T65 Medicare Educational Seminar

[midwestbroker]

If you are planning on talking about Part C or Part D plans at an educational event, then you have to register the event according to the interpretation of MMG.

We have had numerous agents call and ask about registering educational events. Mind you, agents cannot call CMS and ask. Agents have to go through HPMS (Health Plan Management System), which basically means through a carrier. Every carrier we have talked to says the same: If the agent is planning on talking about C or D plans at an educational event, they have to register the event.

No carrier that I know of is going to tell an agent not to register the event, as CMS I am sure would have a field day with an audit. So, carriers will tell agents to register the event. This way if an agent is secret shopped and the event was not registered (yes, it has happened in the past), the carrier can say "we told them to register the event."

Sample violation of this: Secret shopper at an educational event - What insurance companies offer Medicare Advantage plans? Agent - Well, there (insert carrier(s) name here). You just mentioned a carrier that the secret shopper can report this to.

Sure, AHIP may say don't register it if it is generic in nature and no carrier is mentioned, but then again, do you really want to find out how lenient that rule is?

 

[somarco]

Susan Hatch holds events and seminars all the time and never registers her events.

Maybe you are right. She is just lucky.

 

[midwestbroker]

According to her, she does not talk about Part D or C at her seminars, she only gives out the number to 1-800 MEDICARE for people to call regarding their drug plans.

Since her seminars are Medicare supplement only, so there is no CMS oversight to the registration of the events.

 

[Bob_The_Insurance_Guy]

Yogooglethis, I agree with you 100%. Was it the comment that CMS, which is made up of W-2 employees, who couldn't sell their way out of a paper bag, that got you upset?

Perhaps you should Search on my response from a few years ago.

 

[midwestbroker]

FYI - We (here at Senior Marketing Specialists) have fired off an email to one of the carriers compliance departments (the most conservative one we know of) to ask if an agent can mention C or D plans in general at a Medicare 101 event. I will post the reply when we receive it. This usually takes a few days.

 

[kgmom219]

FYI - We (here at Senior Marketing Specialists) have fired off an email to one of the carriers compliance departments (the most conservative one we know of) to ask if an agent can mention C or D plans in general at a Medicare 101 event. I will post the reply when we receive it. This usually takes a few days.

Midwest...keep in mind that you are assuming that the agent is licensed to sell MA and PDP. Those of us who do not sell it can talk it about it all day long at educational seminars. We aren't under the CMS rules. FOR THIS VERY REASON.

 

[GreenSky]

Midwest...keep in mind that you are assuming that the agent is licensed to sell MA and PDP. Those of us who do not sell it can talk it about it all day long at educational seminars. We aren't under the CMS rules. FOR THIS VERY REASON.

How can you talk about a product for which you are not licensed?

I know many agents will go online and help someone with their Part D by entering drugs onto the Medicare website. I believe this is a violation in that you are a licensed insurance agent giving advice.

I would think that your client could still complain and you have no excuse such as "I took AHIP."

Rick

 

[Bob_The_Insurance_Guy]

The honest and ethical thing to do, if you are not licensed to sell MAPD or PDP, is to let the prospect know that you are not in that arena, and refer them to someone who is.

Yogooglethis should be more upset at this, as a "scheme" than what I do.

But...

 

[kgmom219]

I know many agents will go online and help someone with their Part D by entering drugs onto the Medicare website. I believe this is a violation in that you are a licensed insurance agent giving advice.


Rick

I can explain Part C. Because I'm brilliant. Plus I went to CMS training a few years ago, use the CMS presentation as my base and they told me (and 200 other agents) to use it, but if we get MA/PDP certified it wasn't enough.

I love you and I disagree. My clients are totally aware that I am advising, not selling a Part D.

They also know the my high school/college job was as a pharmacy tech and I spent my 20's working for a PBM.

Saying Part C means you assign Medicare to a private company, in your zip code there are both HMOs and PPOs available isn't violating anything. Then they look at me and say "I want Plan F and can you explain the appeal process for the Part B premium adjustment. And why do I get screwed twice?"

Thats 99% of my meetings

 

[yogooglethis]

Yogooglethis, I agree with you 100%. Was it the comment that CMS, which is made up of W-2 employees, who couldn't sell their way out of a paper bag, that got you upset?

Perhaps you should Search on my response from a few years ago.

"Shameless self promotion. If you will search this topic, you will find where I gave some advice to others who had the same question several years ago.

Remember: On their smartest day CMS is not as smart as you are on your dumbest day. (Thank you, Judge Shiendlin) "



whether CMS is smart or not makes no difference about what is the best practices when holding an educational event whether you are reactive or proactive.

being proactive to avoid compliance issues is a given as is being proactive to convert prospects who contact you as a result of attending an educational event in to sales is also a given.Maybe I read more in to your comment about being proactive and CMS not being smart then you meant