Walmart AEP: Independent Agents are out!
- 16,934
Don’t you meet with your MA clients and do an annual review each year? Just show them the plans that are better than Humana. Or if Humana is the best option keep them in Humana’s best plan. Shouldn’t be a huge problem if you already have a base of clients.
MouseMouth
New Member
- 6
I was actually mistaken in one thing. Apparently Marketpoint is not at this point at all interested in acquiring brokers from the group that are losing stores. This links to the reports of all the Humana independent agents getting fired last week. The people who got fired are most likely being offered the stores through Marketpoint as their FMO. My guess is that Humana is betting these folks will be mostly offering Humana because that is what they understand well. So in essence they would be taking the Walmart program from a no preconceived notions multi-carrier program, to a Humana program and something different if the prospect fights back.
FWIW, I see an "Amana"/Walmart co-branded PDP in my state but no co-branded MAPD or Medigap.
My perspective in dealing with seniors is pretty much this. I realize Medicare is confusing and most seniors need help understanding how this stuff works. I also recognize that for some folks, no matter how many times you explain things, they will still come back months later and ask the same question(s).
All that is a given in my world, and I have no problem answering the question(s) again, even though our phone conversations are summarized in an email I send shortly after we hang up.
But if their policy lapses because they did not want to set up a bank draft, or they ignored the late notices, that is not my responsibility. I am not their momma.
Similarly, if they shop at WM, Costco, Sam's, etc and think they will get a better deal because of the branding, that is not my problem.
My perspective in dealing with seniors is pretty much this. I realize Medicare is confusing and most seniors need help understanding how this stuff works. I also recognize that for some folks, no matter how many times you explain things, they will still come back months later and ask the same question(s).
All that is a given in my world, and I have no problem answering the question(s) again, even though our phone conversations are summarized in an email I send shortly after we hang up.
But if their policy lapses because they did not want to set up a bank draft, or they ignored the late notices, that is not my responsibility. I am not their momma.
Similarly, if they shop at WM, Costco, Sam's, etc and think they will get a better deal because of the branding, that is not my problem.
AgentGeneral
Guru
- 291
Its looking messy to me. I did a great bit of Humana as do many of us last AEP in Walmart--my local store in my own neighborhood ( I also did mailers and other things). Was all but promised that same Walmart for this year, and now this. Here for 2024 there's a new Humana PPO being introduced with super slight changes that I guarantee the clients I actually listed a correct phone number for will be called relentlessly to learn about the new PPO and possibly switched. Not to mention the same people that walked by my table last year will be switched if I don't consistently solidify that client/agent relationship.
This AEP the focus will be on retention and mere 40-60 new. If I get more great, but the goal this year is babysitting book, then thru the year 10 or more per month if I'm working hard, T65s.
Ugh. I wasn't born yesterday, there are moves being made to mess with indie books. Protect your book. Mine books not large. It's a nice foundation. Going into 3rd year AEP.
The annual reviews, personalized letters, cards, and calls are oh so important.
Just a note: I'm middle upper class, and shop at Walmart once a month or so. Particularly for the pork, and Sam's for Chicken. I eat none of it but have a big fam to feed. They have an all natural/no preservatives added pork roast thats fatter and better than the loins and it's about $6.50ish and huge. Feeds fam once a week lately, on sliders with bbq and coleslaw and it's easy to make in crockpot. They gobble it up faster than I can blink an eye. This economy calls for it, and the rich get richer by saving. At Walmart I can save.
This AEP the focus will be on retention and mere 40-60 new. If I get more great, but the goal this year is babysitting book, then thru the year 10 or more per month if I'm working hard, T65s.
Ugh. I wasn't born yesterday, there are moves being made to mess with indie books. Protect your book. Mine books not large. It's a nice foundation. Going into 3rd year AEP.
The annual reviews, personalized letters, cards, and calls are oh so important.
Just a note: I'm middle upper class, and shop at Walmart once a month or so. Particularly for the pork, and Sam's for Chicken. I eat none of it but have a big fam to feed. They have an all natural/no preservatives added pork roast thats fatter and better than the loins and it's about $6.50ish and huge. Feeds fam once a week lately, on sliders with bbq and coleslaw and it's easy to make in crockpot. They gobble it up faster than I can blink an eye. This economy calls for it, and the rich get richer by saving. At Walmart I can save.
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So I’m assuming if you built your book mostly at Walmart during aep you got a great amount of dual/lis
AgentGeneral
Guru
- 291
Did more non dual PPO. Yes though a good number of DSNP. Not worried about that at all. In the county I was in, there was not many good DSNPS. Priority was one, and it didn't compare in any way. No Aetna, No UHC, none of the ones you are accustomed to. Nothing compares to the Humana one in the area. So those should be fine.
I also did the VA plan as it's a reservation. Many tribes have a set up similar to VA where the member gets Rx through the reservation/tribe, and the Honor Plan was a natural choice. Also not worried about those. It's the straight PPOs that I am concerned with. All Humana in this area are PPO (choice, Honor, and DSNP)
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Unfortunately when you build a business with Walmart , direct mail leads ( like me ) , Facebook leads , food banks , fairs it’s 90% low income that you see . As you said they walked up to your table and they’ll do again . They filled out my lead card and they’ll do again . So every 10 dsnps you get 3-5 will be with you in 5 yrs . But those 3-5 might give you 30 referrals in that time . It takes yrs of touch pts to get loyalty .
AgentGeneral
Guru
- 291
Right now I'm not going to respond in detail to this one.
I just know AEPs going to be a time of highly focused strategizing on retention, esp IF an agent goes in where I just was. And it has nothing to do with DSNP. In this area, again, there's only one worth having. However, that's about to change and not with a different carrier. I'll leave it at that.
- 29,537
When I picked up my meds at Walmart today, they shoved 4 of these flyers in the bag.
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