Introducing the easy-to-use Tele-Sign option with Thrivent Medicare Supplement Plans Writing Medicare Supplement Business With Thrivent Just Got A Little Easier! Introducing the easy-to-use Tele-Sign option that allows clients to sign e-Applications Once all signatures are completed, the application is automatically submitted to us for review. It’s that simple! Interested in more details? Check out the Quick Start Guide. Not appointed with Thrivent Medicare Supplement plans? Request Info. ![]() |
Medicare Blog | Medicare News | Medicare Information
Introducing the easy-to-use Tele-Sign option with Thrivent Medicare Supplement Plans
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Tue, Jan 28, 2020 @ 03:16 PM
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Medicare Advantage Gains Enrollee Share
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Tue, Jan 28, 2020 @ 03:00 PM
Medicare Advantage Gains Enrollee Share Medicare Advantage coverage providers have started the year with 24 million enrollees, or about 9.2% more than they had a year ago. The total number of people eligible for Medicare grew 6.4%, to 68 million. The Medicare Advantage program’s share of all people eligible for Medicare increased to 35%, from 34% last year. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the agency that runs the Medicare program, has published the latest Medicare eligibles data and the Medicare Advantage enrollee numbers in the Monthly Enrollment by State 2020 data file. The data file also gives information about related matters, such as the number of people with stand-alone Medicare Part prescription drug coverage. The number of people with stand-alone drug coverage fell 1.1%, to 25 million. The data file provides data for all 50 states, U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. The Medicare Advantage program gives commercial health insurers and managed care companies a chance to provide the an alternative to what CMS calls “Original Medicare” coverage. Some Medicare enrollees use Medicare supplement insurance to fill in the gaps in Original Medicare programs. Other people use Medicaid; sign up for new or experimental programs, such as PACE plans; or have no protect against health care costs other than Original Medicare itself. We compared the latest data with the year-earlier data and created a map showing where the Medicare Advantage program’s share of all Medicare-eligible people grew, shrank or held steady in the 50 states. You can see the map above. In states with big, bright green dots, Medicare Advantage plans increased their share of those state’s Medicare-eligible residents more than about 2%. In states with bigger, darker red dots, Medicare Advantage plan issuers reported weak enrollee share growth, or a small drop in enrollee share. Click here to see Medicare Advantage enrollment data for all 50 states. Source: https://www.thinkadvisor.com/2020/01/28/medicare-advantage-gains-enrollee-share ![]() |
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Tags: Medicare Advantage
Medicare beneficiaries getting the most bang for their healthcare buck, study shows
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Tue, Jan 28, 2020 @ 02:49 PM
Medicare beneficiaries getting the most bang for their healthcare buck, study shows Medicare beneficiaries see the largest return on the money they pay for their healthcare, a new study shows. Meanwhile, people with employer-sponsored plans see the least amount of value for what they pay into the healthcare system, researchers at RAND Corporation found. The analysts combed five data sources to paint a picture of how health spending impacts different income brackets and different types of coverage. In Medicare, for example, as older people tend to use the most healthcare services, they get the biggest return for what they spend on their care. People enrolled in Medicaid see the largest value return as a portion of income, according to the study, as they’re typically in the lowest income brackets. In the three lowest income groups, households received more care than they paid into the system. In the fourth lowest, it was about even. By contrast, households in the five highest income brackets paid more into the system than they used in care. “Understanding how different groups contribute to and benefit from health care spending is difficult for researchers, policymakers and the general public,” said Katherine Carman, lead author of the study and a senior economist at RAND, in a statement. “This work provides better insight into how the American health care system redistributes contributions and spending across different parts of society,” Carman said. RELATED: CMS—Government payers’ share of healthcare spending to reach 47% by 2027 Overall, the researchers found, including both direct out-of-pocket costs such as premiums and more behind-the-scenes expenses such as taxes, the average person spends $9,373 per year to finance healthcare, or about 18.7% of their income. Though out-of-pocket may be the most acutely felt by consumers, it accounts for just 9.1% of what’s spent to finance care, the study found. People in the lowest income brackets are also—perhaps unsurprisingly—paying the largest portion of their income toward healthcare, the study shows. Households in the bottom fifth of income groups spend 33.9% of their income on healthcare, while those in the highest income brackets spend 16% of their income. In the middle groups, households put between 19.8% and 23.2% of their incomes toward healthcare. “Our findings suggest that health care payments in the U.S. are even more regressive than suggested by earlier research,” Carman said. ![]() |
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Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage: What’s the Difference?
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Mon, Jan 27, 2020 @ 10:36 AM
Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage: If your clients have the Original Medicare Plan, they might find gaps in their coverage that they will want to address. Luckily, there are options to help supplement your Medicare: Medigap and Medicare Advantage. However, Medigap and Medicare Advantage can’t be used together. Your clients will have to decide which plan works for them. Discover what the difference between the two plans are and which option will best serve your clients. What Is Medigap?Medigap, also known as Medicare Supplement Insurance, is a type of health insurance that offers additional coverage for normal Medicare plans. It helps fill in the “gaps” in normal Medicare coverage by helping you pay for out-of-pocket costs that Medicare won’t cover. Some of these expenses include:
Medigap plans are offered by private insurance companies that are licensed by the state to provide the plan. There are typically different types of Medigap plans, each providing different degrees of coverage. Though the number of plans varies from state to state, the majority of the U.S. can offer 10 different types of Medigap coverage. Many people decide to select Medigap Plan F, which has the broadest coverage out of all the different types of Medigap available. What Is Medicare Advantage?Medicare Advantage, sometimes called “Plan C,” offers an alternative to the original Medicare plans. These plans are bundled with the typical Medicare Plan A and B plans, creating more complete coverage for the insured person. If you opt for Medicare Advantage, you are still a Medicare patient. Medicare Advantage plans are typically provided by private insurance companies that are approved by Medicare, but they are funded by the government. In addition to normal Medicare coverage, the Medicare Advantage plan covers expenses for:
While the exact details vary depending on the specific plan, Medicare Advantage plans can also be tailored to cover costs related to chronic illnesses or conditions that you may have. The Medicare Advantage plans may also cover additional expenses, such as:
Most Medicare Advantage Plans will also include Medicare Part D, also known as prescription drug coverage. However, if the plan doesn’t include this, you can always join a separate Medicare prescription drug plan. Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage - Key DifferencesWhile the Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans can each be beneficial, there are key differences between the two. Being well acquainted with these differences can help you choose the type of plan that works best for you. PriceThe primary difference between the Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans come at a different cost. Generally speaking, Medigap plans have higher premiums than Medicare Advantage plans. However, Medicare Advantage plans often cover less expenses than Medigap — potentially resulting in more out-of-pocket expenses. You can save money by choosing the plan that makes sense for your specific conditions and lifestyle. Choice of PhysiciansOne key difference that might influence your decision to select Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan is the choice of physicians they offer. Be mindful of the limitations of both plans if you have a chronic condition that requires you to see specific specialists. Medicare Advantage offers a limited selection of physicians and facilities within their network. Certain Medicare Advantage plans don’t cover out-of-network physicians at all. Some Medigap plans offer more flexibility. Both Medigap and Medicare Advantage will cover any physician or facility that accepts Medicare. LocationOne major determinant of which plan you choose is where you are located and your lifestyle. If you live in one state and rarely travel, then Medicare Advantage might be best suited to you. If you live in more than one state throughout the year or travel frequently, then Medigap may be a better choice. Medicare Advantage plans usually offer coverage in one region exclusively. They also don’t typically offer coverage when traveling internationally. In contrast, many Medigap plans provide coverage in all 50 states and when traveling outside of the U.S. Benefits of MedigapMedigap bolsters Medicare plans A and B by filling in the “gaps” in coverage and providing more comprehensive options for the insured person. It covers almost all of the out-of-pocket costs in the Original Medicare plan. Aside from having more comprehensive coverage in general, one of the top benefits of Medigap is the cost. While the premiums can be higher than Medicare Advantage, these premiums result in few to no out-of-pocket costs. It also offers a great deal of flexibility in terms of the physician network. Generally, any physician or facility that accepts Medicare is covered by Medigap. This stands in stark contrast to the more limited network offered by Medicare Advantage. Another great advantage of Medigap is the lack of effort involved in filing a claim. There is virtually no paperwork to deal with. Checks are automatically made to providers and facilities after Medicare pays its portion of the bill. Benefits of Medicare AdvantageMedicare Advantage is an extension of Medicare plans A and B, offering more coverage than Original Medicare. This option is very popular because it replaces the Original Medicare Plan while still remaining affordable. It often has much lower premiums than Medigap, making it an attractive option if you don’t anticipate using it frequently. For many plans, if you hit the maximum out-of-pocket costs, the plan will cover you for the rest of the year. Another benefit of the Medicare Advantage plan is that enrollment is simple. You qualify for the Medicare Advantage plan once you qualify for the Original Medicare plan, and enrollment occurs annually. Most Medicare Advantage plans also include prescription drug coverage, otherwise known as Plan D. In contrast, Medigap does not offer prescription drug coverage. This means that the person being insured must purchase a prescription plan separately. Source: https://www.thestreet.com/personal-finance/insurance/health-insurance/medigap-vs-medicare-advantage ![]() |
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What is Happening to the Donut Hole (Coverage Gap) This Year?
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Fri, Jan 24, 2020 @ 09:45 AM
What is Happening to the Donut Hole (Coverage Gap) This Year? The Medicare Part D donut hole or coverage gap is the phase of Part D coverage after your initial coverage period. You enter the donut hole when your total drug costs—including what you and your plan have paid for your drugs—reaches a certain limit. In 2020, that limit is $4,020. While in the coverage gap, beneficiaries are responsible for a percentage of the cost of your drugs, and this percentage has decreased each year for the past several years. The donut hole will close for all drugs in 2020. This means that beneficiaries will be responsible for 25% of the cost of their drugs in the coverage gap this year. Although the donut hole has closed, many may still see a difference in cost between the initial coverage period and the donut hole. For example, if a drug’s total cost is $100 and you pay your plan’s $20 copay during the initial coverage period, beneficiaries will be responsible for paying $25 (25% of $100) during the coverage gap. Source: https://yourmedicare.com/what-is-happening-to-the-donut-hole-coverage-gap-this-year ![]() |
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Tags: Medicare, Medicare Part D
Changes Coming in 2020 to Medicare Advantage Plans
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Fri, Jan 24, 2020 @ 09:36 AM
Changes Coming in 2020 to Medicare Advantage Plans Beginning in 2020, Medicare Advantage Plans have increased flexibility in offering coverage of supplemental benefits. A supplemental benefit is an item or service that is covered by a Medicare Advantage Plan that is not covered by Original Medicare. These benefits do not need to be provided by Medicare providers or at Medicare-certified facilities. Instead, to receive these items or services, you need to follow your plan’s rules. This year, Medicare Advantage Plans can cover supplemental benefits that are not primarily health-related for beneficiaries who have chronic illnesses. These benefits should address environmental factors that may affect the health, functioning, quality of life, and risk levels of beneficiaries with chronic conditions. Examples of the kind of benefits that plans can now cover are:
In order to be eligible for this new category of supplemental benefits, beneficiaries must be considered chronically ill. This means that they:
If your clients meet the above criteria, a Medicare Advantage Plan may offer them one of these new benefits if it has a reasonable expectation of improving or maintaining their health or function. Since Medicare Advantage Plans will be able to create sets of supplemental benefits for people with specific chronic illnesses, not every member of a Medicare Advantage Plan will have access to the same set of benefits. For example, a plan might cover services like home air cleaning and carpet shampooing to its members who have asthma. A member of that plan who has asthma will be able to get these services covered, while a member who does not have asthma will not. These changes mean that there may be more Medicare Advantage Plan options available in 2020, and it may become more complicated to compare these options. Source: https://yourmedicare.com/are-changes-coming-in-2020-to-medicare-advantage-plans ![]() |
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Medicare Advantage Costs 40% Less than Fee-For-Service Medicare
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Wed, Jan 22, 2020 @ 01:34 PM
Medicare Advantage Costs 40% Less than Fee-For-Service Medicare Medicare Advantage tends to cost less in both premiums and out-of-pocket costs than fee-for-service Medicare, the report found. Link to the report here Medicare Advantage has a significant cost reduction value over traditional, fee-for-service Medicare, a new report from UnitedHealth Group (UHG) found. “Medicare Advantage (MA) plans cover the same services as Medicare FFS and typically offer additional protections and services, not covered by Medicare FFS, that support beneficiaries in staying healthy, improving care outcomes, and avoiding unforeseen medical costs,” the report stated. “Compared to Medicare FFS, MA beneficiaries with chronic conditions receive more preventative care and experience fewer emergency department visits and lower rates of avoidable hospitalizations.” While fee-for-service Medicare covers 83 percent of costs in Part A hospital services and Part B provider services, Medicare Advantage covers 89 percent of these costs along with supplemental benefits ranging from Part D prescription drug coverage to out-of-pocket healthcare spending caps. Medicare Advantage plans can also have rich supplemental benefits that help trim costs and add value. The report looked at costs for a typical Medicare Advantage beneficiary: a 72-year-old who lives on a fixed income of less than $27,000. This individual’s healthcare spending amounted to $3,632 per year in 2019. This was 39 percent less than a beneficiary would pay to receive fee-for-service Medicare plus a prescription drug plan and a Medigap Plan F.
Fee-for-service Medicare plus a prescription drug plan and Medigap Plan F saw $4,668 go toward premiums with an additional $1,292 for out-of-pocket costs. In contrast, Medicare Advantage members saw nearly $2,000 go to premiums and a little over $1,600 go to out-of-pocket costs.
Nevertheless, high deductibles still led to a significant price difference that favored lower Medicare Advantage costs. Medicare Advantage costs were also more stable. The costs in Medigap plans also varied by gender, health condition, and age whereas for Medicare Advantage the cost was relatively predictable. To demonstrate the variability of Medigap costs, the study compared the costs for different ages on different Medigap plans in 2019. Beneficiaries on Medigap Plan G who were 65 paid $1,393 in premiums. However, those who were 85 paid $2,720. A 65-year-old under Medigap Plan F paid $1,920 in premiums in 2019, while those who were 85 paid $3,748 in premiums. Meanwhile, anyone on Medicare Advantage, whether they were 65, 85, or any other age in the Medicare-eligible spectrum, paid $1,609 for their healthcare coverage, UHG stated. Medigap Plan F is ending, which could spell changes in Medigap Plan G premiums and costs. As plans covering Part B deductibles phase out, payers like Blue Shield of California are using Plan G to fill the gap left by Plan F. For 2019, however, the changes are just beginning to take effect as new enrollees are unable to select Plan F. Not only were premiums predictable in Medicare Advantage in 2019, but so were out-of-pocket healthcare costs, the report found. Medicare Advantage plans’ maximum out-of-pocket limit caps beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket healthcare spending. The report found that 3.5 percent of beneficiaries under traditional Medicare spent more than the Medicare Advantage out-of-pocket spending limit, putting on average approximately $12,000 toward out-of-pocket costs. This by far surpasses Medicare Advantage plans’ maximum out-of-pocket limit of $6,700. The report found that 65-year-old beneficiaries with average health saved $1,265 to $1,918 on Medicare Advantage. Their 85-year-old peers in Medicare Advantage saved between $1,893 and $3,076.
As the industry shifts toward value-based care, Medicare Advantage plans are proving to be a crucial stepping stone to cutting down costs overall through its flexibility and innovation. ![]() |
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Tags: Medicare Advantage, Medicare
OEP - It’s Not for Everyone OEP – If Not for Everyone . . . Then Who is it for? What Changes Can Be Made? But there’s more . . . a beneficiary can also choose to go back to Original Medicare and elect a stand-alone prescription drug plan. Typically, this happens when the beneficiary is moving back to Original Medicare with a supplemental plan (Medigap) from a newly elected Medicare Advantage plan. If, and only if, it was the beneficiary’s first time enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan, they can use their trial right to go back to the previous Medicare supplement plan that was in force for PY 2019 without evidence of insurability. What Can You, the Producer, Do? OEP is specifically allowed for by CMS to protect Medicare beneficiaries in Medicare Advantage plans in case they were confused, or subsequently discovered that their medications were not covered by the formulary, or that their doctors were not in the plan’s network. What You Can’t Do
Producers Can
Things to Consider It is important to remember that unless the Medicare supplement can be reinstated without evidence of insurability, your client may lose coverage. Proceed cautiously. If you submit the PDP and the Medicare supplement application at the same time and the client is denied on the supplement plan, your client may end up with having original Medicare and a drug plan – with no supplemental coverage. So, understand the situation. It may be more beneficial for the beneficiary to select a different MA/MAPD plan. Do what is right by the client. ![]() |
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Tags: Medicare Advantage, Medicare, Medicare Part D, OEP
Capitol Life Medicare Supplement - New States Coming Soon!
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Wed, Jan 22, 2020 @ 10:06 AM
Capitol Life Medicare Supplement
Capitol Life is launching for sales in ten new states!
Request details today to have access to Capitol Life's Medicare Supplement Plans. The Capitol Life Insurance Company 1605 LBJ Freeway, Suite 700 Dallas, Texas 75234 # CAP-DRTL-1019
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Tags: Medicare Supplement, Capitol Life
Mutual of Omaha 2020 Marketing Credits Program
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Tue, Jan 21, 2020 @ 04:43 PM
Mutual of Omaha 2020 Marketing Credits Program Marketing Credits are as Good as Cash Two ways to earn:
There’s no limit to the number of credits you can earn.
Spend your credits on activities that help you grow your Medicare supplement or dental business or redeem them for Mutual of Omaha branded promotional items. For full details of the 2020 Marketing Credits program – Check it out Check your balance at any time on Sales Profession Access (SPA) at www.mutualofomaha.com/broker under the Rewards tab. Credits accumulate month to month and can be redeemed at any time during the year. Note: Beginning in 2020 all cash reimbursements for marketing credits must be made via direct deposit. If you have not submitted an ACH form for direct deposit, please fill out page 2 of the Reimbursement Form when submitting your next request. If you are already receiving your credits via direct deposit you do not need to submit the ACH form.
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Comparison shopping can save Med Supp enrollees more than $1,000 per year
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Tue, Jan 21, 2020 @ 04:31 PM
Comparison shopping can save Med Supp enrollees more than $1,000 per year Recently eHealth released an analysis of Medicare Supplement plan prices showing that beneficiaries can potentially save more than $1,000 per year by enrolling in the lowest-price Medicare Supplement available to them. Medicare Supplement plans of the same type (Plan A, for example) offered by different insurers may vary significantly from one another in terms of premium while providing the same basic benefits and levels of coverage. “Some Medicare beneficiaries assume Medicare Supplement plans that cost more offer superior benefits, which is simply not the case,” said Chris Hakim, eHealth’s General Manager of Medicare. “The potential savings identified in our Medicare Supplement report shows why it’s important for beneficiaries to compare options to make sure they’re not unnecessarily spending more than necessary.” This report illustrates the potential savings available to Medicare beneficiaries when they compare their coverage options within a plan type and enroll in the Medicare Supplement plan with the lowest premium available to them. It is focused on three popular Medicare Supplement plan types (Plans F, Plan G and Plan N) and is based on rates quoted through eHealth’s online marketplace for 65-year-olds in 67 metropolitan areas. Report highlights
People born after January 1, 1955 generally can no longer buy Medicare Supplement Plans F and C after December 31, 2019. People eligible for Medicare prior to 2020 may still be able to enroll in these plans and beneficiaries already enrolled in these plans may keep them. However, some industry analysts predict that premiums for F and C plans will rise over time following this change. Read the full report. Don't get left behind...Enroll your clients online! PSM has teamed up with YourMedicare™ to bring you a revolutionary new Medicare enrollment platform to write more Medicare business. With our all-inclusive platform, you can sell Medicare plans on your terms. ![]() |
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Bright Health to buy California health plan, further growing its Medicare Advantage reach
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Mon, Jan 13, 2020 @ 05:00 PM
Bright Health to buy California health plan, further growing its Medicare Advantage reach Startup insurer Bright Health announced plans to acquire California-based Brand New Day Health Plan, further growing its footprint in the Medicare Advantage market. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Bright Health expects it to close in 2020 pending regulatory approvals. The acquisition will allow for a fusion of Bright Health's tech-enabled and personalized approach with Brand New Day's regional knowledge and clinical programs, executives for the companies said. Brand New Day's "integrated approach to serving vulnerable populations with complex conditions aligns closely with our Health Plan Care Partner model," said Mike Mikan, president and vice chairman of Bright Health, in a statement. "By combining our core strengths, we will be able to deliver an even better experience for our members across the country." RELATED: How Bright Health is changing the payer-provider dynamic Brand New Day's current leadership will join Bright Health's leadership team, according to the announcement, and will still spearhead local operations, wit the goal of preserving continuity for members. "This transaction gives Bright Health Plan a strong presence in California with an established and philosophically aligned partner," Mikan said. "But beyond that, it positions us to leverage this partnership to bring key elements of Brand New Day's patient-first, integrated clinical model of care to all our members across product lines and geographies." Bright Health has worked to expand its reach of late, including entering several new Medicare Advantage markets for 2020. It closed a $635 million funding round in December, bringing its total raised to more than $1 billion since 2016. |
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Tags: Medicare Advantage, Medicare, Bright Health
Medico announces Winter Cash Blast!
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Mon, Jan 13, 2020 @ 04:21 PM
Medico announces Winter Cash Blast!
Qualifying states:
Qualifying states: Not appointed with Medico? Request info here
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The March of the Baby Boomers We’ve been hearing the figure at least since 2011, when the first baby boomers turned 65 and became eligible for Medicare: Each day now, 10,000 Americans cross that threshold and switch their coverage to the federal program. And unlike the billions and trillions bandied about in our era, 10,000 isn’t impossible to picture. Just two days’ worth of these new enrollees would fill Madison Square Garden.
What does that number mean? For one thing, it affects a flock of other numbers. Take 60 million—the total Medicare enrollment likely to be reached this year. The Kaiser Family Foundation says that comprises 40 million in traditional fee-for-service Medicare and 20 million enrolled in privately managed Medicare Advantage plans. That total was just 54 million in 2015; by 2030, according to MedPAC, it’s projected to reach 80 million. In February 2019, when CMS released the annual projections of its Office of the Actuary, Medicare’s influx of boomers was cited as a key factor to explain an expected rise in national health spending from $3.5 trillion in 2017 to $5.9 trillion by 2027, an increase that will make health care’s large slice of GDP even larger, increasing it from 17.9% to 19.4%. Over that decade, the agency projects that health spending’s 5.5% annual growth will outpace that of the GDP (4.7%), led in turn by an expected 7.4% annual growth in Medicare spending. CMS cites two reasons for torrid growth: “sustained strong enrollment as the baby boomers continue to age into the program” and “growth in the use and intensity of covered services that is consistent with the rates observed during Medicare’s long-term history.” Baby boomers surge into Medicare Ranks of the Medicare eligible are expected to balloon till 2029 when the last of the baby boomers turns 65. Does this “use and intensity” mean a too-extravagant Medicare is in need of an overhaul? A February 2019 Urban Institute report says no. CMS data, the report contends, show that enrollment increases are largely responsible for the high rates of spending growth in Medicare and Medicaid over about the last 10 years, and that these programs’ per-capita spending growth was actually below that of private insurance. The report even gave a friendly wink to Medicare for all, noting that the data “may actually provide some support for efforts to expand public programs or borrow some of their cost containment strategies for use in the private sector.” But there is a but. CMS does project significant increases in per-enrollee spending in the coming years because of rising drug prices and a hotter economy, the Urban Institute report points out, noting that this projection fits with a view that recession and a slow recovery contributed to slow growth in the recent past. Still, the report also sounds a hopeful note about future cost control, speculating that aggressive payment programs by Medicare may have reduced revenue flows to providers sufficiently to cause adjustments in cost structures. Then there’s both an onion and an orchid for MA plans. A recent shift of recipients to such programs has sparked a rise in Medicare administrative costs, according to the Urban Institute. On the plus side, the report says that “some recent evidence on Medicare Advantage suggests that these plans have been successful at lowering costs without sacrificing quality.” Why is Medicare spending headed north? Enrollment is increasing at a faster rate than spending per enrollee. Considering what’s coming, they’ll need to work that magic big-time. A December 2017 Commonwealth Fund report noted a Congressional Budget Office estimate that annual net Medicare spending—that is, “mandatory spending minus income from premiums and other offsetting receipts”—would more than double in the ensuing decade, increasing from $584 billion last year to $1.2 trillion in 2027. It also threw in an expectation that per-enrollee costs would rise “as new tests and treatments with high price tags become available.” The Commonwealth Fund’s point back then was that the giant Republican tax cut then proposed would make an already unsustainable situation even worse. “The tax bill aside,” warned the foundation, “Medicare is not adequately funded.” Indeed, those daily grey armies are helping to push the program rapidly into the red. MedPAC has projected that by 2027 just 2.5 working-age Americans will be striving to pay the tab for each Medicare beneficiary, compared with 4.5 in the ’70s. Little wonder, then, that projections show that Medicare’s hospital insurance trust fund will be insolvent by 2026. We’ve seen this movie before, of course; previous looming insolvencies have prodded Congress into last-minute action with payroll tax hikes or other adjustments. But this time the challenge may be tougher. You know things are dire when people start publicly criticizing themselves. “I don’t think we’ve taken enough bold steps to move this curve,” said MedPAC Commissioner Warner Thomas of New Orleans’ Ochsner Health System about his commission in September, according to published reports. One of Thomas’s fellow commissioners, Brian DeBusk of Powell, Tenn.-based DeRoyal Industries, suggested possible solutions by way of a cheery metaphor. He likened fee-for-service Medicare to an automobile on which extensive tinkering had yet to accomplish repair. “Ultimately it’s going to take a new car,” he said. “Maybe it’s innovation on the Medicare Advantage side, maybe it’s a next-generation ACO, or maybe it’s one of the new contracting models.” Whatever the response of government or the market, the 10,000-a-day influx of new Medicare recipients isn’t scheduled to abate till 2029, when those born in 1964 bring up the rear of the baby boomers reaching age 65. Till then these folks are going to keep coming, and chances are—they’re the Woodstock-era kids, remember?—they won’t come quietly. Related Article: Getting Started in Medicare Sales
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Tags: Medicare, Baby Boomers
The Ten Commandments of Prospecting: 2020 Edition
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Mon, Jan 13, 2020 @ 02:27 PM
The Ten Commandments of Prospecting: 2020 Edition There was no social media or cold calling in ancient times. If there were, these rules may have been written in stone. 1. Thou Shalt Get It Done First Thing. Prospecting is often the least desirable activity on your daily plan. Get it out of the way first thing in the morning. You are fresh. People you call or message on LinkedIn are fresh. Nothing has happened to ruin anyone’s day. 2. Thou Shalt Follow Up. You get a lead. Someone sounds interested. Respond immediately. I find messages sent to me on LinkedIn tend to get lost or overlooked if I don’t jump on them immediately.
3. Thou Shalt Remember New Clients Are Paramount. Client service is important. Paperwork is important. You are primarily paid to find new clients and bring in more assets. If you are great at prospecting and lousy at paperwork, the firm will figure something out. If you are lousy at prospecting and great at paperwork, the firm will fire you.
4. Thou Shalt Treat Each Call or Conversation as a New Opportunity. You are smiling and dialing business owners. They are storefront operations. You call in the slow time of their day. You get hang-ups and “not interested” on the first nine calls. The outcome of the tenth call is not influenced by the first nine. It might be the initial contact with the person who will become your best client.
5. Thou Shalt Be Persistent. Some agents and advisors start a prospecting strategy, get to the point where it’s about to bear fruit and say: “This isn’t working.” They drop it and try another strategy, repeating the process. They put a series of failed strategies into place instead of sticking with one and making adjustments along the way.
6. Thou Shalt Not Frown or Make Funny Faces. Smile when you are working. It comes over in conversations. It lifts your spirit. If you act grumpy, you probably sound grumpy.
7. Thou Shalt Not Do All the Talking. When we get a live prospect, we often want to show how smart we are. We tell them about what we can do, before we know what they need us to do. They think: “How can you address my needs if you don’t know what my needs are?”
8. Thou Shalt Not be Jealous of Others Around You. Others don’t prospect. Some seem to coast through life. Others talk about the big ticket they just wrote. Don’t let them bring you down. Although you work under the umbrella of the firm, you are in business for yourself.
9. Thou Shalt Not Be Too Proud to Ask for Help. If your prospecting strategy isn’t working, learn from someone who has cracked the code. The folks in the office might be hesitant to reveal secrets, but people you met at conferences or the regional sales manager will likely be glad to share ideas.
10. Thou Shalt Not Be Too Cheap to Pay for Help. You found someone in another office at the same point in their career as you. They are doing well and explained they found a good coach and hired them. You said: “I’m not spending any money” and hung up. If you found someone who paid for help and got their money’s worth, give it some more consideration.
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Tags: Sales Tips, Leads, prospecting
Cigna's 2021 Sales Trip is To a Place Like No Other
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Mon, Jan 13, 2020 @ 01:55 PM
Cigna Sales Trip - Vancouver 2021 Join us June 13–17, 2021 You work like nobody else and once again Cigna is ready to reward you. How? By sending you to a place like nowhere else — Vancouver! Here, the best of civilization and nature come together as you wander from historic Gastown and Granville Island Public Market, right into Stanley Park and beyond to the alpine playgrounds of Grouse Mountain. You'll enjoy exceptional dining and sightseeing just steps from your world-class accommodation. Check out the details and qualification requirements Not appointed with Cigna Supplemental? Request info here
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MACRA 2020 Q & A: Questions & Answers
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Thu, Jan 09, 2020 @ 11:28 AM
MACRA 2020 Q & A: Questions & Answers Q. What does MACRA require?
A. As of January 1, 2020, MACRA does the following:
Q. Who is considered a "newly eligible" Medicare beneficiary under MACRA? A. MACRA defines "newly eligible" as anyone who: (a) attains age 65 on or after January 1, 2020, or (b) who first becomes eligible for Medicare benefits due to age, disability or end-stage renal disease on or after January 1, 2020. Q. Do the MACRA changes impact waivered states? A. Three states (MA, MN, and WI) obtained waivers from implementing the standardized Medicare Supplement plans because these states already had statewide standardized plans prior to 1990. Yes, these waivered states must comply with eliminating coverage for the Part B deductible. Q. How much is the Part B deductible? A. For 2020, the Medicare Part B deductible is $198.00. This dollar amount is subject to change annually; contact Medicare or Social Security for updates. Q. How does this relate to efforts to eliminate Medigap "first dollar coverage"? A. This accomplishes the efforts to eliminate Medigap "first dollar coverage" (coverage of all claims without paying any out of pocket cost) by discontinuing sale of Plan C and F only for "newly eligible" Medicare beneficiaries. Q. Why must states adopt these changes? A. States that want to retain regulatory authority over Medicare Supplement products in their state must implement any changes to federal laws impacting Medicare Supplement policies. Failure to adopt the current laws could result in a state losing regulatory authority over these products. Authority to regulate these products would revert back to the Federal Government. Q. What are the penalties for entities that sell Plans C and F policies to the "newly eligible" on or after January 1, 2020? A. Any person or company who sells or issues such policies to "newly eligible" Medicare beneficiaries after that date would be subject to fines, and/or imprisonment of not more than five years, and/or civil monetary penalties of not more than $25,000 for each prohibited act. Q. How are people eligible for Medicare on the basis of disability impacted by these changes? A. Current beneficiaries are not impacted. The restrictions under MACRA apply to persons who qualify for Medicare as a result of a disability on or after January 1, 2020. Q. Why are plans "re-designated" for only "newly eligible" Medicare beneficiaries? A. The Federal Government wanted to eliminate coverage for the Part B deductible making consumers responsible for that first dollar coverage. The only difference between Plans C and F, and Plans D and G is the coverage of the Part B deductible under Plans C and F. All other benefits are exactly the same for D and G. Since Plans C and F will no longer be available for "newly eligible" beneficiaries, it was necessary to designate Plans C and F as Plans D and G for these individuals. Q. How are enrollees in current Plans C and F affected by these changes? A. Current enrollees (those eligible for Medicare PRIOR to January 1, 2020) can continue with their Plan C or F, including High deductible plan, and may continue to buy Plans C and F beyond January 1, 2020. Current enrollees will also be able to buy the new Plan G High deductible plan on or after January 1, 2020. Q. What changes are made to high deductible Plan options? A. Since Plan F high deductible cannot be sold to those "newly eligible" Medicare beneficiaries, a new Plan G high deductible is created for those "newly eligible" Medicare beneficiaries as of January 1, 2020. The effective date of coverage for Plan G high deductible must be on or after January 1, 2020. If you are not a "newly eligible" beneficiary and are enrolled in a Plan F high deductible prior to January 1, 2020, you are able to continue this coverage beyond January 1, 2020 and to purchase this coverage on or after January 1, 2020. Q. When can the new high deductible Plan G be sold and who can buy it? A. Plan G high deductible can be made available beginning on January 1, 2020; "newly eligible" Medicare beneficiaries and current beneficiaries would be able to buy the new Plan G high deductible. Q. For high deductible plans, does payment of the Part B deductible count towards the plan deductible? A. For Plan G high deductible; while the Part B deductible is not covered (reimbursed), it does count towards the high deductible plan's deductible. If, in the rare circumstance the Plan G's high deductible is met with all Part A expenses and Part B deductible expenses are then incurred, these expenses will not be covered expenses until the beneficiary meets the Medicare Part B deductible. Q. What changes are made to Guarantee Issue Requirements? A. Since two of the current guaranteed issue plans, Plans C and F will no longer be available for "newly eligible" Medicare beneficiaries on or after January 1, 2020, Plans D and G will become two of the guaranteed issue plans for these individuals. Current enrollees can remain with or buy Plans C and F and individuals who do not fall within the definition of "newly eligible" Medicare beneficiary will still be able to purchase Plans C and F. Q. How does this change the way Plans C or F, and D or G, may be sold in the state? A. Insurers can continue to sell Plans C or F to current Medicare beneficiaries. However, "newly eligible" Medicare beneficiaries cannot apply for or purchase Plan C or F. The "newly eligible" would be offered Plans D or G on a guaranteed issue basis instead. All other currently available plans may continue to be offered to all Medicare beneficiaries regardless of their date of eligibility for Medicare. Q. Under section 9.2b, if an individual turns 65 before January 1, 2020, but does not become eligible for Medicare (retroactively or otherwise) before that date, would the individual be eligible to purchase a Medigap Plan C or F at such time as he or she becomes entitled to Medicare Part A and enrolled in Part B, regardless of when that happens? A. Yes, to be considered a "newly eligible" Medicare beneficiary who is ineligible to purchase a Plan C or F, an individual must BOTH have turned 65 on or after January 1, 2020 AND first become Medicare eligible on or after that date. If an individual becomes Medicare eligible before January 1, 2020 based on disability or ESRD status, OR turns 65 before January 1, 2020, whether eligible for Medicare on that date or not, they would be eligible to buy a Plan C or F when they are entitled to Medicare Part A and enrolled in Part B.
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Tags: Medicare Supplement, MACRA
The Best Medicare Supplement Companies of 2020
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Thu, Jan 09, 2020 @ 10:51 AM
The Best Medicare Supplement Medicare is an extremely valuable healthcare resource for many seniors. However, Medicare alone does not cover all of the healthcare costs one is likely to face later in life. And since unexpected medical expenses can lead to stress and financial strain, many seniors prefer to be prepared for what might lay ahead. Medicare Supplement Insurance is one way seniors can plan ahead for these unexpected costs. Customers pay a monthly premium for insurance that lowers or totally covers the out of pocket costs for expenses such as deductibles, copays, hospital stays, and doctor’s appointments. Some plans offer more extensive benefits for expenses such as international healthcare and skilled nursing facilities. There are numerous different plans available to accommodate people who desire different levels of coverage. And while having so many options makes it easy to get the right level of coverage, it can be overwhelming to sort through all of the companies that offer Medicare Supplement plans to find the right one for you. To help make this decision easier, we’ve created a guide that profiles the best Medicare Supplement companies across the United States. You’ll find details about available plans, pricing models, customer service practices, and additional benefits. The 10 Best Medicare Supplement Insurance Companies of 2020
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Tags: Medicare Supplement
The New MACRA Medicare Supplement Deductible Rules Are Here
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Thu, Jan 09, 2020 @ 10:19 AM
The New MACRA Medicare Supplement Deductible Rules Are Here Consumers will have to pay the $198 Medicare Part B deductible themselves — except that many won't.
A change in the Medicare supplement insurance deductible rules took effect after years of waiting and planning. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) now forbids many consumers from buying new Medicare supplement insurance policies that pay the Medicare Part B deductible. The 2020 Medicare Part B deductible is $198. The MACRA change means that the consumers who are affected by the change must pay the $198 Medicare Part B deductible themselves, without help from their Medicare supplement insurance coverage. But Bonnie Burns pointed out in November, in an article for ThinkAdvisor.com, that figuring out which consumers are actually affected by the new MACRA rules will be a little complicated. Resources
The HistoryCongress developed the legislation that created the Original Medicare program in the 1960s, when commercial health insurance policies relied heavily on patient cost-sharing payments to hold down coverage costs and discourage unnecessary use of care. The Original Medicare designers assumed that most patients could use their own savings to take care of routine medical bills. The Medicare Part A plan pays Medicare enrollees’ hospital bills. The Medicare Part B plans Medicare enrollees’ physician services bills and outpatient care bills. Medicare Advantage plans, which operate under Medicare Part C rules, and reflect the effects of the “managed care” and “health maintenance” movements, typically provide what looks to the patient like seamless, comprehensive care, with low or no deductibles for in-network care, relatively simple cost-sharing rules, and use of a variety of utilization management programs to prevent unnecessary use of care. The Original Medicare program, in contrast, pays for care delivered by any providers who accept Medicare, without the same kinds of utilization management measures that Medicare Advantage plan enrollees face. But, to compensate for the lack of utilization management programs and provider network restrictions, the program requires patients to pay many types of cost-sharing payments. Medicare supplement insurance policies, which are also known as “Medigap” policies, help Original Medicare users cope with the coverage gaps. The NumbersAbout 13.6 million people, or 35% of the 38.4 million people with Original Medicare coverage, use Medigap policies to cope with Medicare cost-sharing requirements, according to data from Mark Farrah Associates. Federal law requires Medigap policy issuers to base their policies on standardized templates designated by letters. The most popular Medigap “letter plan” has been Plan F. Plan F pays all Original Medicare cost-sharing amounts, including the Medicare Part B deductible. In 2018, 52% of the people with Medigap coverage had Plan F coverage, according to the Mark Farrah data. The MACRA ChangesSome health policy specialists have argued for years that use of no-deductible Plan F coverage shielded enrollees from the true cost of health care, and led to use of unnecessary care. Some other health policy specialists argued that many cash-strapped seniors would have a hard time coming up with even enough extra cash to pay the Medicare Part B deductible, and that exposing enrollees to more out-of-pocket costs, or “skin in the game,” could backfire, by causing enrollees to put off necessary care, and leading to an increase in the number of enrollees with catastrophic problems. Advocates of increasing Medigap users’ level of skin in the game succeeded at putting a ban on no-deductible Medigap plans in MACRA. The provision generally blocks the sale of no-deductible Medigap plans to Medicare enrollees who become newly eligible for coverage on or after Jan. 1, 2020. The Letter Plan ShiftIn practice, the MACRA Medigap deductible provision means that many people who, in the past, would have bought Medigap Plan F policies now will have to buy Medigap Plan G policies. Medigap Plan G policies are like Medigap Plan F policies, except that they require the enrollee to pay the Medicare Part B deductible. Consumers were able to buy a high-deductible version of Medigap Plan F. Medigap Plan F High-Deductible coverage will become Medigap Plan G High-Deductible coverage. Users of Medigap Plan G High-Deductible coverage will have to pay the Medicare Part B deductible themselves, but the amount paid to satisfy the Medicare Part B deductible will now go toward satisfying the Medicare Part G deductible. The MACRA changes also affect sales of new Medigap Plan C policies. Medigap Plan C policies are similar to Medicare Plan F policies, except that they offer no coverage for “Medicare Part B excess charges,” or the extra amounts charged by providers who don’t participate in Medicare. Many people who would have bought Medigap Plan C policies will now have to buy Medigap Plan D policies. Medicare Part D prescription drug policies pay for drugs. Medigap Plan D policies are different products from Medicare Part D prescription drug policies. A consumer with Original Medicare who wants supplemental coverage, doesn’t want coverage that pays Medicare Part B excess provider charges, and wants drug coverage may have to buy both a Medigap Plan D policy and a Medicare Part D prescription drug policy. The WrinklesFor agents and brokers, selling Medigap coverage will now be more complicated, because the ban on Medicare Plan C and Medicare Plan F policies includes exemptions. The biggest exemption is a grandfathering provision for people who became eligible for Medicare before Jan. 1, 2020, and who already have Medigap Plan C, Medigap Plan F, or Medigap Plan F High-Deductible coverage. Those consumers can keep their no-deductible coverage. “Medicare supplement coverage is guaranteed renewable and coverage cannot be cancelled, so long as the policyholder pays the premium,” according to an agent alert provided by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). People who first became eligible for Medicare before Jan. 1, 2020, can still buy new Medigap Plan C, Medigap Plan F, or Medigap Plan F High-Deductible coverage. Bonnie Burns, a training and policy specialist consultant at California Health Advocates, says the following types of people are also be eligible to buy new Medigap Plan C, Medigap Plan F, or Medigap Plan F High-Deductible coverage:
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is in charge of overseeing the Medigap program. CMS could create other special Medigap Plan C, Medigap Plan F and Medigap Plan F High-Deductible coverage enrollment opportunities for consumers affected by unusual circumstances, such as natural disasters. Source: https://www.thinkadvisor.com/2020/01/02/the-new-macra-medigap-deductible-rules-are-here/ Related Article: https://www.psmbrokerage.com/macra-2020-what-the-changes-mean-for-insurance-agents
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Tags: Medicare Supplement, MACRA
Mutual of Omaha Med Supp Broker Bonus Program 2020
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Thu, Jan 09, 2020 @ 08:59 AM
Mutual of Omaha Med Supp Broker From January 1st through March 31st, you'll earn cash just for selling Mutual of Omaha's Medicare supplement products. All it takes is a minimum of five issued apps in a month to be eligible for the bonus that will pay for Plans F, G and N issued in the states listed in the official rules. Here's what you can earn in most states:
Want to know more? Download the official rules for details on how the program works, including participating states, eligible plans and payment of bonuses. Payouts may vary by state. Don't pass up the opportunity to put some extra cash in your pocket!
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Medicare For All Could Die In 2020 As Private Insurers Add Seniors to Medicare Advantage
Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Thu, Jan 09, 2020 @ 08:50 AM
Medicare For All Could Die In 2020 As Private Insurers Add Seniors to Medicare Advantage Plans Health insurers are expected to make it more difficult on Presidential candidates pushing single payer versions of “Medicare for All” after they added hundreds of thousands of seniors to their private Medicare Advantage plans this year. New benefits for seniors under Medicare Advantage began Wednesday, the first day of the 2020 New Year, in what has already been a record for the number of health plans participating in a program that offers seniors the same benefits as traditional Medicare plus extras like preventative care and outpatient healthcare services. This new Medicare Advantage enrollment comes as most Democrats running for their party’s nomination for the Presidency back off a single payer version of Medicare for All that would uproot the private insurance industry.
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