Debate in Washington Threatens Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Insurance Plans

You might have heard or seen some of the news lately being discussed in Washington on Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plans. Here are a few articles that discuss the possible changes to Medigap benefits.

Agreement on Debt Talks: Health Groups Dislike Proposals
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/13/us/politics/13health.html?_r=1

Threat to Medigap from Debt Ceiling Talks
https://www.mutualofomaha.com/email/express/documents/2011_07_20/medsupp_debt.pdf

Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Insurance: Myths & Facts
http://www.protectmedigap.org/pdf/Medigap%20Myths%20v3.pdf

These changes would negatively impact seniors and our economy. As a result, we're encouraging all agents in the Senior Market to help protect Medicare Supplements and those who depend on this type of insurance plan! You could make a difference by calling your representatives today: 1-800-869-1923 from 8:00am-4:00pm CDT. For more details, click here. We appreciate your help!

Ten Attitudes of Top-Achievers

Dan McNerney, President & CEO of Senior Marketing Specialists, recommends the following content!

Ten Attitudes of Top-Achievers:
by Brian Tracy

If you think the same way as the top achievers think, you can begin to get the same results they do. Here are ten psychological and practical ways to mirror the attitudes of top-achievers.
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1. See yourself as a consultant rather than a salesperson. Believe that you are a problem-solver with regard to your product and how the client can best use it.

2. Become a doctor of selling. Act in the best interests of your “patients” and have a high code of ethics.

3. See yourself as the president of your own sales corporation. Accept 100 percent responsibility for your results.

4. Commit yourself to being the best in your field. Dedicate yourself to lifelong learning.

5. Be ambitious, hungry, and determined to use selling as a stepping-stone to the success you want in life.

6. Have integrity. Be honest with yourself and others.

7. Engage in thorough preparation prior to every call.

8. Be an excellent listener; be extremely customer-focused.

9. Have tremendous courage. Be willing to face your fears of rejection and failure, and overcome them.

10. Be highly persistent. Start your workday earlier, work harder, and stay longer.

To make these changes work you must walk, talk, and behave consistently with them every hour of every day.

If you agree with these ten attitudes of top-achievers, you may want to share this blog post with your connections online! Have a great week.

Important Tips & Reminders from Coventry about AHIP Certification!

The following tips are provided by Coventry:

Passing Test Scores: The AHIP Medicare Marketing Core Compliance and Coventry CCP /Part D certification module for 2012 requires that you successfully pass each module test with a minimum score of 90% within three attempts. AHIP provides Coventry with testing results. If you fail a test three times, you will NOT be able to market or sell that Coventry product in 2012!

Be sure to allow yourself ample time to take the online tests. Each testing session (e.g., attempt) has a two hour time limit. The 2 hours begin when a user launches the exam. If they launch it and walk away and reach the 2 hour limit, the exam will auto-submit and they will lose an attempt.

We’re Here to Assist You! If you do not pass in your first two attempts, please contact us at Senior Marketing Specialists (1-800-689-2800) to discuss what elements are unclear to you so that we can help you.

We look forward to a successful partnership during this upcoming selling season!

Complete information and a direct link to annual AHIP certification is a click away when you log in to the Coventry Medicare broker portal from www.coventry-medicare.com.

Let Us Help You Navigate Through the Medicare Advantage (MA) Certification Maze!

We learned from our agents last year that the most difficult part about Medicare Advantage (MA) Certification is not the actual tests, but rather the tedious process of becoming certified. Based on our agents' feedback, we realized that agents had a difficult time finding the specific websites and necessary log-in information, and then properly posting their results. Do you find yourself in that same situation? Wouldn't it be nice if you could make one phone call and have all your questions answered about MA Certification? Well, you're in luck.

We are here to help you! Please just give us a call at 1-800-689-2800 or contact one of our marketers directly (Ryan@smsteam.net & Christine@smsteam.net), and we will walk you through the certification "maze."

Your Client is NOT at Home -- Now What?

One of the top reasons that our agents are not meeting their weekly goals is that they can't find anyone at home! So we at Senior Marketing Specialists have come up with 5 solutions to this problem. We hope that this gives you some new, helpful ideas on what to do if your clients are not at home!

1. Know your clients' neighbors! Use this website to search for your client's neighbors before you drive to your client's home. This way, if one of your clients is not at home, you will be prepared to knock on their neighbor's door instead. Now the time and gas money you spent to call on your client won't be wasted!





2. Keep old leads handy. If your clients aren't at home, then pull out old leads and call on them. They responded to the lead for some reason, maybe now the timing is right and they need your services?





3. Call your client's home ahead of time and use *67 to block your number. If they answer, then you know someone is actually at home.





4. Don't give up too easily. Knock on all the doors of the home -- not just the front door. Maybe they're out back grilling or working on the yard?





5. Send out thank you notes to potential clients for completing and returning your lead card. Then stop by in a couple of days and reference that lead and thank you note.

What tricks have you learned over the years? Share them here!

Medicare Advantage Season has Agents Inquiring about AHIP Certification Discounts!

As the Medicare Advantage season for 2012 quickly approaches, the questions agents are beginning to ask include: when can I pursue my certification? who is offering discounts? and how do I choose between carriers? If you have Coventry Health Care in your area, we would recommend going through them for your AHIP certification. This will save you the most money. Plus, you can then transfer that AHIP certification to your other carriers as well.

How exactly will this save you money? Well, Coventry Health Care is offering AHIP certification beginning July 15, 2011 for only $100. This already saves you $50 upfront. If you take the AHIP through the Coventry website and write at least Prescription Drug Plans (PDP) or Medicare Advantage (MA) apps with them, they will reimburse you for the entire $100 fee also!

Let us know if you have any questions. We are here to help you.

Medicare Advantage Certification & AHIP Discounts

Here at Senior Marketing Specialists we know how important it is for insurance agents to be informed. That is why we blog, to help provide you with the information you need to succeed in the Senior Market!

As you are probably aware, the 2012 AHIP course has been available for agents since June 16, 2011 on AHIP’s website. Certification directly through AHIP costs $150. The good news is, two carriers are offering discounts for completing the certification process through them.

• Coventry Health Care will be offering a certification discount starting July 15, 2011.


• United Health Care will be offering a $50 certification discount beginning August 1, 2011.

If you have any questions, leave a comment here and we will reply within 24 hours. Or call our office at 1-800-689-2800 and speak with one of our experienced marketers for immediate assistance! We look forward to working with you this AEP!