United World and United of Omaha 2011 Inforce Business Increase?

[Frank Stastny]

Re: United World and United of Omaha 2011 Inforce Business Increa

There are two reasons why I choose Plan D over Plan F. The first is that Plan D in most instances is a better investment of their Premium dollar. The second, and just as important, if not more so, is that when companies have a premium increase Plan D will typically take a smaller increase.


Frank,

What other carrier offer D besides Woodman that you would recommend? I'm getting contracted with them now. The only carrier I have that offers D has premiums high that a Plan F for MoO. When MoO is the best Plan F, I do discus their N and it can be a sound financial decision; however, not covering excess charges is an unquantifiable expense. I warn my prospects about it. How do you handle this issue?


Thanks

As a result of the changes made to Medicare in the 90's, Plan F became obsolete in my mind. I haven't recommended or sold a Plan F in seventeen plus years.

I have never had a client tell me that they got screwed financially because they didn't have a plan that covered excess charges. I don't just sell Med Supps in Missouri and I have a lot of clients who I wrote in the 90's and still have their insurance with me and they still have a Plan D.

I think if you will research the changes that Medicare made you will also see why I tell my prospects that it not something to be concerned with.

I have a few clients in the St. Louis area who do go to a doctor that doesn't accept assignment and they also have a Plan D with me. No, they have never had to come up with major out of pocket money. Usually a few dollars to cover balance of the office call. The part that they may have to pay is more than offset by the savings in premium.

 

[davidleekline]

Re: United World and United of Omaha 2011 Inforce Business Increa

I understand your point of view. What carriers do you recommend that offer Plan D?

 

[azmedsupagent]

Re: United World and United of Omaha 2011 Inforce Business Increa

wow this thread really got hi jacked. Does anyone know what the united world and the united of omaha lines are increasing for inforce business in 2011?

 

[bourbonlegend]

Re: United World and United of Omaha 2011 Inforce Business Increa

I'm pretty sure 2 of the top 3 cancer hospitals in this country (md anderson and mayo) do NOT accept medicare assignment. Would suck to have a D plan and get hit with a bill from either one of those centers.

 

[Yagents]

Re: United World and United of Omaha 2011 Inforce Business Increa

I'm pretty sure 2 of the top 3 cancer hospitals in this country (md anderson and mayo) do NOT accept medicare assignment. Would suck to have a D plan and get hit with a bill from either one of those centers.

That's exactly what I was thinking. Especially here in AZ and FL, where Mayo is typically requested or expected. Excess at Mayo could get quite expensive. How do you combat this problem with plan D?

 

[Russ]

Re: United World and United of Omaha 2011 Inforce Business Increa

That's exactly what I was thinking. Especially here in AZ and FL, where Mayo is typically requested or expected. Excess at Mayo could get quite expensive. How do you combat this problem with plan D?

You can't.

...............................................................................

I checked on United World in Florida. They're not going up anytime soon. They filed for the same rates and got this response....from the FL DOI....

"Thank you for the timely review of our submission of the above captioned rate filing. We will accept the​

continuation of current rates proposed by the department in your January 28, 2010 letter."

Note: This was approved the end of January of 2011.

 

[Frank Stastny]

Re: United World and United of Omaha 2011 Inforce Business Increa

I'm pretty sure 2 of the top 3 cancer hospitals in this country (md anderson and mayo) do NOT accept medicare assignment. Would suck to have a D plan and get hit with a bill from either one of those centers.

"Accept Assignment" is only applicable to Medicare Part B, not to Medicare Part A charges.

All hospital charges fall under Part A of Medicare.

If you have documented information pertaining to Medicare Part A charges only that specifically states that a hospital does not accept assignment please post a link to that site. Please make sure it pertains to Part A charges only, not Part B charges.

 

[Yagents]

Re: United World and United of Omaha 2011 Inforce Business Increa

"Accept Assignment" is only applicable to Medicare Part B, not to Medicare Part A charges.

All hospital charges fall under Part A of Medicare.

Frank is right, thanks for the lesson:
Medicare Information for Mayo Clinic in Arizona

 

[azmedsupagent]

Re: United World and United of Omaha 2011 Inforce Business Increa

"Accept Assignment" is only applicable to Medicare Part B, not to Medicare Part A charges.

All hospital charges fall under Part A of Medicare.

If you have documented information pertaining to Medicare Part A charges only that specifically states that a hospital does not accept assignment please post a link to that site. Please make sure it pertains to Part A charges only, not Part B charges.

Actually for once Frank isn't 100 percent correct here. Infact the chart listed in that web link further illustrates this. If you look again you will notice that this cost break down has medicare paying 80 percent. This is implying that mayo billed part b.

The fact is that if you are an outpatient at a hospital your costs will be billed under medicare part B and therefore will be subject the excess charge.

I think we need to be honest about the fact that physicians have had a 20 percent paycut on the table for several years now that will eventually go through when congress cant pass the doc fix another year at a cost of 250 billion dollars. Once that physicians pay cut goes through all your plan D customers are going to be in hot water. Not to mention the fact that medicare is going broke incase you forgot, the baby boomers are here and the system is going to be stretched very thin. If there ever was a time to expect medicare to pay doctors less that time is now. That excess charge will be a no brainer for docs in a few years.

 

[Russ]

Re: United World and United of Omaha 2011 Inforce Business Increa

Also, if you're an inpatient in a hospital the doctor charges will still fall under part B of Medicare. If you have surgery while in the hospital, those charges will fall under part B of Medicare.

Suppose the doctor charged $5,000 for a surgery and Medicare approved $4,200 or $4,000 and the doctor didn't take assignment?