Wellcare, UHC... they're all out to get us

[Yagents]

I think most people are looking for advice, and they want advice that's tailored to their own circumstances. Advice is not the same thing as trying to convince everyone to make the choice you would make for yourself. The latter is, among other things, being lazy at this job.

"To their own circumstances" as of today, but you don't know their future health.

So when you get advice from a professional in the biz, you wouldn't ask your financial advisor what stocks they own, or your doctor what medications they would take themself, or your accountant what tax deductions they leverage?

I'd be shocked if my financial advisor asked me if I prefer NVDA or WMT stock? Or my doctor asked if I wanted to take the brand or generic? Or my accountant asking if I want to take the standard or itemized deduction?

Sometimes people need to be "told" what to do for their own well being......if they can afford it. I realize lower income have to do mapd, but that's not the kind of referrals I get.

 

[MedicareWAA]

Sometimes people need to be "told" what to do for their own well being......if they can afford it

I agree that clients usually want or need their agent to give them a very specific recommendation. I am saying that believe it's important that the agent be as objective as possible with what they recommend and how they present it to the client.

And if an agent's personal bias is influencing the recommendation, be transparent about that with the client.

Also, my message may have read like I was claiming you aren't a good agent. That was not my intent, in case it came across that way.

 

[Yagents]

I'm transparent from the start. "I only sell med supp, I am biased, if you can't afford or want mapd, I'll refer you to my good agent friend".

 

[Special Agent]

I'm transparent from the start. "I only sell med supp, I am biased, if you can't afford or want mapd, I'll refer you to my good agent friend".

Nothing wrong with being bias ,everybody is , as long as your honest and explain that a med supp is not the best plan for everybody

 

[straightnochaser]

Caveat, not an agent.

I thought Medigap plans were standardized and all carriers must offer the same basic standard benefits. From reading here, I have gathered that Medigap carriers can, and sometimes do, offer additional benefits. However, they are not required to offer those benefits, and once an additional benefit is offered for a given year, it can be removed in subsequent years.

IMO, you are attempting to bring the entitlement mindset of MAPD clients to Medigap plans.

what on earth do you mean by "entitlement mindset" that's the most ridiculous thing you've said in here.

 

[annon123]

On the giving advice part of this thread -

I find some clients don't really know much about the pros and cons of each type of plan. Many need a rundown of the plusses and minuses. And they need informed about the medical underwriting switching later issue, out of state care if relevant, etc. Of course no one can see the future but family history can give some clues that help them look at this along with their current medical history. Also we need to walk them through medicare premium assistance plans too.

Then it also matters where they live and the network available for MAP's. I live in MS and medical care here is last in the nation. Most of the better medical care is only in a couple of areas and even then it isn't that good. Most of the MAP's here allow care in only a few counties. That puts an entirely different spin on what the best choice for a client might be depending on where they live and what medical conditions are now or could be relevant in the future.

In my opinion it doesn't matter what I would choose. It matters what is, when taking into consideration the plusses and minuses of the plans, is the best choice for the client.

Personally I would choose G because I want the freedom living here in MS of getting quality medical care out of state if I needed it. But if I lived where some of the very best medical systems in the country are located I might consider a MAP they accept provided they don't have a history of switching between MAP's. I also try to keep my care in systems that use EPIC so that all my medical records are available. AARP's endorsement of Oak Street Health is something I find very problematic as they don't use a common medical record system and, at least around here, lie to clients to get them to sign up (That may not happen everywhere but phone customer service is in, I believe, Chicago, not local and they seem to follow a playbook to try to convince people to sign up).

As someone who makes choices based on "worst case" I'd likely never pick a MAP. But that is how I approach life. Even if I disagree with the choice a client makes, in the end it is their choice. I just try to make sure it is an informed choice.

 

[Yagents]

what on earth do you mean by "entitlement mindset" that's the most ridiculous thing you've said in here.

Actually he's correct, but libs don't understand the concept of entitlement. Everything should be free, paid by someone else and never taken away.

 

[straightnochaser]

Actually he's correct, but libs don't understand the concept of entitlement. Everything should be free, paid by someone else and never taken away.

Yes of course, only liberals have mapd. ***