Update to the Medicare Marketing Guidelines

[WCMason]

1) how does a June 17 memo revise an August 14 memo? -- You're reading it incorrectly. The new guidelines were issue 6/17 followed by the memo 8/14 followed by this newest guidance.

What do you know about that. That does make more sense.

 

[midwestbroker]

From what I have read (and I don't have the information in front of me, so this is off memory) you can talk about certain VAS such as silver sneakers, but not others.

Humana is the only carrier I have heard say anything about this.

 

[bpenn9]

I hardly ever talk about what I call the "frou-frou" benefits. Silver Sneakers is nice to have, but it shouldn't sway your decision. I think that's what they are trying to do- making sure clients are using the core benefits of the plan to make their decision, not the discounts and other things.
I actually passed on a prospect to another agent because she was more interested in a plans "frou-frou" benefits than the core stuff- who had the better discount on vitamins and which one carried Silver Sneakers- the fact that her doc was in any plan had no bearing on her decision. I knew I would never make her happy because she wasn't thinking smartly.

I get your point but if plans are similar and one offers SS, that may be your key to replacing whatever they have. Some clients firmly believe in exercise/vitamins are more essential to their health then western medicine. To each their own, personally, I don't see SS as a "frou-frou" benefit. There is a reason why insurance companies offer it. Cuts their cost down on the seniors that utilize it dramatically.