Medicare Plan Icon: Black Eye or Useful Tool?

[Duaine]

Would alerting the public that a Medicare plan was hit with a fine be helpful for Medicare beneficiaries or just an unnecessary embarrassment for the health plan?

That’s a question the Medicare agency is pondering as it works to finalize 2019 guidance for the Medicare Advantage and Part D drug programs.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has proposed a “civil money penalty” symbol or icon be placed next to the name of insurers that got one.

Plans can get the penalty for small and large missteps of program rules.

No word yet on what the symbol would look like but it probably won’t be attractive. The icon would be on the agency's Medicare Plan Finder, an online program that beneficiaries use to search for health plans. Medicare considers it one more tool to help beneficiaries make better informed choices on plans appropriate for them.

Medicare Plan Icon: Black Eye or Useful Tool?

 

[Todd King]

Well, CMS alludes that we shouldn't be selling MA plans by using their star rating system (even though I don't know how they expect us not to), so selling against a company by pointing out low rating shouldn't be done either.

Of course, we all know it's going to happen anyway.

 

[midwestbroker]

On a positive spin, that may just create more confusion for the prospects, wanting them to seek out more professional advice...

 

[VolAgent]

Well, CMS alludes that we shouldn't be selling MA plans by using their star rating system (even though I don't know how they expect us not to), so selling against a company by pointing out low rating shouldn't be done either.

Of course, we all know it's going to happen anyway.

Even for a government agency, CMS seems particularly bi-polar.

We want you to put people in the right plan for them. We have even created metrics and tools to help in making comparisons. But don't use them, you are not allowed to use any tool or metric to determine the appropriate plan. But we've got some great tools and metrics for use in comparisons. Make sure people go in the correct plan, just don't use any metric or tool we've gone to the trouble of creating.

 

[Todd King]

Even for a government agency, CMS seems particularly bi-polar.

We want you to put people in the right plan for them. We have even created metrics and tools to help in making comparisons. But don't use them, you are not allowed to use any tool or metric to determine the appropriate plan. But we've got some great tools and metrics for use in comparisons. Make sure people go in the correct plan, just don't use any metric or tool we've gone to the trouble of creating.

Yeah, that's akin to...put them in the right Part D plan, but don't dare ask them what meds they are on.

 

[somarco]

The only thing better than CMS marketing rules are the ones that allow carriers and (of course) 800-MEDICARE to completely ignore those rules.

 

[Normierutsk]

I believe that medical insurance is mandatory for each of us, and it is very convenient when medical care is needed. Therefore, I prefer to have insurance for every member of my family. It's easy to compare health insurance plans now; go to the website https://www.remedigap.com/medicare-supplements/medicare-plan-n-vs-plan-g/ and the help of convenient comparison tables to choose for yourself what is convenient for you. So you can be sure that even in case of illness, you will not have any problems with medical care.

 

[goillini52]

I believe that medical insurance is mandatory for each of us, and it is very convenient when medical care is needed.

Yes, it's an automatic $2,000 fine if caught getting sick without it.