Rules

[The Rabbi]

Re: Rules?

How do you get it signed? Mail it to them? I'm sure CMS wants an original signature, not a fax. Meanwhile, another agent goes in and has the prospect sign the paper, telling them what it's all about and moves on to writing an app.

I'm sorry. The rule is stupid, inane and an insult to most of us, and I despise my fellow Americans at CMS who are so against me. I know terrorism when I see it. Most people would agree.

 

[GreenSky]

Re: Rules?

Rarely do I respond to anything Rabbi writes but I have to agree with pretty much everything he said.

I made a BIG mistake the other day and called a referral and actually helped them. Guess I'll just turn myself in to CMS.

Rick

 

[midwestbroker]

Re: Rules?

I agree with Rabbi and Rick. If CMS calls me I am going to mail them a form for them to sign before I talk to them.

The scope of appointment form is from the carrier direct. If you are selling MA plans they should give you one. This one is from a local carrier specific to them.

How did I get it signed? I handed it to them and then saw them at a later time for an appointment.

 

[IOA-MI]

Re: Rules?

I agree with Rabbi and Rick. If CMS calls me I am going to mail them a form for them to sign before I talk to them.

The scope of appointment form is from the carrier direct. If you are selling MA plans they should give you one. This one is from a local carrier specific to them.

How did I get it signed? I handed it to them and then saw them at a later time for an appointment.

BCBS does a follow up phone call approximately 10 days later and actually asks the client how they came about selecting me as their agent...with family and friends that is no problem because they always talk to me first...with a referral that could be a problem.

So I would have to be contracted with a company that sells med supps and slide in that way. Why are the rules different for these programs?
I know, I know we are talking the feds here.
So how about some good companies that are good to work with and pay better than BCBS?

 

[toc3]

Re: Rules?

Doesn't BCBS sale Med Supps? They do here in AR. Some good competitive companies here are United of Omaha which is a Mutual of Omaha company, Constitution Life, Loyal American. You should be able to go to your states Dept. of Insurance website and pull up all carriers that are licensed to sale Supps in your state including the rates. I would start there. What is competitive here may not be there.

 

[Joe Moore]

Re: Rules?

Rarely do I respond to anything Rabbi writes but I have to agree with pretty much everything he said.

I made a BIG mistake the other day and called a referral and actually helped them. Guess I'll just turn myself in to CMS.

Rick

Rick,

I hear they are now paying a bounty. Let me turn you in and we will split the money (you may need it to bail yourself out).

Joe

 

[The Rabbi]

Re: Rules?

Rarely do I respond to anything Rabbi writes but I have to agree with pretty much everything he said.

I made a BIG mistake the other day and called a referral and actually helped them. Guess I'll just turn myself in to CMS.

Rick

Yeah Rick, I can hardly believe my eyes. You can turn yourself in but they will either not have a clue what to do with you or they will lose the paperwork.

Thanks to all who back me up. This country belongs to all of us and I have a right to protest every dumb rule. Remember anyways that rules can be broken. Laws are something different.

I just dropped an HMO agency because they know they have agents who churn but since CMS didn't care ,they didn't, and have kept the agents on. Now that is unethical. There were more reasons like no one there cared.

 

[walleyeb1]

Re: Rules?

This is all so much big brother it makes me SICK!!!!!

 

[Bob_The_Insurance_Guy]

Re: Rules?

My cautious behavior has nothing to do with CMS and this little Medicare Advantage thing. It has more to do with the fact that I am a big believer in documentation. I've never even had a hint of an E&O claim in the past 11 years, and documenting everything, every step of the way, is how to avoid it.

This was drummed into me by my General Agent, when I started with Berkshire Life Insurance Company.

Please don't assume that just because I respectfully disagreed with you meant that I was under the impression that you don't run an ethical business, nor that it won't be prosperous. Quite the contrary.

I don't like surprises, and I don't like a "he said...she said" battle. When it comes to other people's money, and other people's health care, I believe in a paper trail.

A defining moment in my career: I was sitting in the conference room of an acquaintance I met in a Toastmasters group I was a member of. In with me, since it was my first group case at the time, was the gentleman who mentored me, and got me into the business. We were discussing an employee who had cancer at the time, and how it would affect the underwriting. My associate suggested the employer, my acquaintance, leave him off the census, get the policy issued, then "slip" him in as a new employee.

(wink, wink)

The acquaintance looked at both of us and said, "That may be how things are done in your business, but I don't run my business that way."

There's more to it than I am mentioning here, but the gist of it is, the acquaintance did not want anything to appear to be "not-above-board", since he had a business to run.

That stuck with me, and whether or not it you approve of my way of doing business (which makes no difference to me), that's how "I roll".

It's okay to disagree.

 

[The Rabbi]

So Bob, are you usually disagreeable? It's not really a charming trait.

Besides, I'm a conservationist and don't want to waste paper. It's easier to be honest and open and have real feelings for others. You can offer your viewpoint but actually warning of a disagreement is an indication of a much deeper personality flaw. There is professional help for disagreeable people. My wife is getting some now. I have no use for disagreeable people and banish you to my growing ignore list of nasty people.