Aetna agents work for free

[somarco]

I had heard the rumor, had a few problems myself, and just confirmed it.

Aetna will recognize AOR on individual business, but . . . they will not pay you commissions.

Apparently this quiet decision was made a few months ago and is just now filtering down as agents (like myself) are asking where our commissions are.

So get all the AOR letters you want on Aetna individual major med. Just don't expect to get paid for the service work.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

And Aetna will be rewarded by their decision as their agents go "crap....but ok."

 

[J.R.]

I had heard the rumor, had a few problems myself, and just confirmed it.

Aetna will recognize AOR on individual business, but . . . they will not pay you commissions.

Apparently this quiet decision was made a few months ago and is just now filtering down as agents (like myself) are asking where our commissions are.

So get all the AOR letters you want on Aetna individual major med. Just don't expect to get paid for the service work.

That's ridiculous. At least it appears an agent cannot be found guilty of churning.

 

[Guest]

I stopped writing any Aetna (IFP or group) when they cut my commission from 20% to 15% until I turn in 11 accepted apps.

I've given all the business I would have sent to Aetna to Blue Cross (Lumenos) and I've been rewarded with speedy (and currently "relaxed") UW and pretty good customer service (although as noted in another thread, hold times have gone way up... because they are doing both agent and UW support. They know the problem and are hiring more people.)

The only thing Aetna brought to the table was an embedded deduct on their HSA plans. That was a good thing, but since I often write husband and wife on their own plans, it is not a big deal (kids too sometimes.)

One thing that did cause an issue with Aetna (but not a large one) is that they do gender rating in CA. Doesn't bother me, but some folks have taken exception to it.

Anyway, my biz has not suffered one iota by leaving Aetna behind.

Al

 

[TXINSURANCE]

This is protecting my individual business from the agents who troll around for AOR letters instead of actually spending money to acquire new clients.

I do think a more fair approach would be no AOR in the first 12 months of membership without the original broker signing off.

The original broker can always sign off on the AOR and transfer.

This policy was to protect the brokers, not hurt them I generally only do business with companies that have some form of protection in place from AOR. I spend too much money acquiring customers to have an agent who did nothing , but lives closer, or is a relative steal my deal.

 

[somarco]

embedded deduct on their HSA plans

I see nothing positive about that and will not write their HSA plan except on a single.

Their copay plans are the worst ever.

 

[taterpeeler]

Their copay plans are the worst ever.

Aetna= best copay plan in texas... just my view, and 16 years of experience leading me to that decision

 

[taterpeeler]

i agree with tex.... i cannot stop aor sluts from stealing my biz, so aetna has put a policy in place to stop the stealing lazy bums.... how can this be a bad thing? so they wont pay u for taking the business... how 'bout this as an idea, go sign up new people. stop trolling. and the point of never writing aetna again because your commish. went to 15%. another idea, go sell a few more apps. at least they pay 20%, or if we are commish. chasing, lets all do assurant, heck, i get 28% (could be 30%, cant remember)... right start for everyone!!!

 

[somarco]

I dont think I have ever lost a client to another broker via AOR. The few clients I have lost either moved out of state, aged off the plan, got a job with employer coverage or dropped health insurance altogether.

But I have taken over a fair amount from other lazy agents via AOR.

This was a stupid move on Aetna's part. The only time folks give an AOR is if they can't locate their agent or the one they have is no good. So the policyholder is stuck with little or no service since a good agent won't work for free.

Of course this isn't the first stupid thing a carrier has done and it won't be the last.

 

[TXINSURANCE]

This was a stupid move on Aetna's part. The only time folks give an AOR is if they can't locate their agent or the one they have is no good. So the policyholder is stuck with little or no service since a good agent won't work for free.

This is not always the case, particularly with online sales and no face to face interaction. I have cases I have spent hours on end working to get someone approved and when "cousin bob" gets a life / health license here comes the AOR request.

I think the fair approach is to lock the original agent for a year - after that with the customers written request maybe it should be fair game. There are a lot of "trolling" agents out there begging for AOR which blows my mind.

I don't know if I have ever requested an AOR in my career - I prefer to earn the business or sell them something else