Medicare Advantage

We are able to sell Medicare Advantage 100% over the phone in a fully compliant way. Make sure your contract elsewhere allows YOU to do the same. Here is how we can do this over the phone: (this is available if the MAPD and Part D contracts are under Chris Westfall) Update on 2023 Part D Plan Landscape - Click to Open - This is LeadAdvantagePro: Update from Sept 29 2022: What if you could have a consumer-facing website where they could research Medicare Advantage plans and sign up, themselves, and YOU get the credit! You can! It's called Medicare Insurance Direct, and with our contracts, you have it: (Available to you if your contracts for Part D/MAPD are with Chris Westfall.) If you have your contracts with us, you can sign up for your own enrollment site like this for MAPD and Part D here: https://sellmedicarebyphone.com/medicare-insurance-direct/ New for 2023 Medicare Insurance Direct Agent-Led Enrollment This video is from 09-21-2022: Yes, there is plenty of time to get contracted and certified for the Annual Election Period. Our method allows you to sell Medicare Advantage over the phone in a fully-compliant way. 1) First thing to do, in order to sell Medicare Advantage, is take the AHIP training: AHIP Certification Discount link is here for 2020. Click Here 2) The second thing to do is contract with the carrier(s) for the area(s) you are marketing. Not sure which one(s) you should contract with? Contact us and ask. You can find the contracts here. 3) The last step, after contracting, is to complete their product certifications. The links to accomplish certification are sent after your contracting is received. 4) After that, you must make sure that your marketing is Medicare Advantage-compliant (No Telemarketing is allowed for Advantage!) New Marketing Rules:SEE THE CMS RULES HERE - OPENS AS NEW WINDOW Great article from Dwane McFerrin: Understanding the New Medicare Marketing Guidelines By Dwane McFerrin, Vice President, Medicare Solutions Originally published July 30, 2018, last updated August 1, 2018 CMS, AEP, Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage Medicare Advantage continues to expand its share in the senior health market. The definition of MA benefits has been expanded, and more plans are available in more areas than ever before. In recent years, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has lightened the regulatory burden on carriers and agents.This year's changes to the Medicare Marketing Guidelines also reduces some of the burden. There have been some definition changes, leading to a name change. CMS has renamed the guidelines the Medicare Communication and Marketing Guidelines (MCMG). The changes were released on July 20, and signal new opportunity for agents to connect with prospects in more ways and provide quality service to MA clients. Reviewing and comparing the guidelines can be a time-consuming task. The compliance professionals here at Senior Market Sales developed the following summary of some MCMG changes for 2019 that represent items we felt would be material to agents marketing MA/PD Plans. However, it is not an exhaustive list and this summary is subject to change. NOTE:All Plans/Part D sponsors are responsible for ensuring compliance with CMS’ current marketing regulations and guidance and may impose additional restrictions for subcontractors, downstream entities, and/or delegated entities, provided they do not conflict with the requirements outlined in the MCMG. Communication and Marketing— “Communications” is a new category of materials and activities to provide information on MA/PD Plans to current and prospective enrollees. “Marketing” is a subset of “communications” and the definition of “marketing” was updated to include only materials that are most likely to lead to a beneficiary to make an enrollment decision. CMS review is required only for marketing materials. The difference between communication and marketing activities and materials is based on the intent and content of what is being conveyed. Medicare Educational Events— CMS now allows agents to set up future marketing appointments, distribute business cards and contact information for beneficiaries to initiate contact, and they may include communication activities and distribution of communication materials. Please keep in mind that agents may not solicit/accept enrollment applications for a January 1, 2019, effective date until October 15, 2018, unless the beneficiary is eligible under another enrollment period. Credentialing— Plans are no longer required to terminate unlicensed agents and are given the flexibility to determine level of disciplinary action against agent. However, Plans may only pay agents/brokers who meet state licensure/appointment requirements and have completed product certification. Plans are required to report all non-credentialed agent sales to CMS. Business Reply Cards (BRC)— No requirement to be submitted through HPMS if no plan specific benefits are mentioned. Restoration of the Medicare Advantage (MA) Open Enrollment Period (OEP)— From January 1 through March 31 annually and allows individuals enrolled in an MA plan, including newly MA-eligible individuals, to make a one-time election to go to another MA plan or Original Medicare. Individuals using the OEP to make a change may also add or drop Part D coverage. The MA disenrollment period (previously from Jan 1stthrough Feb 14th) was eliminated. It is prohibited to knowingly target or send unsolicited marketing materials to any MA enrollee or Part D enrollee during this OEP. Limitation to the Part D Special Enrollment Period for Dual and Other LIS-Eligible Beneficiaries— Revised the SEP for dual-eligible and LIS beneficiaries from an open-ended monthly SEP to one that may be used only once per calendar quarter during the first nine months of the year. Can also be used: 1) within a certain period of time after a CMS or state-initiated enrollment; and 2) within a certain period of time after a change to an individual’s LIS or Medicaid status. It is not available to those identified as “At Risk” or “Potentially at Risk” for prescription drug abuse under drug management programs. Taken as a whole, these changes can be viewed as a significant improvement for agents serving MA clients. The upcoming AEP is an ideal time to start or expand your Medicare Advantage offering. Pay attention to the new terms, or re-definition of terms. “Communications” is a new term, and “Marketing” has been re-defined as a subset of Communications, and means activities and materials that are most likely to draw attention to and influence a beneficiary’s decision-making process and lead to a MA/PD enrollment decision. Marketing requires CMS review. Communications does not. An example of “Communications” would be activities/materials that promote awareness of MA plans in general, and your agency offering that type of plan. While a brochure or social media ad that provides specific details about a plan’s benefits, cost sharing or ranking standards would be considered “Marketing.” The rules regarding educational events are worth noting. It’s now reasonable to include and distribute items defined as “Communication” during educational events. For example, that means you may offer business cards or agency information at educational events, without having to be asked by a contact. The rules for communicating by mail with business replay cards have been relaxed, as long as plan specifics aren’t included. For Agent Use Only See this important comparison of Medicare Supplement vs. Medicare Advantage From the Wharton School of Business, on Medicare Advantage: