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Nationwide, Medicare beneficiaries have been reporting scam phone calls that inform them a new Medicare card is in the mail. If your senior clients ask you about this, please advise them to hang up on these suspicious callers and do not fall for this attempt at gaining access to their personal information.

How the scam works:
A senior answers the phone and an unknown caller, usually with an accent, claims to be with Medicare or another government office. He will inform them that their new Medicare card is in the mail and they will receive it in a few days. However, in the meantime they need to set up their direct deposit so their Medicare funds can be deposited into their bank account. All they need to do is tell the caller their banking information and he will take care of the rest.

An alternative method has the caller asking the senior to verify their identity in order to receive their new card. They will ask for their Medicare card number (social security number) as well as other personal information they can then use to steal their identity.

Here’s how your clients can avoid Medicare Card Identity Theft:

1. Don’t carry their Medicare card in their wallet. If the card is lost or stolen the scammer can use the information to commit identity theft.
   
   
2. Don’t give their information over the Internet, over the phone, or to anyone to goes into their home uninvited. Only give personal information to doctors and providers approved by Medicare.
   
   
3. If they suspect identity theft, or feel like they’ve given their personal information to someone they shouldn’t have, they need to call the Federal Trade Commission’s ID Theft Hotline at 1-877-438-4338.

Hopefully your senior clients won’t be targeted by this scam; however, it’s always best to be prepared in case. See Medicare.gov for more information about Medicare fraud, ID theft and other issues.

Source: The Banner

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A new bipartisan legislation was introduced last month by Senators Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) that would allow Medicare to pay seniors to improve and maintain their health. The pinned Medicare Better Health Rewards program would measure the seniors' wellness using six criteria: blood pressure, cholesterol, tobacco use, body mass index, diabetes indicators, and up-to-date vaccinations and screenings.

With this plan, seniors would work with their doctors during their yearly Medicare "wellness" visits to evaluate their performance and to improve their health based on the set standards. Successful beneficiaries will be eligible for up to $200 by the program’s second year and $400 by its third year.

Rob Kind, (D-Wisconsin), a co-sponsor of twin House legislation stated "This is exactly the kind of bold, concrete and common-sense legislation that we need to rein in health care spending and help our seniors live healthy lives."

The initiative would be funded by Medicare savings generated by healthier seniors. However, it's only one of the options being considered to lower the program’s healthcare costs.

Source: The Hill

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In 2013, there are currently 14.4 million Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage. This is an increase of more than one million (9.7%) from 2012 and sets a record high for enrollees. Even though there were concerns that payment changes from the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) would lead to fewer enrollments, it has seen an increase of 30% since 2010. About 28% of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans today and there is very little evidence of an adverse effect on enrollment in low versus high cost counties as a result of payment rate change in the ACA.

Don’t overlook the importance of adding a competitive Hospital Indemnity Plan to your senior care portfolio.

This growth is a continuation of the rapid growth in enrollment that occurred at the same time as the introduction of Part D in 2006. Also, the implementation of other changes to the Medicare Advantage program authorized by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003. This growth has happened despite the fact that the average number of plans available to enrollees nationwide declined from a high of 48 plans in 2009 to only 20 plans in 2012 and 2013.

With the Annual Enrollment period coming up, be sure to check out our Medicare Advantage product portfolio to make sure you have the best company rates in your area. If you have any questions about the products we offer or the Medicare Advantage market, please call our marketers at 1-800-998-7715.

Source: KHN

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When things are going well, picking the low-hanging fruit works and your business continues to run. The process is easier and it’s comfortable because you’ve gotten so good at the technique needed to turn those prospects to clients. Some producers continue with this method because they feel like the risk isn’t greater than the reward. Take courage to stretch yourself and your business!

Obviously you should continue to pick the low-hanging fruit, however at the same time you should “keep your ladder handy” for those higher opportunities. The important thing to remember is not to get lazy or into a rut. Remember that picking the low-hanging fruit is a complacent, low-energy, passive activity. When you reach higher, it’s more strategic and proactive. Plus, the low-hanging fruit will not always be available. In order to prevent decreases in your business, implement a diversity strategy so you can continue to bring in revenue from different sources.

For some this will be identifying a new niche market to get into. Choose one that isn’t being served or one that is maybe being served by a competitor you know your business is superior to. For others it will be assigning different members of their staff to the low-hanging fruit which leaves them time to pursue new markets or challenges in order to expand their business. If you’re only concentrating on the low-hanging fruit you aren’t paying attention to the bigger picture and your business could get blind sighted.

The Titanic is a good example. No one thought the ship would sink. However, it did. What sunk the Titanic wasn’t the ice they could see but the ice they could not see – the ice they neither anticipated nor planned for. Have your plan ready for the circumstances outside your control; you and your company depend on it.

Source: LifeHealthPro

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Introducing Hospital Indemnity plans designed specifically for Medicare Advantage members that cover Primary Care Doctor Visits, Inpatient Hospital Co-pays or Co-insurance, and much more. The average hospital stay for someone age 65 and over is 5.5 days. Would your average Medicare Advantage client be able to readily cover a $250 per day as a co-payment for days 1-5, totaling $1250?

Of the 14,500,000 people currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Program 56% of them are on a zero premium plan, many of which provide the member with a considerable monthly Part B premium giveback. With a Hospital Indemnity plan you can offer your clients a way to take their Medicare Advantage Part B premium giveback and apply it toward their plan to help them cover many of their most common co-payment with Medicare Advantage.

Benefits of a Hospital Indemnity Plan Include:

• Hospital Admission for Days 1-5
• Ambulance Transportation
• Emergency Room Coverage
• Laboratory & Radiology Benefits
• Skilled Nursing Facility Benefits
• Primary Care Doctor Office Visits (No Prior Hospital Stay Required)
• Annual Wellness Benefits
• Preventative Care Benefits

The Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have said that a Hospital Indemnity Plan can be marketed and sold during a Medicare Advantage appointment as long as it was agreed on the Scope of Appointment form. You can also go back to your current clients with Medicare Advantage and do a basic Needs Analysis to see how the Hospital Indemnity Plan will benefit them and limit their out of pocket costs.

Not only will you be able to show your Medicare Advantage clients an affordable way to help protect themselves financially from large Maximum-Out-Of-Pocket (MOOP) liabilities, which can be as large as $6,700, but it’s also a great way to increase your commissionable income.

PSM offers several options for Hospital Indemnity. Plans from Sentinel Life, Equitable Life, GTL, and Heartland National are all available to be added to your portfolio. Please give your marketer a call at 1-800-998-7715 for more information on this versatile product for your senior insurance clients.

Article you may want to take into consideration for future product offering strategies

Coming Surge in Medicare Advantage?
Enrollment May Rise 50 Percent in Next 10 Years
By Alex Wayne and Alex Nussbaum – Bloomberg – May 16, 2013

Enrollment in the U.S.-funded Medicare plans run by UnitedHealth Group Inc., Humana Inc. and other insurers may rise 50 percent in the next decade rather than declining as predicted earlier, U.S. budget analysts said. Medicare Advantage plans for the elderly and disabled will swell to 21 million participants by fiscal 2023 from 14 million this year, the Congressional Budget Office said yesterday in its annual review of the federal budget. The CBO didn’t explain the revision from its previous estimate that enrollment would fall to 11 million and a spokeswoman didn’t respond to an e-mail. The reversal shows that a recent slowdown in health-care cost growth may be permanent, said Joseph Antos, a health economist at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington who has advised the CBO in the past. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-05-15/unitedhealth-humana-may-see-surge-in-medicare-advantage.html

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By building an effective brand for your business you can separate yourself from the competition in this industry. Creating an effective brand is one that convinced people to buy “you” before they step foot into your office or talk to you over the phone. Determine your brand in your community and see if people already know who you are. If they do, what is the brand they identify with your name? Does is help to separate you from the competition or does it lump you in with everyone else?

Here are some ways to develop a positive brand that allow you to stand apart from your competition:

• Old-fashioned values. This means treating people with respect; explaining things in a way people can understand, and listening intently so you can truly hear your client’s needs. You are always focused on your client’s agenda, not your own. If you say you’re going to do something you do it, and if you make a mistake, take responsibility and find a solution as soon as possible.
  
  
• Expert knowledge. Be among the absolute best at what you do. Study the art of our craft and become an expert in the field. Also, it’s important to know the products you represent. It’s been said the products you recommend will only account for 10 percent of your success in gaining new clients. So you should know 100 percent of that 10 percent.
  
  
• Genuine understanding. Since in the Medicare Supplement field you will be working almost exclusively with either retirees or people getting ready to retire it’s important to understand what your clients are going through. Become an expert in your niche. You don’t need to be jack-of-all trades but rather a specialist in your field. Genuine understanding can only be demonstrated over time by having a passion for serving the needs of your clients.

An effective message and brand along with a great marking plan can lead to the successful practice you’ve been working toward. If you have any questions, please give your marketer a call at 1-800-998-7715.

Source: LifeHealthPro

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For the month of April, Cigna Medicare Supplement has put a Visa Gift Card contest in place for their active writing agents. The ground rules are to sell as many ARLIC Medicare Supplement policies as possible during the entire month of April and win a Visa Gift Card for applications issued within the month. Gift cards will be given in the following increments:

Base Hit (7 Apps) = $200
Triple (10 Apps) = $300
Home Run (20 Apps) = $500

Go Here for the Official Rules.

Once appointed, you will find all your equipment on AgentView. From applications to brochures and even EXPRESS APP, AgentView is your coach to a GRAND SLAM.

Along with competitive rates, Cigna has several benefits for their agents to take advantage of including High Commissions, a Paperless Application Process, Clean Case Issue in 2-4 days, and Daily Advances. Now with the addition of the Visa Gift Card contest, it’s an even better time to get contracted and start selling Cigna to your senior clients.

Cigna Medicare Supplement is currently available for sale in AL, IA, IL, KY, LA, MS, MT, NE, NC, NM, NV, OK, RI, SC, SD, TX, and WV. New states are becoming available continuously and rates have been filed in AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IN, HI, KS, MA, MD, ME, MO, ND, NH, NJ, OH, PA, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, and WY. With this kind of national availability, Cigna is an ideal Med Supp to use to sell Medicare Supplements by phone.

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On Monday the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services scrapped the proposed 2.2 percent cut to Medicare Advantage plans. America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) was against the decrease all along, launching a campaign lobbying against it which included television ads, studies defending Medicare Advantage, and a letter-writing campaign with members of Congress. AHIP argued that seniors and those with disabilities enrolled in these plans would face higher premiums, reduced benefits and some loss of coverage options if these cuts were put into effect.

Instead, the Medicare agency announced that it would offer a 3.3 percent payment increase for next year. Jonathan Blum, CMS acting principal deputy administrator explained, "The policies announced today further the agency’s goal of improving payment accuracy in all our programs, while at the same time ensuring program stability and preserving beneficiary choice."

AHIP praised the agency for avoiding what it termed a "crushing blow" to Medicare Advantage beneficiaries. President and CEO of AHIP, Karen Ignagni, stated "CMS has taken an important step to help stabilize Medicare Advantage at a time when the program is facing significant challenges." She continued by saying that AHIP will continue to work with policymakers in both parties "to strengthen this critically important part of Medicare that provides high-quality, affordable coverage to more than 14 million seniors and people with disabilities."

This change is seen as a huge victory for health insurance lobbyists who worked very hard to reverse these potentially devastating cuts. However this is hardly the end of the Medicare Advantage trial. Medicare Advantage plans are still on the road to several major long-term alterations in the next few years. We will just have to wait and see which ones actually go into effect.

Source: Benefitspro.com, National Review

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