Where are all the T65 leads with UHC?

[Northeast Agent]

Are you offering both Med Supps and MAPD? I recently came across a slide in a training deck about UHC is #1 in NJ for Med Supps. The rates there aren't bad to start as they include some goodies but I was shocked that they have 52% of the Med Supp market there. I'm sure there's somewhere to pull that data from every state, but at what $ cost?

I ran into someone in the field a couple of years ago who was one of their ICAs. She was given free leads, but her struggle was the skinny MAPD network so she couldn't write a lot of them.

 

[sshafran]

I have considered going independent, but not quite ready to pull the trigger on that yet. Giving it one more AEP and then I will reevaluate after the first of the year.

Ok. Just remember: every. single. time. that you meet someone who wants access to OSU hospital/the james, and also a $0 MAPD, that you could have easily had that sale utilizing Anthem or MMofOH (assuming you are in CBus or have any prospects in CBus). You lost it by being captive with UHC who has MAPD's which are not in network.

Or, when you run Rx's and UHC is 3x more than Aetna, or Humana, or MMofOH, and you could've easily closed it or given the client a better option.

Use these scenarios as fuel to drive you towards independence. When you jump ship, you'll lose fewer sales and become a better agent for your prospects by offering them better solutions.

With each client's lifetime value inching close to $1,800 - every lost sale is a big deal.

 

[CarlosDanger]

Yes, offering MedSupps too and actually working on more of a push with those as consumers seem to use the medsupp term as a catchall for any kind of plan in addition to just A/B. I've done MAPD mailers primarily in the past, but am curious if I'll get a better response with MedSupp mailers just because more people tend to know what a medsupp is. We shall see.

 

[billyb]

UHC runs TV ads here locally at least twice an hour on Fox News. Looks like they would mention that there is a local agent right in your neighborhood, but they don't. Here you have to compete with multiple agents and a Home Office with an unlimited marketing budget.

I remember Florida Blue making promises about under age 65 sales when ObamaCare was implemented. Before then you could get 15% to 20% of AP on a health sale and now it pays a flat fee of about $150+-. They led us to believe that everyone would be purchasing coverage so unlimited prospects even though the commissions were lower. Didn't work out like they said. You had to make 5 sales to make the same money.

 

[Chazm]

What benefit do you get to be captive? Leads? It sounds like you are saying they don’t send you any. I’m confused on why you would stay. Salary?

 

[somarco]

You probably won't be able to take existing clients with you, or roll them to something new, when you leave. In other words, the longer you stay the more difficult it is to walk away.

It is possible to write 100 apps during AEP if you are selling MA and Medigap. But you will need to be VERY organized and have a LOT of leads every day.

3 years is a long time to be captive and still be disillusioned.

 

[CarlosDanger]

Staying for now for simplicity's sake. The idea of storing marketing materials for and keeping track of commissions from multiple carriers is a headache I'm trying to avoid if I can.

 

[Chazm]

Staying for now for simplicity's sake. The idea of storing marketing materials for and keeping track of commissions from multiple carriers is a headache I'm trying to avoid if I can.

You literally just mentioned the two easiest things I deal with.
A quick excel file and you’ll have fav companies that you write most so you stock up on them more.
The longer you wait, the more money you are losing.

 

[goillini52]

Staying for now for simplicity's sake. The idea of storing marketing materials for and keeping track of commissions from multiple carriers is a headache I'm trying to avoid if I can.

Then why were you complaining? If the Dr. tells you the cure for what ails you, are you going to tell him, "I don't want to that, it's too much trouble to put another bottle of pills in the medicine cabinet and have to have more that one prescription to keep track of...wahhh".

 

[sshafran]

Staying for now for simplicity's sake. The idea of storing marketing materials for and keeping track of commissions from multiple carriers is a headache I'm trying to avoid if I can.

"Storing Marketing Materials" - what are you talking about?

I doubt any of us independent agents use carrier brochures or pamphlets.