Should You Ditch Your Medicare Advantage Plan?

[somarco]

Scott, you have more patience than I would with Jim. I would either have cut him loose at the start or fired him right after showing him how to get the GI plan.

I don't suffer fools for very long.

 

[goillini52]

I had a client enrolled in that MSA. They had some challenges as it related to Medicare Part B covered medications. They were very helpful in getting it resolved with the client. Overall it worked well for her needs. She couldn't get a Med Supp and was going to meet the MOOP every year. Here in Georgia, it was the lowest MOOP at the time.

I liked that Lasso MSA.............but no providers in my area would take it.

 

[somarco]

I liked that Lasso MSA.............but no providers in my area would take it.

I never promoted it but I suspected it would take time and $$ to get it off the ground.

The under 65 MSA and later HSA took a very long time to be accepted.

Too many prefer copays and low deductibles but don't seem phased by high OOP amounts.

Several agents on the forum that sold (or tried to sell) Lasso had the same problem . . . provider reluctance.

 

[MedicareWAA]

there were exactly (let me count again) - Zero things that I said that were inaccurate.

You simply brough up irrelavent data. I'm well aware that some areas of the country have low Max. For now, at least....

You implied that MA plans tend to have very high out of pocket costs, and then a wildly uncommon scenario about a double limb amputation. Incidentally, you later gave us lots of details we never wanted or needed about the weirdo without legs.

My point - which is completely relevant - is that you're suggesting $9,000 MOOP plans are typical across the country. That is not correct. Those are exceptions to the norm, by which I mean that most markets have plenty of solid MA plan options with pretty low MOOPs. (Doesn't mean MA is better or worse than Medigap)

As for your suggestion that the days of low MOOPs are numbered, consider that those low MOOPs have been low for about 20 years. There's little evidence that's about to change.

Were you the one who put the legless man in a $9,000 MOOP plan?

 

[sshafran]

I think every t65 or new-to-Medicare needs to be shown Plan G and/or N.

That way when they need to have their leg amputated 4 years later and are wondering why their out of pocket is so high you can remind them that you went over in detail the supplement options but they chose the cheaper chicken.

You implied that MA plans tend to have very high out of pocket costs, and then a wildly uncommon scenario about a double limb amputation. Incidentally, you later gave us lots of details we never wanted or needed about the weirdo without legs.

My point - which is completely relevant - is that you're suggesting $9,000 MOOP plans are typical across the country. That is not correct. Those are exceptions to the norm, by which I mean that most markets have plenty of solid MA plan options with pretty low MOOPs. (Doesn't mean MA is better or worse than Medigap)

As for your suggestion that the days of low MOOPs are numbered, consider that those low MOOPs have been low for about 20 years. There's little evidence that's about to change.

Were you the one who put the legless man in a $9,000 MOOP plan?

You read way more into my post than I was implying.

I have a lot of MAs on the books. My point was I tell them - even if it's a brief conversation - that there is a supplement they can get.

Takes fewer than 5 minutes.

Some (not all... and not every... and not even most) will eventually one day complain about a bill or a network or something on a MA plan. Yes, I used an extreme example - it's a forum and it's a bit of an interesting story.

My med supp people complain about rate increases.

Pick your poison - and don't complain because it's all better than ACA.

--

"Little evidence" - uh...., did you not watch Humana's MOOP go up nationally 2025? Did you need not see Aetna SAR plans? Did you not see UHC writing on the wall that things will go south (well, that comes out officially Monday)?

 

[somarco]

Some (not all... and not every... and not even most) will eventually one day complain about a bill or a network or something on a MA plan.

You need to seek counsel from Don about this. His policyholders NEVER complain about anything and everyone is COMPLETELY satisfied.

You are still young and have a lot to learn about this business. Don can help you if you are willing to learn

 

[rmhaire]

You need to seek counself from Don about this. His policyholders NEVER complain about anything and everyone is COMPLETELY satisfied.

You are still young and have a lot to learn about this business. Don can help you if you are willing to learn

And with a little hard work he might become the 2nd best Medicare agent on the planet.

It only takes four years.

 

[Limozine]

Not sure what study they are using. Almost everyone of my clients who left supplement have never regretted it. I rarely have someone come to me and ask to go back to OM.

I've had one Med Supp client return to a supp after trying MA in 9 years, and it was one of my first sales ever. My upline at the time assisted me with the original MA sale and didn't properly explain how MA works and the risks/rewards, so when the client had a bill she wasn't happy. Since then, I've never had one go back. I think the key is to properly educate and manage expectations.

 

[somarco]

MA clients change plans far more often than OM supp clients and so you'd have to work harder to hang on to your AP clients.

That is a consideration, but my retention rate is in the high 90's so I doubt things would change if I offered managed care plans. I have clients, not policyholders, who value my advice and personal service.

On the rare occasion where someone does leave, and especially if they don't discuss their reasons but just disappear on the night, I terminate their subscription to my monthly newsletter.

That may seem petty, but I see no reason to continue feeding them useful information once they are "paying" another agent to have their business.

My opposition to managed care is simply based on years of offering PPO plans (when there was no other choice in that market) and having to explain to clients why their claim is not being paid and/or they have to wait for prior approval while they get sicker and continue to suffer needlessly.

 

[Millwood]

I've had one Med Supp client return to a supp after trying MA in 9 years, and it was one of my first sales ever. My upline at the time assisted me with the original MA sale and didn't properly explain how MA works and the risks/rewards, so when the client had a bill she wasn't happy. Since then, I've never had one go back. I think the key is to properly educate and manage expectations.

When you live in a rural state network /moop can vary tremendously depending on state.
I have area's in state MAPD aren't even an option. IE......have one county 20th largest city in state . The county seat . . Only hospital in the whole county. They will not take any MAPD . I have other area's same situation .

Many times your place of residence and region of country dictate a completely different recommendation of coverage based on where you live .