Part C is for the birds.

[Cenla Agent]

I am in the Atlanta area, and I didn't just mention online enrolling. I think they will give them choices by mail and let them call direect or mail enrollments to Medicare.

They can mail in the paper app to the company now and always have been able to.

One thing is for sure, if CMS is paying the companies to administer the plans, their strong preference will be for them to handle enrollments as well. Anytime a member calls Medicare, especially about MA enrollment or disenrollment, their tendency is to kick it back to the carrier if possible.

We are seeing some advertisements and mailers from CMS this year reminding people of the AEP, but there was virtually nothing (other than W's occasional meetings) from them about it back in 2006.

 

[dandan]

They need to remove standardized supplements and let companies make quality plans. This wil increase competition and with competition comes better products.

How would you like it if they standardized, Cars, Houses, investments etc.

 

[retread]

I'm sorry, folks, but trying to re-invent Medicare is not productive for my business. I work with what I've got.

 

[GreenSky]

Basically all managed care has the potential to suck. It would be great if all seniors could afford Medicare and a supplement, but they can't.

My mother has Plan G with PDP. However, I can afford it for her. If she could not, her doctor is with a medical group that accepts HMO plans and they have terrific specialists. Is it as good as ...? No, it's not but it's likely to be better than just Medicare.

Does Part C suck for the person who received great care with a minimum cost? Does it suck for the 65 year old with limited income and diabetes?

Your comment that it is "for the birds" is a generalization that just isn't accurate. It is correct for some people. If it was truly terrible, why is it that 50% of the seniors in Los Angeles are on these plans and presumably like them?

How do you feel about commercial HMO plans?

Rick

 

[retread]

I'm not trying to steal your thunder, Rick, but here's my 2 cents:

dandan needs to re-think his opinion, and hopefully put his "feelings" aside. Too often we are blinded by irrational feelings, when we need to think through our position. Hopefully, the objective is to come to a realistic, objective conclusion.

I have been guilty of this failure to reach an unbiased position, just as well as others, so I am not sitting in judgement here, I am just expressing my opinion, drawn from my own experience. I also cringe when I read such biased opinions as dandan stated.

 

[Cenla Agent]

My guess is that those who sell a high proportion of PFFS plans better be ready for a lot more than usual not to get issued with the outbound verification that is being done this year. My understanding is that the call may come as much as a week after the application was taken. One sales manager told me they are basically going to scare the members to death for wanting to enroll in PFFS.

 

[midwestbroker]

Well, if the birds have A+B of Medicare, live in the service are and do not have ESRD, then they can have Part C.

You may not like Part C, but it is the agents responsibility to inform the client what their options are. I use page 31 of the 2008 Medicare and You book to show them their options.

In rural markets, MA plans may not be the best options, but do not bad mouth them to the client. For all you know they might have just put their mother/father/aunt etc on one of them.

In metro markets, a lot of people (over 40,000 in KC) have some type of MA plan. They have been here for a long time and have their place.

So, for some birds it is a good deal, for others, it is not.

 

[dandan]

You use the Medicare handbook to show them what options they have? Lets see you make an appointment for a Part C, you pull out the Medicare handbook and explain what options they have.

They don't like the idea of paying co- insurances or having doctors deciding not to accept the plans terms, now what do you do?

Sell a med supp?

 

[dandan]

When enrolling in Part C you must go on a specific appointment stating which plan you are offering. It is not your job to educate, its your job to describe your plan in full and let them decide if that is the plan they would like to choose.

If they do not like the plan, you cannot turn around and sell a different plan. You may leave and call them and make another appointment but you cannot bait and switch.

Your job is to help them enroll not sell.

And I do not bad mouth any part C plans to clients, I was just voicing MY opinion on an agents forum.

 

[GreenSky]

When enrolling in Part C you must go on a specific appointment stating which plan you are offering. It is not your job to educate, its your job to describe your plan in full and let them decide if that is the plan they would like to choose.

If they do not like the plan, you cannot turn around and sell a different plan. You may leave and call them and make another appointment but you cannot bait and switch.

Your job is to help them enroll not sell.

And I do not bad mouth any part C plans to clients, I was just voicing MY opinion on an agents forum.

I agree with you IN GENERAL, however you are making too broad a statement.

I am covered under a PPO. PPO plans are part of the MA "family." So are PPO plans "for the birds?"

I have not recommended that anyone join an HMO, but if they want that type of plan, I help them find the one with the best benefits.

PFFS seemed like it was a great concept. In practice, maybe not so much. However, I have clients in one county going to the main medical group/hospital. They are fine with the plan and I have yet to hear about claims issues. For some people, PFFS is obviously working.

When you make a statment about Part C, perhaps you could narrow it down to the specific product. Not all MA plans are bad and even the ones you don't like have their merits.

Lastly, this BS that if I go to see a client about one plan but can't show him another more appropriate plan is just that. I have an appointment in 2 weeks with a client in Santa Barbara. They go to a very large medical group and can be seen either with an HMO or a PFFS. According to CMS, I need two appointments if I want to show them both plans!

Typical government crap. Big brother in Washington knows what's best for us so we have seatbelt laws, helmet laws, don't compare MA plans, only use FDA approved drugs, etc.

Rick