MA plans for 2009

[jerrykramer64fan]

That sounds like a plan, but usually my sale goes like this. My phone rings and the customer says "I need to get a drug plan. Do you need my list of medications?" I say yes (is that asking?), and they proceed to give me their Rx, which I enter directly into the Medicare website, which in turn gives me the printout of all of the plans in an increasing order of projected out of pocket costs. The Humana enhanced plan turns out to be the cheapest or at least the top three about 75% of the time and I then set an appointment and go write it. I don't shop pdp's when sitting with the customer since ,IMO, there is no accurate way to determine the best plan for them without going to the Medicare site. If I had a WIFI card this wouldn't be an issue, but I prefer to get that step out of the way b4 I sit with them.

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[theinuranceguy]

I do that too, although I mostly sell MAPD's, but if your doing the print out make sure not to show that to the client, its not CMS approved.

Not Kidding.

 

[retread]

That sounds like a plan, but usually my sale goes like this. My phone rings and the customer says "I need to get a drug plan. Do you need my list of medications?" I say yes (is that asking?), and they proceed to give me their Rx, which I enter directly into the Medicare website, which in turn gives me the printout of all of the plans in an increasing order of projected out of pocket costs. The Humana enhanced plan turns out to be the cheapest or at least the top three about 75% of the time and I then set an appointment and go write it. I don't shop pdp's when sitting with the customer since ,IMO, there is no accurate way to determine the best plan for them without going to the Medicare site. If I had a WIFI card this wouldn't be an issue, but I prefer to get that step out of the way b4 I sit with them.




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You are a better man than I, Gunga Din.... I found PDPs are too much trouble for the amount of time required. I only get involved with them as a need with a MS or MAonly plan. Most of the time it has to do with placing what level of a plan with a particular MAPD.

 

[jerrykramer64fan]

Actually, I do believe that is the one thing I did read in the Marketing guidelines that was ok to give them. I'll double check. The OCI also said that it was ok to give that to them.

 

[jerrykramer64fan]

They are a lot of time for the commission, and this will sound corny, but I feel it is my responsibility to help these people regardless of what I make. I go by the old saying, what goes around..... My goal is to make that person my customer. It builds my base and gets me referrals. In the past I usually recommended keeping the RX and the MA separate. That way you get the best coverage possible for each. If you are forced into a certain Rx coverage with a MAPD, it can cost the customer hundres of dollars a year. That changed a little this year. It seems like the coverage in the MAPD's has gotten better so it's not as big a difference anymore. The one thing I still see with many companies is if you compare the medical coverage between a MA & MAPD, the MA's health coverage is usually better. This is especially true when it comes to $0 premium plans.

 

[jerrykramer64fan]

What also makes things confusing is, if it's not alright for agents to give the customer the printout, then why do the people at the DOA do it? Are they special?

 

[jerrykramer64fan]

Thanks insurancedude! I was reading this all last night, but.....I'll look again. Was getting tires and could have missed it.