Medicare Number Before Card Arrives

[somarco]

have the bene call Medicare directly - they will provide the Medicare number and verify A&B start dates. While annoying, it's accurate.

Yeah, I tossed that out as an option already. Like most of us, it (should be) easier to use an online link than calling, press 1 for English, please listen carefully because our options have changed, then listen to elevator music for 20 minutes.

 

[MedicareMillionair]

Yeah, I tossed that out as an option already. Like most of us, it (should be) easier to use an online link than calling, press 1 for English, please listen carefully because our options have changed, then listen to elevator music for 20 minutes.

If I needed the number, I would call and lay the phone down with speakerphone enabled. I'd move on to other things and then pick up the phone when the rep finally came on the line. There was no time lost.

 

[somarco]

If I needed the number, I would call and lay the phone down with speakerphone enabled. I'd move on to other things and then pick up the phone when the rep finally came on the line. There was no time lost.

You do that while drivng 300 miles a day?

What a guy!

My time is too valuable to waste more than 5 minutes waiting on some $15/hr phone jockey who last week was asking if you want to supersize your order.

 

[MedicareMillionair]

You do that while drivng 300 miles a day?

What a guy!

that's what my clients say!

 

[sshafran]

Yeah, I tossed that out as an option already. Like most of us, it (should be) easier to use an online link than calling, press 1 for English, please listen carefully because our options have changed, then listen to elevator music for 20 minutes.

Agree - I just told my client to call Medicare and repeat, "Representative" (and if prompted, "benefits")

If I needed the number, I would call and lay the phone down with speakerphone enabled. I'd move on to other things and then pick up the phone when the rep finally came on the line. There was no time lost.

How often will Medicare give you someone's information? haha, not going to happen. Make the prospect get it for you.

You do that while drivng 300 miles a day?

What a guy!

My time is too valuable to waste more than 5 minutes waiting on some $15/hr phone jockey who last week was asking if you want to supersize your order.

Agree - when I was doing an app a few weeks ago and the guy was in a similar situation (enrolled in Medicare late June for 7/1 start date, no clue what his MCID was, and the carrier (Humana) required it - so I couldn't submit the app without it), I told him, "Call Medicare, then call me back with the MCID, and we can do your app." He called me back about 20 minutes later.

 

[goillini52]

An alternate option is to have the bene call Medicare directly - they will provide the Medicare number and verify A&B start dates. While annoying, it's accurate.

Having said that, some carriers will also allow you to leave the field blank if unknown, etc....

You can also write "new".

Just got my new card today.

 

[goillini52]

How often will Medicare give you someone's information? haha, not going to happen.

Never.....unless the beneficiary gives authorization. I've done several 3 way conversations with Medicare and clients who were having a hard time getting claims paid and the clients gave the ok for me to have permanent authorization to call Medicare anytime and get the clients claim info. That way I could call at night if need be, but I haven't had to wait more than 5 minutes during the day for quite a while. Sometimes I get right through.

 

[MedicareMillionair]

How often will Medicare give you someone's information? haha, not going to happen. Make the prospect get it for you.

You will get the information 100% of the time because your with the client and the client has given Medicare permission to speak with me. I haven't wasted any time at all because, while we were on hold, I completed all the paperwork and possibly sold another policy in the house.

Agree - when I was doing an app a few weeks ago and the guy was in a similar situation (enrolled in Medicare late June for 7/1 start date, no clue what his MCID was, and the carrier (Humana) required it - so I couldn't submit the app without it), I told him, "Call Medicare, then call me back with the MCID, and we can do your app." He called me back about 20 minutes later.

That's anecdotal, for every one time that happens, your going to have many that will not make the call and will not call you back. If I'm in the home, the call is made every time and I have opportunity to sell every one of them. It's debatable, but your one example is again anecdotal.

 

[sshafran]

You will get the information 100% of the time because your with the client and the client has given Medicare permission to speak with me. I haven't wasted any time at all because, while we were on hold, I completed all the paperwork and possibly sold another policy in the house.



That's anecdotal, for every one time that happens, your going to have many that will not make the call and will not call you back. If I'm in the home, the call is made every time and I have opportunity to sell every one of them. It's debatable, but your one example is again anecdotal.

If you're so afraid of losing the sale that you can't hang up the phone and have them call you back to complete the app, then you did somwthing wrong.

In other words, you're wrong.

If I were face to face, I'd call as well with them right there. I'm not f2f very often.

But I call "marketer talk" with your whole "sell them another policy while on the phone waiting for a mcid." Haha, you aren't that good my friend. No way.

 

[sshafran]

Never.....unless the beneficiary gives authorization. I've done several 3 way conversations with Medicare and clients who were having a hard time getting claims paid and the clients gave the ok for me to have permanent authorization to call Medicare anytime and get the clients claim info. That way I could call at night if need be, but I haven't had to wait more than 5 minutes during the day for quite a while. Sometimes I get right through.

Calling medicare is surprisingly efficient. Wait times aren't too bad.