those drug plans are tricky. If an ANOC slips by a member unnoticed ( not a difficult task, given the huge load of junk mail that is spewed into these seniors' homes every year during AEP)then it's possible for a drug to be removed from a formulary or switched to a non-preferred tier without the member being aware of it. This can be a costly oversight- and I know it happens every year. maybe we could eliminate the AEP and instead every senior would be allowed to make one change each year. Something could be worked out. There's more seniors coming onto the program, and there is not enough of us to handle everyone.

I am really considering writing a letter to President Obama about this just to express my feelings about this matter. I don't think it will bring about any change.

How do y'all feel about it?

Tommy

You're absolutely dead on. A letter to the president won't bring about any change.

That said, I don't get the "maybe we could eliminate the AEP and instead every senior would be allowed to make one change each year." Isn't one change each year the definition of AEP?

 

[jdeasy]

Most of the problems with MA plans and the abuse by certain agents and companies would end if there were year round enrollment just like med sups.

The companies would be forced to provide better service. It wouldn't so much if an agent put a person in an inferior plan since they could leave it after one month.

You would still have to restrict it to allowing people that are already in an MA plan or med sup to be able to change and people that are not in plan would still have only chance a year. If you didn't do that then no one would sign up until they had a health emergency.

Lock in creates most of the problems. Fix the cause of the problems and the problems magically go away.

 

[houcoogster]

Most of the problems with MA plans and the abuse by certain agents and companies would end if there were year round enrollment just like med sups.

The companies would be forced to provide better service. It wouldn't so much if an agent put a person in an inferior plan since they could leave it after one month.

You would still have to restrict it to allowing people that are already in an MA plan or med sup to be able to change and people that are not in plan would still have only chance a year. If you didn't do that then no one would sign up until they had a health emergency.

Lock in creates most of the problems. Fix the cause of the problems and the problems magically go away.

Not exactly... here's what you would have. Folks would join one ma and pop the dental benefit then hop-scotch to the next ma and pop their vision benefit and then land in the one with the biggest network. Uh-O Dr. prescribed me an expensive med let me hop on board this plan with the cheapest brand rx co-pay.

 

[Crapgame44]

I dont have specifics but there is a bill in the House doing just that. I believe extending AEP to March 31. I'll try and find more info

 

[jdeasy]

Not exactly... here's what you would have. Folks would join one ma and pop the dental benefit then hop-scotch to the next ma and pop their vision benefit and then land in the one with the biggest network. Uh-O Dr. prescribed me an expensive med let me hop on board this plan with the cheapest brand rx co-pay.

Nothing wrong with that. The plans would have to match the other plans if they wanted to keep their customers. That's not a bad thing.

Is there another business model that works like lock in? What if people had to keep whatever life insurance plan they sign up with today?

 

[AllGold]

Medicare AEP is going to be an even bigger mess now that ACA's AEP is the same time (extended until 3/31/2014 only for the first year).

Nothing wrong with that. The plans would have to match the other plans if they wanted to keep their customers. That's not a bad thing.

Is there another business model that works like lock in? What if people had to keep whatever life insurance plan they sign up with today?

I think car insurance is a better comparison.

Imagine what a nightmare an AEP for auto insurance would be. Even better, make it the old AEP dates of Nov. 15th to Dec. 31st. Everyone working at Geico, Allstate, Progressive, State Farm, etc.... their heads would explode.

 

[WCMason]

The one change I do like is the earlier end date. New Years Eve is actually enjoyable now. Christmas week, too.

 

[sman]

The one change I do like is the earlier end date. New Years Eve is actually enjoyable now. Christmas week, too.

Man I hated the old AEP dates. Prior to MA plans coming along I always took the last two weeks of the year off. That ended when I started selling MA/PDP plans. Since they've changed the date, I get my two weeks back.

 

[MrMack]

The one change I do like is the earlier end date. New Years Eve is actually enjoyable now. Christmas week, too.

My birthday is December 30 and I was forced to celebrate in January. My last sale on December 31 was 10:30PM. I finally made it to the party.