The Commission Change Has Messed Me Up, Need Help!

[Renosausage]

I was selling regularly 10-15 Health policies for UHC a day before the commission change.

This was totally from Cold-Calling!

UHC's CSR plans were very cheap and many people in my county purchased them.

It was so easy to sell policies at $10, $20, even $40 to $50.

But now....

The commission change has ruined profits and many policies aren't even worth my time to collect payments, help submits proofs, and fix issues throughout the year.

BCBS is available in my area, but the premiums are way to high for anyone to afford.

I'm stuck getting clients from surrounding counties, 2 to 3 hrs away!!


I need advice on selling individual polices with ACA over distances like this.

What are some other ways you guys have been generating business?

If you were in my situation what would you do? What areas would you concentrate on?

 

[WiscBroker]

I was selling regularly 10-15 Health policies for UHC a day before the commission change.

This was totally from Cold-Calling!

UHC's CSR plans were very cheap and many people in my county purchased them.

It was so easy to sell policies at $10, $20, even $40 to $50.

But now....

The commission change has ruined profits and many policies aren't even worth my time to collect payments, help submits proofs, and fix issues throughout the year.

BCBS is available in my area, but the premiums are way to high for anyone to afford.

I'm stuck getting clients from surrounding counties, 2 to 3 hrs away!!


I need advice on selling individual polices with ACA over distances like this.

What are some other ways you guys have been generating business?

If you were in my situation what would you do? What areas would you concentrate on?

Well, 10-15 per day with UHC alone? Cold-calling?? Well you just lost 60% of your commission at minimum. Perhaps you should do something else and send your clients to me?

 

[Ann H]

I'm stuck getting clients from surrounding counties, 2 to 3 hrs away!! I need advice on selling individual polices with ACA over distances like this.

Distance is no problem if you don't do face-to-face appointments. Use join.me for screen sharing. Most agents here use it. The client can see your computer screen while you go through the details.

1. Know your market. Know the best plans & networks in the area you are targeting.
2. Set up your system. Have hc.gov ready in a browser tab, or your favorite WBE or quoting engine. Have the UHC network open in a browser tab to look up providers. Have the benefit summaries ready. Have help sheets, like the table of FPL, clawbacks, etc., to answer questions about how subsidies work.
3. Tell everyone that you don't meet face-to-face. Once they meet with you over join.me, they are hooked on it. It works great.

Another idea for those in your area who still want UHC is to send them a link to a quote from your favorite WBE, and let them sign themselves up.

 

[Renosausage]

Distance is no problem if you don't do face-to-face appointments. Use join.me for screen sharing. Most agents here use it. The client can see your computer screen while you go through the details.

1. Know your market. Know the best plans & networks in the area you are targeting.
2. Set up your system. Have hc.gov ready in a browser tab, or your favorite WBE or quoting engine. Have the UHC network open in a browser tab to look up providers. Have the benefit summaries ready. Have help sheets, like the table of FPL, clawbacks, etc., to answer questions about how subsidies work.
3. Tell everyone that you don't meet face-to-face. Once they meet with you over join.me, they are hooked on it. It works great.

Another idea for those in your area who still want UHC is to send them a link to a quote from your favorite WBE, and let them sign themselves up.

I'm using HealthSherpa as my online quote tool while trying to redirect traffic to that site from facebook, twitter, instagram, linkend, etc...

I've also been passing out flyers and business cards with that website and directions on how to use it.

How beneficial would visiting businesses be compared to cold-calling?

What differences have you guys seen between calling businesses vs individuals.

My goal is to have 150 BCBS clients. So far I have 97 UHC and only 12 BCBS clients.

I would continue with UHC, but unfortunately the commission drop is too much.

 

[Ann H]

Sounds like you are doing a good job marketing.

But you're a little late to the party. We all expected this to have a shelf life of 3-5 years, and we are in year 3. If you are that good at marketing, right after OEP, I would start cross-selling products to those who are now your clients. It's best to have another leg to stand on when the rug is pulled out from underneath the first leg.

 

[Renosausage]

Sounds like you are doing a good job marketing.

But you're a little late to the party. We all expected this to have a shelf life of 3-5 years, and we are in year 3. If you are that good at marketing, right after OEP, I would start cross-selling products to those who are now your clients. It's best to have another leg to stand on when the rug is pulled out from underneath the first leg.

I also have my Life license and Medicare.

My goal is to use ACA to create a stream of income to help provide funds for lead costs in FE.

I'm gonna work FE all year and then dabble myself into group health during the summer.

Finally I'll jump back on ACA or Medicare.

At this point i'm leaning towards Medicare because ACA is such a headache right now.

Maybe I should just go BCBS and never look back

 

[Ann H]

Sounds like quite a plan. I hope you find your niche.

 

[houcoogster]

I also have my Life license and Medicare.

My goal is to use ACA to create a stream of income to help provide funds for lead costs in FE.

I'm gonna work FE all year and then dabble myself into group health during the summer.

Finally I'll jump back on ACA or Medicare.

At this point i'm leaning towards Medicare because ACA is such a headache right now.

Maybe I should just go BCBS and never look back

So you work hard for one income and use that income to spend on FE leads so you can then work even harder on another income. With all due respect Sir you have lost your mind.
FE is a whole nother problem child....you will soon find out.

 

[mmike160]

So you work hard for one income and use that income to spend on FE leads so you can then work even harder on another income. With all due respect Sir you have lost your mind.
FE is a whole nother problem child....you will soon find out.

Just because you weren't successful at something, doesn't mean many others are not.

I work ACA during OEP, Medicare during AEP, work T65s during the year and sell A LOT of FE.

Ann's advice was on point. When your commission gets cut, find other income streams.

 

[houcoogster]

Just because you weren't successful at something, doesn't mean many others are not.

I work during ACA during OEP, Medicare during AEP, work T65s during the year and sell A LOT of FE.

Ann's advice was on point. When your commission gets cut, find other income streams.

You da man mmike160!

Sling it and fling it!