What is the Big Deal About Blue Cross?

[vic120]

Something doesn't add up. Rate increases in South Carolina for New Era are as follows:

2011
Plan F - 8%
Plan G - 6%

2012
Plan F - 0%
Plan G - 0%

2013
Plan F - 8%
Plan G - 6%

2014
Plan F - 8%
Plan G - 8%

So it would be impossible for a rate to go from $98 to $149 in 2 years.

I could be wrong, but I don't thing New Era/Philadelphia American offers a Med Supp in MO. At least not according to the MO DOI website Medigap Rate Guide | Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions & Professional Registration. And there are no rates listed on Ritter's quote engine for New Era/Philadelphia American in MO.

I'm sorry it is $143 in SC she is 70 years old zip 29526
She told me she started at $98 2 years ago

The other one I really thought she was in MO (it was during AEP)
But you had me curious and I checked and she was in TX

Her I could not get her approved elsewhere she ended up getting declined and had to stay with new era.

Its not uncommon for me to see big price increases when someone has had new era for a couple of years.

I have seen it enough to not want to get appointed with them.

Whats also not uncommon is seeing a moo rate or a Aetna rate on Ritter that differs from what prospect is paying

 

[senior-advisor-indiana]

I'm sorry it is $143 in SC she is 70 years old zip 29526
She told me she started at $98 2 years ago

The other one I really thought she was in MO (it was during AEP)
But you had me curious and I checked and she was in TX

Her I could not get her approved elsewhere she ended up getting declined and had to stay with new era.

Its not uncommon for me to see big price increases when someone has had new era for a couple of years.

I have seen it enough to not want to get appointed with them.

Whats also not uncommon is seeing a moo rate or a Aetna rate on Ritter that differs from what prospect is paying

She would have started at somewhere around $122 with New era 2 years ago. They have had 8% increases in both 2014 and 2013 and none for 2012. That is from CSG. Plan F (70 yr old female is $142.31 today in zip 29401). She lied to you.

 

[sman]

I'm sorry it is $143 in SC she is 70 years old zip 29526
She told me she started at $98 2 years ago

Plan F for a 70 year old female non-tobacco user in that zip code for New Era is $142.31. Plan G is $112.39. There's no way in hell her rate for a Plan F (I assume that's what she had since you said the premium was $143) went from $98 to $143 over the last two years seeing that they had two 8% rate increases. Based on those rate increase percentages she would have started at around $122. But as you can see, Plan G was/is the better buy.

The other one I really thought she was in MO (it was during AEP)
But you had me curious and I checked and she was in TX

Texas rate increases:

2011
Plan F - 2.40%
Plan G - 2.30%

2012
Plan F - 8%
Plan G - 6%

2013
Plan F - 8%
Plan G - 8%

Not showing anything for 2014 on New Era's rate increase sheet. So I just don't buy the $180 to $368 increase in 5 years.

Its not uncommon for me to see big price increases when someone has had new era for a couple of years.

It is for me. Guess we are running across different people. Guess your folks are somehow getting higher increases than the rest of the folks with Modernized plans with New Era. Not that it would even be legal or possible.

Whats also not uncommon is seeing a moo rate or a Aetna rate on Ritter that differs from what prospect is paying

Interestingly enough, we aren't talking about MOO or Aetna. And when Ritter's quote engine is off, it isn't by much. I do recall one time where they had some zip codes in the wrong area (had them in area 2 instead of area 1), but that is the exception and not the norm.

Is there anybody on the forum with CSG in South Carolina and/or Texas who can look at the rate increase history of New Era in those states?

 

[senior-advisor-indiana]

Upon looking further, your SC story is complete BS. New Era is still very competitive there. What did you save her? $12 a month?

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Plan F for a 70 year old female non-tobacco user in that zip code for New Era is $142.31. Plan G is $112.39. There's no way in hell her rate for a Plan F (I assume that's what she had since you said the premium was $143) went from $98 to $143 over the last two years seeing that they had two 8% rate increases. Based on those rate increase percentages she would have started at around $122. But as you can see, Plan G was/is the better buy.



Texas rate increases:

2011
Plan F - 2.40%
Plan G - 2.30%

2012
Plan F - 8%
Plan G - 6%

2013
Plan F - 8%
Plan G - 8%

Not showing anything for 2014 on New Era's rate increase sheet. So I just don't buy the $180 to $368 increase in 5 years.



It is for me. Guess we are running across different people. Guess your folks are somehow getting higher increases than the rest of the folks with Modernized plans with New Era. Not that it would even be legal or possible.



Interestingly enough, we aren't talking about MOO or Aetna. And when Ritter's quote engine is off, it isn't by much. I do recall one time where they had some zip codes in the wrong area (had them in area 2 instead of area 1), but that is the exception and not the norm.

Is there anybody on the forum with CSG in South Carolina and/or Texas who can look at the rate increase history of New Era in those states?

I looked at SC on CSG and posted about the same thing you did. I'm not bothering with TX since his SC story doesn't make sense.

 

[sman]

She would have started at somewhere around $122 with New era 2 years ago. They have had 8% increases in both 2014 and 2013 and none for 2012. That is from CSG. Plan F (70 yr old female is $142.31 today in zip 29401. She lied to you.

Someone isn't being truthful that's for sure. The fact that vic says it's not uncommon to see huge rate increases for New Era goes against what I've seen. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the highest percentage rate increase they have listed on their rate sheet with all the states is 9.75% on Plan F in TN.

And to go from $98 to $143 in two years is a combined rate increase of about 45%. That just doesn't happen with New Era. At least not in the last 5 years.

 

[senior-advisor-indiana]

Someone isn't being truthful that's for sure. The fact that vic says it's not uncommon to see huge rate increases for New Era goes against what I've seen. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the highest percentage rate increase they have listed on their rate sheet with all the states is 9.75% on Plan F in TN.

And to go from $98 to $143 in two years is a combined rate increase of about 45%. That just doesn't happen with New Era. At least not in the last 5 years.

I only have experience in IN with them. No rate increases yet. I'm sure we will get one soon since it has been since 1/2013 they were released here.

 

[WCMason]

I find about 20--30% are leaning BCBS when I meet them, and more than than have a BCBS plan when turning 65, but I enroll maybe one out of a couple hundred into BCBS. Rates are competitive for men, but with their unisex rate schedule and no preferred rate for non-smokers here, it's easy to convince a non-smoking woman she isn't served well by a plan that charges her the same as a male smoker, when I know of no other company that does that. I do like the BCBS Advantage and PDP plans for those who want to go the MA route.

 

[sman]

I only have experience in IN with them. No rate increases yet. I'm sure we will get one soon since it has been since 1/2013 they were released here.

Well I guess you can expect a 1 gazillion percent rate increase. At least vic's potential clients can expect that much. Everyone else will likely see a reasonable rate increase. The lesson learned here is if you want to keep your New Era rates down, don't talk to vic.

Here in Georgia they have stayed competitive. Late last year clients received their rate increase notices for January. I think it was going to be somewhere between 6%-8% (I just don't remember at this point). But then a couple of weeks later the same clients received a second letter from New Era stating they were delaying the rate increase and also reducing it. They ended up getting a 3% rate increase effective April 1.

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I find about 20--30% are leaning BCBS when I meet them, and more than than have a BCBS plan when turning 65, but I enroll maybe one out of a couple hundred into BCBS. Rates are competitive for men, but with their unisex rate schedule and no preferred rate for non-smokers here, it's easy to convince a non-smoking woman she isn't served well by a plan that charges her the same as a male smoker, when I know of no other company that does that. I do like the BCBS Advantage and PDP plans for those who want to go the MA route.

You're in Texas Wes, have you seen New Era have the kind of rate increases that vic claims to have seen there?

 

[vic120]

Believe what you want I don't need you to believe it.
I just honestly have run into more people with certain companies with high increase then others.

That includes new era, Bankers and Aetna

Aetna is a strange one because I often see lower rates being quoted then what client is paying

And honestly, I am not trying argue or upset anyone or whatever
This is what ive seen that when I hear it from a prospect it is familiar

I mean what would have to gain to make things up?

It doesn't bother me, I try to help people when I can if I can
And If I can make a living wile doing it great

But for what reason do you think I would lie to you about New Era?

 

[sman]

Believe what you want I don't need you to believe it.
I just honestly have run into more people with certain companies with high increase then others.

That includes new era, Bankers and Aetna

And honestly, I am not trying argue or upset anyone or whatever
This is what ive seen that when I hear it from a prospect it is familiar

I mean what would have to gain to make things up?

It doesn't bother me, I try to help people when I can if I can
And If I can make a living wile doing it great

But for what reason do you think I would lie to you about New Era?

Maybe it's your client who isn't being truthful (and that doesn't mean they are doing it intentionally - just that they may not "recollect" the facts all that well). But what I'm telling you is that there is no way in hell that the lady in South Carolina went from $98 to $143 in two years on New Era. The FACTS back that up. And if the person in Texas had a Modernized plan, there no way in hell their premium doubled in 5 years with New Era. It just isn't possible. But you keep being adamant about it even though we've shown you the rate increases for New Era.

Maybe you can answer this question, why do you believe what the client has said over what we've produced as proof? I mean, I'd be happy to send you the rate increase sheet for New Era if you'd like. It shows their historical rate increases for all the states they offer plans in for each year beginning in 2011 (since Modernized plans started in 2010, this is the entire history of their rate increases on Modernized plans). How many times have you spoken with a prospect who isn't sure about their premium, carrier or plan? I've talked to many who are clueless as to whether or not they have Plan F.

Aetna is a strange one because I often see lower rates being quoted then what client is paying

Probably because Aetna has multiple carriers. For a while here in Georgia they offered a Med Supp under the Aetna name and Continental Life (even the CLI card had Aetna on it). So as far as the insured was concerned, they had Aetna. And the lower rates being quoted are the NEW carrier Aetna has rolled out.