Original Medicare

[jdeasy]

Ya thats the first Ive heard that.

But, if they are DE why would they have a copay anyways?

Do they have a spend down or some kind of cost share?

If so, many SNP MAPDs regardless of monthly cost share have a zero copay for primary dr.

Just wondering.

They are SLMB for their DE. They get their Part B paid and their Part D paid and they pay $2.25 and $5.60 co pays for their meds. They do not have medicaid or any other help for their doctor and hospital bills. They need an MA or a med sup or they have to pay the deductables and the co-insurance. Or, the option they have chosen, just not pay anything and let the bills pile up.

People learn the system. In Ky, once they let the bills pile up, they can get temporary medicaid, {a spend down}, to take care of those bills they haven't paid.

That means you and I pay for it.

 

[jdeasy]

Quick question to all the agents marketing Med supps and MAs.

Other than network issue... is there any reason why someone would want to be on original medicare and a part d?

I say that because just last week, I met with a lady turning 65... she was told by someone to not pick up anything and just pay the copays and deductibles of original Medicare...

I laughed for a second because I thought she was joking... but she was serious... why you ask... Because her hospital will write off any expenses that she might rack up while there.

Lol, so we wrote her up on a stand alone part D.. and I was on my way...

Thats the first time I have ever heard someone say that to me.

To your original question, there is no reason for a person to have only original medicare and a part D with no other help. Unless it's purely financial. The only way it would be purely financial is if there is no $0 premium plans available or, if one is available, it's not accepted.

Any other reason is a mis informed reason. I find many turning 65 folks in this category. They have it in their head that medicare is going to pay all their medical bills. It's a terrible shock to these people when they find out how little medicare pays.

I had a med sup agent tell me recently that he couldn't sell to turning 65's because of this. He didn't even want T-65 leads. He said his best prospects were 66-67 year olds that had been in the system for a year or two and now they were seeking him out after paying a few bills.

 

[Frank Stastny]

I had a med sup agent tell me recently that he couldn't sell to turning 65's because of this. He didn't even want T-65 leads.

I would say that would be me but I know we haven't talked.

I have been trying to market to 65 year olds since I have been in the senior market. I have tried almost every conceivable way to sell to them and none of it has been cost effective.

My target market for Med Supps is age 67 to 78. Those turning 65 are way smarter than I am when it comes to Medicare and Medicare Supplement insurance.

It is amazing how willing they are to listen after having either made a bad decision on their own or let some agent throw a bunch of crap their way and sign up with him.

I just don't have the time so spend with those who think they can make a well informed, intelligent decision when they don't know a thing about Medicare or Medicare Supplement insurance. All of their "valuable" information has usually come from a relative or friend, not someone who really understands it.

I don't and won't sell PFFS plans in the areas where I work. Maybe those turning 65 would take one of those but again, it is not going to be in most of their best interests. Those plans present too many problems in rural Missouri that I chose not to deal with.

 

[jdeasy]

I would say that would be me but I know we haven't talked.

I have been trying to market to 65 year olds since I have been in the senior market. I have tried almost every conceivable way to sell to them and none of it has been cost effective.

My target market for Med Supps is age 67 to 78. Those turning 65 are way smarter than I am when it comes to Medicare and Medicare Supplement insurance.

It is amazing how willing they are to listen after having either made a bad decision on their own or let some agent throw a bunch of crap their way and sign up with him.

I just don't have the time so spend with those who think they can make a well informed, intelligent decision when they don't know a thing about Medicare or Medicare Supplement insurance. All of their "valuable" information has usually come from a relative or friend, not someone who really understands it.

I don't and won't sell PFFS plans in the areas where I work. Maybe those turning 65 would take one of those but again, it is not going to be in most of their best interests. Those plans present too many problems in rural Missouri that I chose not to deal with.

Yes, you can pretty easily sell a $0 premium MA to a T65. Only because it's zero premium and they believe that medicare is gonna pay anyway. It's difficult for me to seel a part D to a T65 unless it's packaged in a zere premium MAPD. The T65 folks don't mind the co pays of an MA since most of them are used to co pays with their work insurance now. I have insurance from my former employer and I have a $15 co pay. You are correct in that those folks know more about medicare than I do. They just can't believe that there is a $1024 A deductable that no one has told them about. They can't believe that their part of a $4000 cataract surgury would be $800. Don't even try to explain the Part D do-nut hole.

The PFFS in my area works just great. I know from reading this board now that it's the excpetion for them to work well. Before being on this board, I thought there were just a few areas around the country where PFFS plans were a problem.

From what you have said about them in your area, I wouldn't sell them there, either.

I see the hand writing on the wall and I'm trying to move business towards med sups. It's tough to do because the other MA agents around here are willing to fill that voaid that I provide for them. I'm really only doing the MA plans now for the duals that are not going to buy a med sup anyway.

 

[Joe Moore]

I would say that would be me but I know we haven't talked.

I have been trying to market to 65 year olds since I have been in the senior market. I have tried almost every conceivable way to sell to them and none of it has been cost effective.

My target market for Med Supps is age 67 to 78. Those turning 65 are way smarter than I am when it comes to Medicare and Medicare Supplement insurance.

It is amazing how willing they are to listen after having either made a bad decision on their own or let some agent throw a bunch of crap their way and sign up with him.

I just don't have the time so spend with those who think they can make a well informed, intelligent decision when they don't know a thing about Medicare or Medicare Supplement insurance. All of their "valuable" information has usually come from a relative or friend, not someone who really understands it.

I don't and won't sell PFFS plans in the areas where I work. Maybe those turning 65 would take one of those but again, it is not going to be in most of their best interests. Those plans present too many problems in rural Missouri that I chose not to deal with.

We are in an area where we do not have too many provider problems, thank goodness. Last year we had booths in 6 WalMart stores offering MAPD's and Part-D with an HMO. We have had much less problems with this HMO than we did in the prior 2 years with 4 WalMart stores offering a PFFS.


Joe Moore
National Senior Benefits
Asurco Insurance Marketing
PO Box 1954
Morristown, TN 37816
1-800-226-1004

 

[insureagent]

My wife has medicare and no supp, becuase she is on disability under 65, so the supp plans are limited and/or expensive. I can tell you while some hospitals, etc might write off a couple of bills, to continue seeing her specilist she must keep her account at the clinic current, and the 20% medicare doenst cover has added up to 10000000's. So there. We are going to switch her to a MA plan this fall for sure, but the PFFS plans are s*#t. No one takes them anylonger. Interesting though, some of our clinics are begining to elimiate medicare altogether, and only accept a handful of MA PPO & HMO plans. I see this developing more as the year unfolds. BTW, I live in a major metro market, so this is not just small town clinics or stuff like that. I see a major trend begining to take hold. I wonder if it has anything to do with the recent threat by the fed's to cut medicare pyments by another 15%?

 

[senior-advisor-indiana]

My wife has medicare and no supp, becuase she is on disability under 65, so the supp plans are limited and/or expensive. I can tell you while some hospitals, etc might write off a couple of bills, to continue seeing her specilist she must keep her account at the clinic current, and the 20% medicare doenst cover has added up to 10000000's. So there. We are going to switch her to a MA plan this fall for sure, but the PFFS plans are s*#t. No one takes them anylonger. Interesting though, some of our clinics are begining to elimiate medicare altogether, and only accept a handful of MA PPO & HMO plans. I see this developing more as the year unfolds. BTW, I live in a major metro market, so this is not just small town clinics or stuff like that. I see a major trend begining to take hold. I wonder if it has anything to do with the recent threat by the fed's to cut medicare pyments by another 15%?

Ok, let me get this straight. Your wife has the ability to purchase a med supp for disabilty but the supp cost more than her Dr. bills? Is the premium for a med supp some where in the 1.5 M a year?

Are you an agent?

 

[GreenSky]

Ok, let me get this straight. Your wife has the ability to purchase a med supp for disabilty but the supp cost more than her Dr. bills? Is the premium for a med supp some where in the 1.5 M a year?

Are you an agent?

I was thinking the same thing.

Rick

 

[senior-advisor-indiana]

I already knew that. I am in your head Rick.

 

[GreenSky]

I already knew that. I am in your head Rick.

And in my dreams.

Rick