How are we expected to sell?

[goillini52]

Are they still in business? Which states?

jbage007 is the expert on AARP Insurance Company Bob. I suggest that you ask him. While you're at it, could you ask him what the A.M. Best rating is for the AARP Insurance Company?

 

[goillini52]

two comments for you.

One-those are some questions for your imo. You indicated in posts somewhere that you had some problems with getting responses from the customer service of the imo which you finally chose. If that is truly the case, you need to get connected with an IMO that can and will help you with issues like this. In another post somewhere I told you who my two finalist IMO choices were, were I to sell Medigap plans. And this issue would be one of my questions. I would be specifically asking Todd and Matt or Midwest Broker "I only want to sell Medigap plans. Please help me develop a CMS compliant presentation that makes the potential customer aware of the Part C option but focuses on the Part B medigap choice." I don't know exactly how I personally would want to deal with Part D, but when I got that figured out, I would have similar questions for that. If your IMO cannot or will not help you with those kinds of questions, you need another one-either additional or replacement.

Two, I don't know how much you have explored the site yet, but there is a search function in the upper right corner. clicking on that, you will see a little line that includes a more button. Click the more button and then in the parameters put in Medicare 101 and kgmom219 (double check on the number part to be sure that's right). You will get a list of threads and you can do some reading that should help you see how a successful Medigap only agent has approached her business in regard to client education for the last several years.

My search button's more in the middle LD.

 

[WinoBlues]

jbage007 is the expert on AARP Insurance Company Bob. I suggest that you ask him. While you're at it, could you ask him what the A.M. Best rating is for the AARP Insurance Company?

AA Rating Plus?

 

[somarco]

jbage007 is the expert on AARP Insurance Company Bob. I suggest that you ask him.

I think we both ignore each other, so that won't be happening

 

[jbage007]

I've always wondered where CMS gets their info to make the rules that they have made. Seems like, if they are getting them from compliance officers, this is their first mistake!

Mr. King,
CMS sets the rules and it is up to plans and producers to follow those rules. If plans or producers opt to play loose with the rules, that is their prerogative. From a compliance standpoint, we always apply an interpretation based on CMS' longstanding intent behind the rules which is the protection of a vulnerable senior citizen population. Simply stated, with respect to solicitation issues, that means that it always is acceptable when a beneficiary effectively solicits the producer by initiating the subject of plan options. By definition, the opposite also must be true.

 

[Fisher]

By definition, the opposite also must be true.

Therein lies your fallacy. Doesn't apply to traditional supps.

 

[Todd King]

Mr. King,
CMS sets the rules and it is up to plans and producers to follow those rules. If plans or producers opt to play loose with the rules, that is their prerogative. From a compliance standpoint, we always apply an interpretation based on CMS' longstanding intent behind the rules which is the protection of a vulnerable senior citizen population. Simply stated, with respect to solicitation issues, that means that it always is acceptable when a beneficiary effectively solicits the producer by initiating the subject of plan options. By definition, the opposite also must be true.

You have completely misunderstood what I was asking. It really was rhetorical anyway.

For instance, when they made the rule that you can't ask a senior about the prescriptions they are on. It limited the agent in helping the senior to the best of our ability. It's one rule that I must admit I never followed. Now, the question was....who is the dumbass or dumbasses at CMS that came up with that gem? Just one example of someone setting rules when they have no real life experience and didn't have any clue what they were doing. CMS is full of those rules! They are slowly starting to change some of these ignorant rules. Seems someone there is starting to use their head for something other than a hat rack.

 

[Heather]

CMS secret shoppers are like the devil. One year they wrote me up for canceling a sales meeting in a snow storm. It was at a church and the minister could not get in to open the building so I drove there was like the only car on the road. I left notes on the door and stayed out there for a while in case anyone came, which they did not. But somehow this secret shopper reported me. Point of the story is if you mess up and its truly an accident you write an explanation, say you learned your lesson and move on.

 

[sshafran]

CMS secret shoppers are like the devil. One year they wrote me up for canceling a sales meeting in a snow storm. It was at a church and the minister could not get in to open the building so I drove there was like the only car on the road. I left notes on the door and stayed out there for a while in case anyone came, which they did not. But somehow this secret shopper reported me. Point of the story is if you mess up and its truly an accident you write an explanation, say you learned your lesson and move on.

Now now... the secret shopper program has stopped millions (MILLIONS!) in fraud, waste, and abuse. Think of all the people who would have been scammed by agents if there weren't secret shoppers to (dutifully) report that the unethical agent gave a business card to someone who didn't ask for it first!!!

I can't even imagine what this world would be like - if they weren't on the front lines.

 

[gregj]

interesting conversation about the origins of CMS regs.

I have some academic and worklife experience in government. I suggest everyone look up the term 'regulatory capture'. Those insurance companies you imagine are on "your" side? Well, consider there may be more than just 2 sides to any story....