Medicare Advantage Hoppers

[policy doctor]

Okay, they're worried about us churning, are they not? (CMS)

How many of you seasoned veterans are getting inquiries for med advantage from existing med advantage enrollees?

So far my stats are running 8:1 are folks who are now on their second or third generation MA product, and now something else caught their fancy and they want to see something new. So these beneficiaries are chasing new goodies and contacting companies for in home sales presentation.

Of course, if we respond to service the gravy train runners, we get pegged as churners and undercompensated.

I may trim my presentation down to 20 mins. Just show the benefit rich goodies, sign here, See YA!

(sarcasm)

 

[Newby]

Isn't that what the Medicare and You 2009 book tells them to do?

If you were on Medicare Advantage, wouldn't you review ALL the plans every November?

Okay, they're worried about us churning, are they not? (CMS)

How many of you seasoned veterans are getting inquiries for med advantage from existing med advantage enrollees?

So far my stats are running 8:1 are folks who are now on their second or third generation MA product, and now something else caught their fancy and they want to see something new. So these beneficiaries are chasing new goodies and contacting companies for in home sales presentation.

Of course, if we respond to service the gravy train runners, we get pegged as churners and undercompensated.

I may trim my presentation down to 20 mins. Just show the benefit rich goodies, sign here, See YA!

(sarcasm)

 

[stormtracker]

That's EXACTLY the idiocy of CMS-- any layman knows it is a good idea to review ALL your options during an open enrollment. So, if churning has been such a problem (and in many cases it has) then fix the damn problem. Lock in may have been well intentioned, but it has created a whole firestorm on it's on merit. So, which is the lessor of two evils: unrestricted healthcare options for the senior population (in which the government would be continually buried in paperwork) or lock in which generated the opportunity for churning? As I see it, rather than do the RIGHT thing, the government just didn't want to deal with the headache of freedom of choice...

 

[The Rabbi]

CMS would have been better off if they just went after real churners. It shouldn't be hard by computer. Once they nail a few, I bet the practice would die down. It would have saved a lot of trouble but that's not how gov't works. They would rather punish everyone for the misdeeds of a few and we lose more freedom.

 

[policy doctor]

Isn't that what the Medicare and You 2009 book tells them to do?

If you were on Medicare Advantage, wouldn't you review ALL the plans every November?

And why is that? The gov't is creating turbulence in this marketplace by encouraging annual review, and not having standardized plans. On the surface it sounds good, but is it really? Shouldn't some things be set semi-permanently and not always changing. Like life insurance. How about if we change mortality tables every year, instead of a generation later. This way populace will never get over the 2 yr wait for suicide or misstatements. Would that affect reserves?

I realize this is a new attraction in SeniorTown and the circus barkers are lined up hawking their wares. "Step right up, we give 20% off health and beauty aids" , or Silver Sneakers for nimble feet, or dentures for Smiley".

 

[mking]

based on the NEW COmp for 2009.....Their will NO churning....However last year here in NYS State I sold a lot of Healthnet plans (which were very good last YEAR)..This year the plan went SOUth..NOt Good at all.....So all my client are calling asking for a NEW Plan ........it that Churing, I think not.....Why would anyone stay with a bad plan if thier is a better one out there...So based on the NEW COMP If I change them..........I make NO more compensation!..Just time and work to break even......THe writing in all over the Wall!.......Get out of the MA busines before it too late! and OBAMA takes over and KILLS the Whole program..Thats LIFE!

 

[patch36]

In our area there are lots of PFFS clients to move to PPO's or back to med sups. Even with the worst case scenarios the commissions will be ok. What the future holds for MA's over the next few years may not be good, but at this point we can be reasonably assured that we will get a decent commission this year. For sure there are more hoops to jump through and the marketing methods have been curtailed, but if you have been doing this for more than a year or two you have a client base to work, referrals, and other lead generating opportunities to keep you busy.

There is plenty of 'hopping' and 'shopping' going on this year. I am moving folks daily into the PPO's and Med Sups. I don't know what I am being paid, but it will be enough to justify the effort.

Anyone who only sells MA's has set themselves up for disappointment. I sell quite a few and there is no way I can support myself with these products outside of AEP & OEP in the manner my wife has grown accustomed to If you haven't diversified in a serious way then you are going to be struggling in a couple months.

I worked a half day yesterday because of a Dr appt. My appt setter (wife) had me scheduled for 4 appts in the afternoon. Two were new leads and two were old clients. The old clients were on a PFFS that raised prices and I moved them to PPO's. The two new leads I sold two new MA PPO's to one couple on a bad retirement company plan and a PDP to the other lead. I sold 5 MA's to 'hoppers' if you wish to describe them that way.

Today I have 5 appts scheduled. Three of them are annual reviews and I will not recommend any changes, but I will ask for referrals, look at opportunities to cross sell other products, and at the least take care of my clients worries about changes in their benefits for 2009. Two of the appts are on a PFFS that needs changed. How much will I make today? I don't know, but it beats the alternative of sitting here in the office trying to generate business opportunities.

There will always be hopping opportunities because every year the plans change and the needs of the clients may change. ...and when you are dealing with hoppers, the education process and presentations are a lot shorter. They already know how the plans work so they want to know how much it is going to cost, are their Drs & Hospitals in the Network, and what is the maximum out of pocket exposure.

I'm just making lemonade. What else can we do?