Help with Release Request from an Upline FMO

Columina

New Member
1
Hi,

I'm a Life/Health Producer and I'm new to my Medicare contracting. Recently, I joined a local FMO to write Medicare businesses. Now that Medicare enrollment period is behind me and I wanted to prepare myself for the next enrollment period with a different FMO.

I have heard that there is a 6 months hold that I can't write Medicare business from a carrier. Is this rule absolute or is there any other ways that I can avoid this? What's the etiquette of requesting a release?

I'd appreciate any help and suggestion.

Producer in ORegon.
 
Hi,

I'm a Life/Health Producer and I'm new to my Medicare contracting. Recently, I joined a local FMO to write Medicare businesses. Now that Medicare enrollment period is behind me and I wanted to prepare myself for the next enrollment period with a different FMO.

I have heard that there is a 6 months hold that I can't write Medicare business from a carrier. Is this rule absolute or is there any other ways that I can avoid this? What's the etiquette of requesting a release?

I'd appreciate any help and suggestion.

Producer in ORegon.

Congratulations. You've discovered the biggest secret in the industry. You never signed or agreed to a 6 month wait but you're held to it because of an agreement between carriers and marketers.

An honest marketer will simply give you a release that waives the 6 months. I know of several (Applied General Agencies, Bob Bever and others) that will never release.

It's one of the dirtiest parts of this industry. The only thing you can do is work with honest people.

Do you know that you can't get a release? Have you asked?

Rick
 
If you get released, then you dont have to wait 6 months (12 with MoO). But if no release, then you gotta wait. Just find some other companies to write in the meantime, and if you dont have any, just go sell some FE
 
The infamous release.

If you have assigned your commissions with that up-line, they may not be so willing to release you if you have any type of debt balance with them. If you have no debt balance with them they should release.

If you have not assigned commissions, and have no pending business with them, they should release. If they do not, that says a lot about them and why you should not do business with them again.
 
Hi, I'm a Life/Health Producer and I'm new to my Medicare contracting. Recently, I joined a local FMO to write Medicare businesses. Now that Medicare enrollment period is behind me and I wanted to prepare myself for the next enrollment period with a different FMO. I have heard that there is a 6 months hold that I can't write Medicare business from a carrier. Is this rule absolute or is there any other ways that I can avoid this? What's the etiquette of requesting a release? I'd appreciate any help and suggestion. Producer in ORegon.

The majority of up lines will not release agents. The ones that are active here on the forum are all good about it. But the majority of the other ones will not do it.

The worst ones about releases are the ones that signed you up at the lower commission levels. You have to figure if they actually granted releases every agent would abandon ship on them as soon as they found out how bad their commission level was.

Just make sure any up line you ever contract with has an open door policy on releases. The only thing most good agencies require is that you have a new up line signing off to accept all debt roll ups from the date of the transfer on.

If you request a release from an up line and they decline you and tell you that they won't do it it does sometimes help to report that here on the forum for everyone. Sometimes that up line will then release you to avoid the bad publicity. If not at least you have warned other agents to not make the same mistake.
 
The infamous release.

If you have assigned your commissions with that up-line, they may not be so willing to release you if you have any type of debt balance with them. If you have no debt balance with them they should release.

If you have not assigned commissions, and have no pending business with them, they should release. If they do not, that says a lot about them and why you should not do business with them again.

"Should" and supposedly good intentions and a dollar will get you a cup of coffee most places.

Very few IMO's will release. Doesn't matter if commissions are assigned or not and debt or not. They just aren't releasing.

My Coventry contract is tied to parker and Asses forever. My Wellcare is tied to RBI forever.

I just don't write either and haven't in years.

It's a crooked system that says the agent has to be released from a contract they never signed.

In the FE field most won't release either but it's not a real issue. There's enough companies out there that you can write if an arrogant asshole IMO won't release.

In the MA and med sup field it's much more crippling to the agent.

Agents better get a prenup about the release. If that IMO won't agree upfront then they won't release. DO NOT join up with them!!
 
Hi, I'm a Life/Health Producer and I'm new to my Medicare contracting. Recently, I joined a local FMO to write Medicare businesses. Now that Medicare enrollment period is behind me and I wanted to prepare myself for the next enrollment period with a different FMO. I have heard that there is a 6 months hold that I can't write Medicare business from a carrier. Is this rule absolute or is there any other ways that I can avoid this? What's the etiquette of requesting a release? I'd appreciate any help and suggestion. Producer in ORegon.

Are you located in the Portland area? I'm familiar with most of the shops here, maybe I can help you out. Feel free to PM me.
 
Should you not be granted a release, check with the carrier to see if it is 6 months of no production or if you need to terminate your contract and wait 6 months to re-contract.
 
I realize this is an old thread but I think it still applies. I am having a really hard time getting released from Optum/HealthMarkets/UHC/Golden Outlook. I'm not sure which is their DBA name because it changes every few months.

Would it be of any value to try to call the state insurance commissioner for assistance?

They owe me no commissions; I left on good terms with full notice and they have all my callbacks/book of business.

I really want to start selling. :(
 
Back
Top