Selling Med Sups Over The Phone!

[sman]

I'm learning med supps now. I just have 10 med supp clients, but 5 of those are F. Four of those were T65s. I explain G and N, but some of them just don't seem to care. Their friends or family told them to "get F" and that's what they want. I even explained on the T65s that the margin of savings can increase over time with G. How many of you seasoned med supp agents run into this?

As has been stated, give them what they want. But before I do that I ask the following question (we'll assume the savings between F & G is $300):

Do you see a reason to give the insurance company $300 to pay the $147 deductible for you?

I rarely sell F once they truly understand how it works and their savings. But if they are adamant they want Plan F, then that's what they get.

One thing that does happen from time to time when I replace Plan F with G, the client may forget the following year when they get a bill from the doctor. They'll call and say they didn't have to pay that with their last plan. That's when I remind them of the savings. And since most of this was originally done on the phone and email, I can always show them where we discussed it.

 

[scagnt83]

I dont do MedSups, but if they are dead set against an option sell them what they want and gain a client. You can always change their mind a year or two later after you have gained their trust.

I like Somarco's method of asking if they are open to comparing the two so they can decide on their own. Questions that get them thinking are always better than statements when speaking with a prospect. Sman's question about the $300 vs. $147 is perfect.

At risk of comparing it to the Term Life world... if a person needs WL but is dead set on buying Term, then just agree with them and sell them the Term. Gain the client, build the trust, educate over the next 2 years, then convert.

 

[somarco]

Do you see a reason to give the insurance company $300 to pay the $147 deductible for you?

My response is similar.

Say you had plan G but didn't want to pay the deductible any more. Would you have a problem with paying the insurance company $300 to cover your $147 deductible and pocketing the difference?

Most of the time they say something like "I would be foolish to do that".

OK, then. I need your Medicare number ...........

 

[GoPokes]

One thing that does happen from time to time when I replace Plan F with G, the client may forget the following year when they get a bill from the doctor. They'll call and say they didn't have to pay that with their last plan. That's when I remind them of the savings. And since most of this was originally done on the phone and email, I can always show them where we discussed it.

I have found that to happen when they get a drug plan that has a deductible, I get a call in January asking why the insurance isn't paying anything. I try to put them in a plan without a deductible if it's feasible.

 

[sman]

I have found that to happen when they get a drug plan that has a deductible, I get a call in January asking why the insurance isn't paying anything. I try to put them in a plan without a deductible if it's feasible.

I get that as well. Or the "I only paid $3 for this medication last year and now it's $5". I ALWAYS run a comparison and show it to the client. If the lowest cost plan has a deductible I tell them that and explain what that means. I let them tell me they want a plan without a deductible. I'm not going to recommend one if it isn't the cheapest for them.

 

[GreenSky]

According to the debil, Humana, we are not allowed to enroll anyone in a PDP without being F2F. I can't wait until AEP so I can visit every client throughout the 57 states to personally make sure they enroll in the correct plan so I can make $28.

Rick

 

[lifeagent13]

Regardless of what anyone else suggests, I always recommend learning to sell med supps face to face. Anyone can just say "my Plan F is the same as your current Plan F for $30 less per month." It takes knowledge of the product to show the value of Plan G or N. It is much easier to build trust and learn to explain the product differences face to face. After a short while you'll know what to say and when making telephone sales much easier. By the way, I hired a telemarketer last May and although I sell mainly on the phone, I prefer to meet people in person. You can never build as much trust without eye to eye contact. Rick

That makes sense, Thanks everyone who responded.

For those who are using a telemarketer are you having them set phone appointments for you? Or just having them create interest and hand it off to you?

 

[WCMason]

Ive been doing F2F medsupps for awhile now, would like to try the phone sales at some point, been thinking about trying westfalls method. T65 is also my main source of medicare prospecting these days, and I do run into that same issue sometimes. I have to remember that the customer doesnt always want the same thing I do (savings) sometimes the peace of mind is worth the premium to them. Just Sell the F if that's what they want

My customers don't always want the same thing when we start, but they do when we finish. I talk them out of Plan F regardless of their friends tell them. I tell them to tell their friends that they got a bad deal with Plan F. A lot of their friends call me and switch. If the prospect's definition of "peace of mind" is paying $400 or more for $147 in benefit (and that's just in the first year; that gap widens over time) they don't understand the difference. I view my job as making sure they do know the difference. Probably half I meet with lead by telling me they want or have been told they should get F. Excluding GI my F sales are about 1/2 of 1%.

 

[cadylou]

According to the debil, Humana, we are not allowed to enroll anyone in a PDP without being F2F. I can't wait until AEP so I can visit every client throughout the 57 states to personally make sure they enroll in the correct plan so I can make $28.

Rick

You can accept an application by mail from a client & receive credit - you do not need to be F2F.

 

[GreenSky]

You can accept an application by mail from a client & receive credit - you do not need to be F2F.

Are you SURE? If so, please call Humana as they sent me this after I told them I would move as many of my clients during AEP because their inside sales dept. stole a PDP application that I had set up using their e-app.

Hello Richard,
Thank you for your inquiry. Sorry you feel this way. Unfortunately, Humana does not support non face to face enrollments. See details below.


***Chapter 3 of the CMS Medicare Marketing Guidelines have specific provisions related to telephonic presentation and enrollment that indicate they must be done in a call center environment. The calls must be recorded and the scripts approved by CMS. There are not any exceptions in the guidelines for field agents (not acting as call centers) to present and enroll over the telephone in the absence of these protections. Therefore, if an agent is NOT contracted & certified as a TELESALES agent, he/she should NOT enroll clients over the phone.***

Effective immediately, Humana does not currently support FIELD AGENTS making telephonic sales presentations. Since this is an unapproved process, agents who complete telephonic presentations run the risk of a Section A violation. Per CMS guidance, if the agent is a field agent, a telephonic enrollment cannot be done. It is NEVER acceptable for an agent to simply mail a paper application without an SOA and the presentation being completed.

Rick