Congress to Cut MedGap Commissions!

[alldaytuesdays]

I'm not saying this is not true (probably most likely that it is - it's going that way at some point), but any time someone uses that much red/bold/italicized font and includes a 'call to action' (i.e. send us $100) at the end, they are inviting skepticism.

 

[maniacagent]

Blue Shield of California is already 10% on Medicare Supplements. 20/10 standard formula. Anthem on the other had you can get to level 21% 21/21 just by selling 100 supplements in a year. Base comp on 1st sold is 13/13. And Anthem is over this MLR requirement on Supplements by 10 points or more already.

Do you mean Anthem's mlr exceeds 65% now? I'm interested iin your comment, but not understanding....

 

[djs]

It would be interesting to see what the projections are on how much this would save the government.

Oh yeah, don't forget that this cut to comp is necessary because they want to make sure they can continue to pay doctors more..... So yes, the elite (doctors) get a pay raise, while the working class (us) get a paycut....

Ooops, sorry, had to get a bit of class warfare going there....

Dan

 

[somarco]

Subjecting gap plans to MLR does nothing to "save" the government.

Nor does it reduce premiums.

 

[wehotex]

It would be interesting to see what the projections are on how much this would save the government.

Oh yeah, don't forget that this cut to comp is necessary because they want to make sure they can continue to pay doctors more..... So yes, the elite (doctors) get a pay raise, while the working class (us) get a paycut....

Ooops, sorry, had to get a bit of class warfare going there....

Dan

Not to mention that worthless upper management in those companies that draw the big money. Those are some of the most worthless managers in the country today. They should cut them out before they cut the ppl who really bring in the business.

 

[maniacagent]

Subjecting gap plans to MLR does nothing to "save" the government.

Nor does it reduce premiums.

I think it could actually increase premiums as the carriers would need more of cushion.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I went to the links sited and also the
Thomas link to the text of the actual bills. I do not see any discussion since the bill was introduced in July of 2011. From what I can tell it has got very little discussion by anyone anywhere including Congress or anywhere else.

It does say the bill was sent to the finance committee...I don't know how long it takes for something to come out of committee...maybe it never will come out...which I think would be good.

There does not appear to be any NEW INFORMATION that would have triggered this email to be sent to our forum at this time. This is not a "new bill" being introduced in January of 2012; it appears to be sitting there. Kaiser wrote a paper stating it was a bad bill, AARP supports the bill, doctors do not want the regulation, but in the article I read, they state supps are wasteful products, but the docs stated they would rather go after the entire medicare system versus stike at this one area.....

just telling you what my little foray into GOOGLE told me about the billl...

anyone know if it is normal for a bill to have no action on it for 7 months as it appears this one has had?

 

[Dave020]

I need to correct my earlier statement. I was either given incorrect information or misunderstood what was said by an RSM regarding MLR on 65+ business.

Neither CA Blue can tell me the actual MLR on Medicare Supplements. I apologize for the confusion.

 

[Frank Stastny]

From what I can tell it has got very little discussion by anyone anywhere including Congress or anywhere else...

...anyone know if it is normal for a bill to have no action on it for 7 months as it appears this one has had?

I use to lobby in DC. There is tons of legislation introduced every year that goes no where or sees the light of day. If it was even a very low priority bill action would have been taken a long time ago.

Sometimes the only thing that sells newspapers is a headline that says, "The Sky Is Falling".

 

[DecisionMan]

MLR has been an issue for the past 1 1/2 years. If you get the magazine "Benefits Selling" its been complaining that the entire group benefits industry will be shaken up if commissions are included in the MLR.

I think its all part of the bigger picture, because I get the sense that a lot of insurers are trying to cut out the agent and go directly to the consumer. (how'd you like UHC's phone assistance during the AEP this year? Unhelpful?)

Part of this is with how the health exchanges may be setup, and in the senior market, how the carriers are marketing to the age-in's and other beneficiaries.

The anti-door knocking/telemarketing deal in Ohio is the tip of the iceberg that will start to effect a lot of health insurance sales.

Of course, we all know how important the agent is to the process but greedy carriers and bought-off congresspeople really don't care about the consumer and never have.

Somehow, innovative agents will find a work-around for their marketing, but right now I think smart agents will spend 100% of their time this year intensely building an active client base (making this their best year ever) so they can legally service those clients into the future.

 

[shepnerd]

Too bad there isn't an agent union (maybe a division of the SIEU?) that could negotiate with the carriers and that would have political clout via political ca.

Oh wait a minute. I'm sorry. I forgot. Most agents are virulently anti-union and anti-collective bargaining and would not be caught dead with any union card on their body!

I know you will hate me saying this, but Karl Marx was right about labor vs those who own "the means of production." (Oh, in case you didn't notice... you are "labor." That means you get screwed.)

OK. Well, enjoy the 10% that comp will probably drop to.

I leave you with one other idea. Has it ever occurred to any of you that if you are successful selling insurance... you probably can sell ANYTHING? See if you can connect those dots and tell where I'm going with that?

Al

I don't even know why I'm biting on this, but man, that is such an ignorant statement.

Its not us "labor" folks against the "means of production" with this. We are doing fine dealing with the carriers, they do tend to try to screw us over from time to time by lowering commissions or not valuing us. Then we take our business elsewhere and they lose production and start begging us to send them business. Free market levels things out.

This crap is big government taking free market out of the picture and mucking the waters. THAT is what really screws things up.