Where to take AHIP?

SSHAFRAN - that is what I meant. some companies have the link on their site.

Cenla Agent - I don't see myself doing that much business. I have referred many people out to other agents, here in Atlanta, but some would rather stay with me.

Same here. I'm my situation, through two or three carriers I could get a $50 discount on AHIP. Apparently that's fairly standard, at least with regard to what the market is here. To get Humana to reimburse the additional $125, you have to sell 10 MAs. I think it used to be 5 but I could be misremembering.
 
Same here. I'm my situation, through two or three carriers I could get a $50 discount on AHIP. Apparently that's fairly standard, at least with regard to what the market is here. To get Humana to reimburse the additional $125, you have to sell 10 MAs. I think it used to be 5 but I could be misremembering.

It was 5. Not sure if they changed that this year or last.
 
Personally, I don't want to check pricing at 4 pharmacies. I don't even want to check 2 or 3. My process is "What pharmacy do you prefer?" They say, "Walgreens" and I'll run the numbers based on Walgreens and only Walgreens.

I'm not going to go the extra mile and waste time to try to find out if CVS is estimated annual of $723 when Walgreens (their preferred) was estimated annual of $797. Sure, the extra step may have saved them $70.

But to me, that's like saying, "Hey, let me come over and clip some coupons for you - because Milk with coupons is $1.95, and milk without coupons is $2.55."

In short - keep it simple - check their preferred pharmacy - find the lowest estimate based on that pharmacy.

(For the record, part of my reasoning isn't because I'm a heartless capitalist. My reasoning is simple: We can "shop the planfinder" all we want and find "the best deal" and "recommend that they move from Walgreens to Wal-mart" all we want - and some will - but the following year, I guarantee they'll say, "You know, I liked that plan, but they made me use Wal-mart and I really wanted to use Walgreens." In other words, I don't find "clipping coupons" for them to be of much help.)

For the occasional "I don't have a preferred pharmacy - I'll use any one that is cheap" I'll still try to get them to tell me one or two then I'll run those numbers (around here it's normally Kroger and Walmart).

Ouch! You've never reviewed my PDP. How do you know so much about how I think? :twitchy:
 
Personally, I don't want to check pricing at 4 pharmacies. I don't even want to check 2 or 3. My process is "What pharmacy do you prefer?" They say, "Walgreens" and I'll run the numbers based on Walgreens and only Walgreens.

I'm not going to go the extra mile and waste time to try to find out if CVS is estimated annual of $723 when Walgreens (their preferred) was estimated annual of $797. Sure, the extra step may have saved them $70.

But to me, that's like saying, "Hey, let me come over and clip some coupons for you - because Milk with coupons is $1.95, and milk without coupons is $2.55."

In short - keep it simple - check their preferred pharmacy - find the lowest estimate based on that pharmacy.

(For the record, part of my reasoning isn't because I'm a heartless capitalist. My reasoning is simple: We can "shop the planfinder" all we want and find "the best deal" and "recommend that they move from Walgreens to Wal-mart" all we want - and some will - but the following year, I guarantee they'll say, "You know, I liked that plan, but they made me use Wal-mart and I really wanted to use Walgreens." In other words, I don't find "clipping coupons" for them to be of much help.)

For the occasional "I don't have a preferred pharmacy - I'll use any one that is cheap" I'll still try to get them to tell me one or two then I'll run those numbers (around here it's normally Kroger and Walmart).

I get it. I do. And its certainly case by case basis. If they are paying under $1K for the year, I just check vs this years winner (Kroger). The "assistant" is the one who uploads the list to Medicare and gets the drug ID. And we get the drug ID/password on the file. All I have to do is cut/paste.

If they are paying a bunch more than $1K, I will take the 5 minutes. But everyone gets their 30 minutes each year, so we can review the new Part D dollars, news (new ID numbers) and D plan. And I usually am running pharmacies as I ask about the grandkids.

The only big shift I am seeing this year is from 2017 AARP/Walgreens to the new Aetna plan. Everyone else seems to be staying put, unless there are drug changes.

However, I also feel this is where my true value lies. Plan G is Plan G is Plan G. Part D is the annual wild card. Informing all clients about the new ID numbers, so when it blows up (and you know it will) they are prepared is also a value add.
 
The aarp medicarerx/walgreens plans for 2017 and 2018 have different plan id numbers.
Does that mean that there are other plan changes beside monthly premium and tier level pricing which one should be concerned about?

I am seeing a change of around $1,200 a year for a family member to change from the aarp medicarerx preferred plan in 2017 to the aarp medicarerx walgreens plan in 2018. Just wondered if there were traps I am missing in the walgreens based plan.

Thanks.
 
The aarp medicarerx/walgreens plans for 2017 and 2018 have different plan id numbers.
Does that mean that there are other plan changes beside monthly premium and tier level pricing which one should be concerned about?

I am seeing a change of around $1,200 a year for a family member to change from the aarp medicarerx preferred plan in 2017 to the aarp medicarerx walgreens plan in 2018. Just wondered if there were traps I am missing in the walgreens based plan.

Thanks.

You should ask your agent.

Rick
 
The aarp medicarerx/walgreens plans for 2017 and 2018 have different plan id numbers.
Does that mean that there are other plan changes beside monthly premium and tier level pricing which one should be concerned about?

I am seeing a change of around $1,200 a year for a family member to change from the aarp medicarerx preferred plan in 2017 to the aarp medicarerx walgreens plan in 2018. Just wondered if there were traps I am missing in the walgreens based plan.

Thanks.

I have chosen to ask the broad variety of agent members of the forum who I am quite confident will know the answer to my question.
 
I'm beginning to understand what you all talk about when you talk about the work for PDP plans. I can't get a good system going just to consistently check a short list at two stores for myself. for an agent: If you follow kgmom's suggestion to check all the pharmacies, that's create a drug list and do two runs to check Kroger, Walgreens, CVS, and WalMart. Maybe one or two more. Then save the list (ings?). Then communicate with the client. Then rerun the list for a replacement generic drug? Then do scope paperwork and application forms if the plan changes. And worry if the CMS formulary is correct. Makes my head spin! (Thanks for the answer.)
OMG
sell dental insurance PDP sounds like another certification nightmare
 
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