The Medicare Reality

Consumers Have Spoken:

THEY PREFER KEEPING THEIR MEDICARE SUPPLEMENTS!!!

Every year at this time some agents watch anxiously awaiting the rate increases that come annually from companies for Medicare Supplements. Some even begin to schedule appointments in order to “help their clients save money”.  

With the advent of larger companies entering and dominating the Medicare Supplement market: Central States Indemnity, Aflac, United HealthCare, Continental/Aetna, and Mutual of Omaha, we at Senior Marketing Specialists are seeing this old way of thinking becoming less of an issue. Here’s why:

AHIP commissioned American Viewpoint, Inc., to conduct a national survey of Medicare supplement (Medigap) policyholders. As in past years, the survey asked enrollees about their satisfaction and experience with their coverage.

Here’s what CMS and Medicare tell the client:

Your Medicare health or prescription drug plan can change how much it costs and what it covers each year. Even if your plan’s cost and coverage stay the same, your health or finances may change. Review your plan each year to make sure it will still meet your needs. If you’re satisfied with your current coverage, you don’t need to change plans. www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/10050

So???

• Should you see your client every year? Absolutely
• Should they switch their Medicare Supplemental Coverage? Depends on their circumstances
• Do they need other coverage’s: Hospital Indemnity Plans, Home Health Care Plan, Final Expense? Quite possibly!!!

At Senior Marketing Specialists we have a unique tool to help you find out what your clients TRULY need this year, our  “Medicare Supplement Prospect Warm Up”.  This was designed after 30+ years of field experience from our sister career agency The Barnes Group.

As we approach 2013 let’s take a look at how we are working with our clients and find new and better ways to serve our clients.

(This article was written by Philip Warren of Senior Marketing Specialists.)

Just Another AEP… I THINK NOT!!!

Aetna has purchased Coventry. United Health Care bought Care Improvement Plus (the most innovative program for Medicare Advantage to date).

CSG Actuarial reported last week:

CMS released 2013 Medicare Advantage (MA) plan data last Wednesday, September 19th revealing almost 5,976 new plan combinations and the non-renewal of more than 6,056 plans for 2013. In many cases non-renewing plans are being replaced by a new plan from the same carrier in that area.

Due to non-renewed plans, approximately 1.7 million seniors are being dis-enrolled from their current plan. Most non-renewed insureds (1.3 million) will be offered a replacement by their current carrier; however, according to CMS data, 393,819 will actively be looking for coverage—a 36% increase over the number of seniors this time last year. The top four states for non-renewed insureds are Washington, Virginia, California, and Texas.

The 36% increase in non-renewals year over year provides opportunity for agents and carriers to fill in the coverage gaps.

So, what does this mean to you, the agent serving the senior market? An opportunity to enroll more people in programs that supplement Medicare in the last quarter of 2012 than most agents will all year long.

Also, 60% of the Medicare Supplements are sold in the last quarter of the year as well.

At Senior Marketing Specialists we’re ready… ARE YOU???

(This article was written by Philip Warren of Senior Marketing Specialists.)

*http://www.csgactuarial.com/news/cms-data-show-non-renewed-plans-for-2013/?utm_source=Campaigner&utm_campaign=CMS_Data_Show_Non-Renewed_Plans_for_2013&campaigner=1&utm_medium=HTMLEmail