- 5,935
Bob - your posts and your advice have always been spot on.
How's everything in North Georgia these days?
How's everything in North Georgia these days?
MAPD my Worst Decision!
- Thread starter dandan
- Start date
- 5,935
I thought you lived close to the TN border :(
I'll be running leads up your way in December. I'd love to buy you a donut and cup of coffee one chilly morning soon . . .
----------
Ah - gotcha . . .
I'll be running leads up your way in December. I'd love to buy you a donut and cup of coffee one chilly morning soon . . .
----------
Ah - gotcha . . .
- 18,986
I gave up on MA plans 7 years ago and never looked back. I was the top agent in this region for Coventry, Wellcare and Todays' Options. The Humana MIPPA rules in 2008 just made it clear that I wasn't going to enjoy going to work.
But the real killer was Todays' Options becoming non competitive and Wellcare and Coventry pulled out of this marker at the end of 2009. I had close to 1000 customers between those 2 companies. The Coventry didn't hurt too bad because my contract was thru Parker and Asses and they had stopped paying agents anyway.
Wellcare was a big deal because that's where my duals went.
I haven't regretted it one bit in not selling them. I do cross sell a few med sups a year from running FE leads but those are two completely different markets and not much opportunity to sell mud sups to the FE crowd. Although I wrote 3 med sups this past week.
Most FE people are on MA plans even though they call it their med sup. I refer those out to guy I trust that sells all the plans in this area.
He doesn't sell life so he refers those to me.
I catch a lot of grief over not selling MA plans and people just can't believe I "leave that money on the table". Doesn't bother me near what it bothers them.
As mentioned earlier, everyone has to do what's best for them. I'm very comfortable with my decision to walk from MA plans.
But the real killer was Todays' Options becoming non competitive and Wellcare and Coventry pulled out of this marker at the end of 2009. I had close to 1000 customers between those 2 companies. The Coventry didn't hurt too bad because my contract was thru Parker and Asses and they had stopped paying agents anyway.
Wellcare was a big deal because that's where my duals went.
I haven't regretted it one bit in not selling them. I do cross sell a few med sups a year from running FE leads but those are two completely different markets and not much opportunity to sell mud sups to the FE crowd. Although I wrote 3 med sups this past week.
Most FE people are on MA plans even though they call it their med sup. I refer those out to guy I trust that sells all the plans in this area.
He doesn't sell life so he refers those to me.
I catch a lot of grief over not selling MA plans and people just can't believe I "leave that money on the table". Doesn't bother me near what it bothers them.
As mentioned earlier, everyone has to do what's best for them. I'm very comfortable with my decision to walk from MA plans.
Count me as one of those agents that has nailed myself to the cross before every client. Preaching the safety and security of original medicare the last 4 yrs. And then ask me how often I got even a thank you or a refferal? Every yr carriers pour millions into mapd marketing and its getting harder and harder to explain to the t65 that MA is not the standard but an alternative. Now we have lifetime mapd residuals. If you cant beat might as well join them.
I don't preach.
I explain.
Let them decide what is right for their needs and budget.
I don't know how much Scott makes off my MA referrals, and don't really care. The client is taken care of and I have fewer headaches. To me at least, some things are more important than chasing an extra dollar.
Every one of us has to decide what works for them. I did. No regrets.
And as far as referrals go, I get plenty. I have probably written 30 apps this year all on referrals. All my sales are by phone & email. Never meet any of them face to face but they still keep coming back to me for advice and pass my name along to their friends.
I guess I am doing something right.
I explain.
Let them decide what is right for their needs and budget.
I don't know how much Scott makes off my MA referrals, and don't really care. The client is taken care of and I have fewer headaches. To me at least, some things are more important than chasing an extra dollar.
Every one of us has to decide what works for them. I did. No regrets.
And as far as referrals go, I get plenty. I have probably written 30 apps this year all on referrals. All my sales are by phone & email. Never meet any of them face to face but they still keep coming back to me for advice and pass my name along to their friends.
I guess I am doing something right.
You've being doing this a long time. And it depends how one markets and if they are t65. On an extreme scenario, I got invited to a monthly breakfast for some high school guys all t65. Definetly a warm meeting and on a refferal I try even harder to "explain",. Its just not possible for me to present the two without sounding biased, because frankly things like networks are not good things! I can tell I ruined a few coffees for guys eyeing the 0 premium plans. Anyway Ive written about four of them, and even though these guys make 500k plus, Im getting calls explaining it all again after they see the adds for mapd or their neighbor gives them bad info. its getting harder, and as a newer agent i have to tone it down and not ruin everyones breakfast.
- 598
Let me correct you TDS.
I have been in the health insurance business for a long time. Many jobs in many different capacities. Employee, employer and independent agent.
But my time in the Medicare market is less than 6 years.
I don't know how you approach things, but perhaps you are trying to convince people that one product is better than the other.
It doesn't matter if you are selling Fords over Chevrolet's or Medigap vs MA.
If your goal is to convince them your product, and your views are right you are doing it all wrong.
If you have never read any of Jeffery Gitomer's stuff I suggest you do so now. His basic premise, and one to which I subscribe is this.
People love to buy but they hate to be sold.
Your job is not to convince but to educate and inform, making it easy for them to make the right decision based on their needs and budget.
You don't decide if they can afford your product or not. You don't decide if one plan or product is better for them or not.
If you do then you are definitely trying to SELL them something.
I talk with literally hundreds of people every year. Some I can help, some I can't. I never sell them anything but I do help them buy a plan they understand and want.
I never assume or ask if they can afford $X per month. We discuss how Medicare and Medigap works. Once they have an understanding, they buy.
I never talk price until they know how the pieces fit. Regardless of their budget, price is not a consideration.
That being said, I did have a lady call last week. She was trying to find a plan for her husband and wanted HDF. We talked a few minutes and I suggested N instead. I compared the two and pointed out that, even though N was $40 more per month they have a lot less exposure for that $40.
She asked if I could take the application right then.
Of course I can.
I sold her nothing but she bought what she wanted.
If you can't explain the two (Medigap and MA) without ruffling feathers you need more practice. If you want to call me sometime and ask questions I will be glad to help you perhaps find a different approach.
But don't call now. Like everyone else I am busy. After the first of the year.
But only if you want to talk. I promise not to sell you anything.
I have been in the health insurance business for a long time. Many jobs in many different capacities. Employee, employer and independent agent.
But my time in the Medicare market is less than 6 years.
I don't know how you approach things, but perhaps you are trying to convince people that one product is better than the other.
It doesn't matter if you are selling Fords over Chevrolet's or Medigap vs MA.
If your goal is to convince them your product, and your views are right you are doing it all wrong.
If you have never read any of Jeffery Gitomer's stuff I suggest you do so now. His basic premise, and one to which I subscribe is this.
People love to buy but they hate to be sold.
Your job is not to convince but to educate and inform, making it easy for them to make the right decision based on their needs and budget.
You don't decide if they can afford your product or not. You don't decide if one plan or product is better for them or not.
If you do then you are definitely trying to SELL them something.
I talk with literally hundreds of people every year. Some I can help, some I can't. I never sell them anything but I do help them buy a plan they understand and want.
I never assume or ask if they can afford $X per month. We discuss how Medicare and Medigap works. Once they have an understanding, they buy.
I never talk price until they know how the pieces fit. Regardless of their budget, price is not a consideration.
That being said, I did have a lady call last week. She was trying to find a plan for her husband and wanted HDF. We talked a few minutes and I suggested N instead. I compared the two and pointed out that, even though N was $40 more per month they have a lot less exposure for that $40.
She asked if I could take the application right then.
Of course I can.
I sold her nothing but she bought what she wanted.
If you can't explain the two (Medigap and MA) without ruffling feathers you need more practice. If you want to call me sometime and ask questions I will be glad to help you perhaps find a different approach.
But don't call now. Like everyone else I am busy. After the first of the year.
But only if you want to talk. I promise not to sell you anything.
