Proactive Time!!

[policy doctor]

If you're really serious about protesting the unfair actions of CMS to your fellow agents, and/or yourselves.....here is a contact person who can help.

I understand this was posted on ritter's blog....surprised he hasn't posted this first.
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We are totally getting screwed by cms and companies we all write for. Please everyone do me a favor and e-mail a gentlement at cms, His name is Thomas Cheevell from cms His phone number is 1-410-786-1387 and his email address is [email protected] If we really want to fight this we need to let cms know that we are not going down without a fight. (posted anonymously)

Let's Roll..........

 

[G.Gordon]

I thought this was a thread about acne....

 

[policy doctor]

Well it's giving me the hives, alright. Don't do anything rash, ok?

 

[kdover]

Just emailed the following. Hope others will do the same.

Mr. Thomas,

I am an independent insurance broker representing several Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement and Part D Carriers. I have assisted and advised close to 1,000 new Medicare beneficiaries over the past 3 years. I constantly hear them speak of how confusing and overwhelming the "Medicare Process" is to comprehend. As a responsible independent agent I explain ALL of their options until they understand; then help them choose the plan that meets their needs. I take pride in what I do and deserve to be compensated appropriately. I am completely exhausted and angry at the fact the CMS has determined the best way to compensate me. I had been told in writing from your office that I would be compensated on beneficiaries who were "NEW" to Medicare Advantage or Part D. That compensation was to be called "1st year or Initial " commission payments and were to be double the amount of the "Renewals" which I would receive for years 2-5.

I took your word, invested several thousand dollars in marketing and spent many hours in the homes and on the phone with clients. I have been waiting now 6 months for my "True UP" balance . . . only to find out that CMS lied. I will only be receiving the "Renewal" commission / Half pay on clients that previously had PDP's, but had never been part of the Medicare Advantage Plan. This was not the agreement that CMS handed out to all the insurance companies and I would like to know who made this change. CMS's decision will cost me and my family $5000.00. Please let me know when to expect the remaining balance that is owed to me.

Regards,

Kevin Dover
North Star Insurance Group

 

[hardwork]

I thought his name was "MR. Cheevell,
His e-mail looks to be different than his stated name.
Hope we get his name right on the letters, or he might not take
any of us seriously!

 

[Insuranceman]

Of course CMS is is bought and paid for thru the insurance companies. They've been using CMS to string us along playing the bad cop while they screw the agents out of their commisions.
If we take this bending over it won't long before they go after the renewals.

 

[allhealthandlife]

Of course CMS is is bought and paid for thru the insurance companies. They've been using CMS to string us along playing the bad cop while they screw the agents out of their commisions.
If we take this bending over it won't long before they go after the renewals.

That's right like they say if you want the find the truth follow the money. CMS has no skin in the game if agents get stiffed but i goes straight to the bottom line of carriers if they can get away with this.Hopefully this was just a trial balloon by carriers to test if they could get away with it by deflecting fault to CMS

 

[policy doctor]

Perhaps we could apply for some of that stimulus money being tossed around DC... Anyway, I did write a letter to Mr. Chavell......and here is a copy.

Sir,

It has come to mine and other insurance agents attention that you are a key person in affecting how CMS dictates our commission pay on Medicare Advantage Plans.

Would you please explain how CMS leadership justifies changing compensation to insurance agents, repeatedly so this past year, and this after the agent has made his sale. You see sir, it is one thing to market a product and know you will make a $100, but it is another to be told you will make a $100, then after the fact you receive $50, then you get a bill reneging because client had been pre-approached already. (or whatever the excuse at the moment).

In case you don't understand the analogy...we were told in Oct that commissions would be $400 for all MA sales, then they were dropped to $200 per application unless new to Medicare Advantage, now we're told if beneficiary had a PDP they're not to be paid as a new MA sale. This after we made the sales. Nothing like screwing your fellow American, eh?

I don't know to what extent your influence is within CMS...but does the above sound fair to you? I will be contacting my representatives again....but I'm hoping that CMS will do what is just for their fellow Americans.

Helen Cieslik

 

[Winter_123]

CMS and Obama would love to have a groundswell of protest rising from agents about their commissions not only for medicare products but regular under-65 plans as well. He will use that as part of his justification for eliminating MA's and private sector health plans. Just look at all the howling coming from the insurance industry that has been getting rich off of your health care- or so his public relations campaign goes.