Turning 65

[Frank Stastny]

This is one of my problems I have been trying to figure out. I am not out in the field, I have a broker referral contract with SH, so I cold call and my fiance closes the deals. And like everyone else, I have a lot of leads of people turning 65. I have not yet figured out what is the best way to set an appointment for these people. It seems like everyone I have talked to had questions for me regarding getting on medicare and I was not prepared to answer them.

So my next step of action is going to be to research the exact process of getting on Medicare and hopefully I will feel more confident when I get on the phone.

Any tips of anything else I should know would be greatly appreciated!!

I can't imagine what kind of questions people would have about getting on Medicare unless these were people not 65 and trying to get on SS disability.

Everyone who has worked and paid SS for 40 quarters is automatically put on Medicare Part A and Part B when they turn 65 unless they have not filed to receive SS. For those people, all they have to do is go to the SS office and tell them they want to go on Medicare. There is nothing else for them to do.

Knowing everything that has transpired since 1990 would be very helpful starting with the standardization of Med Supp policies and why that took place. Also very important are the major changes that took place in the mid 90' and how those changes dramatically changed the Med Supp policies that are best for people.

Know what Skilled nursing is when and how it is used and why Medicare cuts people off of Skilled Nursing. Know what hospise is and what Medicare does and doesn't pay for. Also Home Health care. When do they get it, how long can the use it and what all does Medicare pay for.

Having complete knowledge of all of the advantages and disadvantages of Med Supps and Advantage plans would also be very helpful. Advantage plans have their place but...

An agent cannot simply sell any of the options available based on price alone. Anyone who does may be doing their client a huge disservice.

Example, people who take an HMO and lose their Medicare, yes they do because their Medicare card becomes worthless, and travel a lot are going to be at a big disadvantage when out of town. Those who take a PFFS plan may not only be at a disadvantage when traveling, but also where the live even if their current doctor takes PFFS plans.

I have a real problem with agents who push Advantage plans to someone who can easily afford a Med Supp just because the commission is high and the premiums are low. Especially if that person travels out of their home area.

Knowing all of that is just a start. Learning how best to use all that info to help your prospect make a well informed, intelligent decision when all they are interested in is "something cheap" is what we are suppose to do. At least I think so.

Good luck with your research, learn it all and you will never have a question you can't answer.

 

[michellea]

Thanks, that gives me some more stuff to look at!

I have had people tell me 3 months after they are 65 that they have not received anything and I did not know what to tell them because I did not know how the process worked, that is when I put that list down and won't pick it up again until I have figured it all out.

 

[Frank Stastny]

Thanks, that gives me some more stuff to look at!

I have had people tell me 3 months after they are 65 that they have not received anything...

That is very, very strange. I have been working in the senior market for 14 years and I have never had anyone tell me that after they had turned 65 that they still had not heard anything from Medicare. Several have said that they didn't receive their Medicare Card until 3 or 4 weeks before their birthday but they had already received a letter from Medicare.

You must be calling extremely wealthy people who are not planning on drawing SS benefits at age 65. Signing up for SS automatically puts the person on the list to receive Medicare. Either that or you are calling people who have not worked the 40 quarters necessary to qualify for Medicare.

Either way, I would get a new list.

 

[michellea]

Yea, that is why I put the list down after about 4 calls and everyone being confused, ha.

 

[fostever]

I can't imagine what kind of questions people would have about getting on Medicare unless these were people not 65 and trying to get on SS disability.

Everyone who has worked and paid SS for 40 quarters is automatically put on Medicare Part A and Part B when they turn 65 unless they have not filed to receive SS. For those people, all they have to do is go to the SS office and tell them they want to go on Medicare. There is nothing else for them to do.

Knowing everything that has transpired since 1990 would be very helpful starting with the standardization of Med Supp policies and why that took place. Also very important are the major changes that took place in the mid 90' and how those changes dramatically changed the Med Supp policies that are best for people.

Know what Skilled nursing is when and how it is used and why Medicare cuts people off of Skilled Nursing. Know what hospise is and what Medicare does and doesn't pay for. Also Home Health care. When do they get it, how long can the use it and what all does Medicare pay for.

Having complete knowledge of all of the advantages and disadvantages of Med Supps and Advantage plans would also be very helpful. Advantage plans have their place but...

An agent cannot simply sell any of the options available based on price alone. Anyone who does may be doing their client a huge disservice.

Example, people who take an HMO and lose their Medicare, yes they do because their Medicare card becomes worthless, and travel a lot are going to be at a big disadvantage when out of town. Those who take a PFFS plan may not only be at a disadvantage when traveling, but also where the live even if their current doctor takes PFFS plans.

I have a real problem with agents who push Advantage plans to someone who can easily afford a Med Supp just because the commission is high and the premiums are low. Especially if that person travels out of their home area[Quote/]
When you say travel, I agree there are some disadvantages if they are living for months at a time out of the MA service area. The MA plans I've seen all have Worldwide emergency coverage. I know that can get sticky if they get hospitalized long term out of the area. If the person can't be transfered due to health, the plan has to cover it. This is an issue with all HMO's and MA's.

 

[arnguy]

Keystone 65, which is the Blue Cross MA plan in the 5-county Philadelphia area allows their subscribers to transfer their coverage to a BX MA plan in another state. There are a lot of "snowbirds" who winter in Florida or Arizona and they can temporarily transfer their coverage. There is also coverage through other "blues" for people who travel quite a bit cross country.

 

[fostever]

That is very, very strange. I have been working in the senior market for 14 years and I have never had anyone tell me that after they had turned 65 that they still had not heard anything from Medicare. Several have said that they didn't receive their Medicare Card until 3 or 4 weeks before their birthday but they had already received a letter from Medicare.

You must be calling extremely wealthy people who are not planning on drawing SS benefits at age 65. Signing up for SS automatically puts the person on the list to receive Medicare. Either that or you are calling people who have not worked the 40 quarters necessary to qualify for Medicare.

Either way, I would get a new list.

I had a customer today that is aging in in October and he wants a plan to go with medicare. He is going to work until Aug. 08, because that is when he will get his full benefits on S.S. So we checked his status with medicare and he's not in the system yet. Since he will not be collecting S.S. until next year, he will have to set up payments to fund his part B medicare. His employee plan stinks and he's paying $400/mo. They usually send the card a couple months before their 65th birthday and let them respond as to whether they want part B. Now 66 or 67 years is becoming the full S.S. benefit qualifier for someone with over 40 quarters.

 

[yourleadsnetwork]

 

[senior-advisor-indiana]

Hello My name is William Norrick, I have CMS Approved Med Supp scripts. I have a Lead company where we have Experienced Telemarketers that set pre-set appointments for Medicare Advantage/Medicare Supp. Our scripts are really effective and we can provide you Top Quality Appointments. I can provide you more information if you wish to contact me (724) 703-4417. We use TPV Third Party Verification we make sure each appointment is Agreed with the Elder before it is set. Let us do the work, while you go out on the field. You just have to worrie about us setting the appointments and you just go to them. We can set over 20 appts a day if a company needed us too. Thanks!

Good one!!!! I can set you 40 appointments a day and get you the same results. A headache!

 

[GreenSky]

Hello My name is William Norrick, I have CMS Approved Med Supp scripts. I have a Lead company where we have Experienced Telemarketers that set pre-set appointments for Medicare Advantage/Medicare Supp. Our scripts are really effective and we can provide you Top Quality Appointments. I can provide you more information if you wish to contact me (724) 703-4417. We use TPV Third Party Verification we make sure each appointment is Agreed with the Elder before it is set. Let us do the work, while you go out on the field. You just have to worrie about us setting the appointments and you just go to them. We can set over 20 appts a day if a company needed us too. Thanks!

There is no such thing as a CMS approved script for Med Supps. CMS is only concerned with MA scripts.

That was your first error. How can I trust someone with making appointments when the first post is a lie?

Rick