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Aetna OTC catalog 2024

If you are thinking about joining an Aetna Medicare advantage plan, you may want to take a look at the Aetna OTC catalog 2024.  Aetna provides 2 OTC catalogs for 2024.

One is for members of participating MAPD plans.  This benefit is called OTCHS or over the counter health solutions.

There are 3 ways to place an OTC order.

If you are a member of an Aetna Medicare advantage plan; click the link below to download a copy of the OTC catalog.

Download the MAPD OTC catalog 2024

In store at a CVS pharmacy:

there are a few exceptions; CVS pharmacies inside Target or Schnucks stores and some other select locations.  To see if your local CVS participates, just go to CVS.com/storelocator.

You can refer to your OTC catalog to find the items that you want to purchase.  Please note: only items listed in the catalog are available with this plan.

Once you are at the store, you can locate products marked with the blue shelf tag in the store.  Some store prices may differ from the price listed in the catalog.

Redeem your benefit at any register by letting the cashier know you have the OTC benefit.  Just show them your member ID card of another valid ID and verify your eligibility for the quarterly benefit.

The OTC Health Solutions offers members an easy way to access their benefit with the use of an app.  Just download the app from either the App Store for apple users or from Google Play for Android devices.  There are 3 steps to use the OTC app in CVS stores.  Some store have a dedicated OTCHS section.  If they do not, you an find eligible items with blue tags on store shelves.

1.  Scan the item’s barcode to make sure it is an approved item.
2. When you are ready to make your purchase, just show the cashier your digital barcode from you phone for a faster checkout.
3. Once you are finished, you can check your remaining OTC benefit balance on your app as well as find answers to many FAQs.

Purchase items online 24/7:

First thing you will need to do is create an account.  Just go to CVS.com/otchs/myorder.

Choose the create account button and follow the directions from there.  You will need your member ID, date of birth, zip code and email address.

After you sign in, you will see your benefit amount displayed on the page.  You can then view available products and add them to your basket.  When you are finished shopping just click, checkout.  From there you will confirm the shipping address and review and place your order.  Items arrive within 14 days.

You will receive an email with tracking information when your order is shipped.

Order items over the phone:

to place a phone order; call 1-833-331-1573 (TTY:711).  You will need to enter your birthdate so the system can verify your account.  They will also check your name and address.

You should have the code for the items you wish to select.  If the item code is A10, you will enter the numerical code 10 only.  Once the system finds your item it will verify that it is correct.  When you are finished ordering, you can review the items in the cart and submit the order.

Members of Aetna DSNP plans:

Place OTC orders either online, by phone, through the mail or in select stores.

Member of the Aetna DSNP plans can download a copy of their OTC catalog by clicking the link below.

Download the Aetna DSNP OTC catalog 2024 Nations benefits

To order by mail:

please fill out the form provided in your OTC catalog and mail it to: NationsBenefits, 100 N. University Drive, Plantation, FL 33322.

Ordering online

Go to Aetna.NationsBenefits.com and create an account by following the instructions on the page.  Once you are logged in, you can:

Search for items

View product descriptions

Check the available benefit allowance

Order products

Track your order

Order by phone:

To place a phone order; just call 1-877-204-1817 (TTY: 711).  Member experience advisors are there 8AM until 8PM, local time 7 days a week, except for holidays.

Language support is available if needed.

Please note:

Due to the personal nature of the items, no returns or exchanges are permitted.  If you receive a damaged item, please call OTC health solutions within 30 days of receipt.

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Prepare for AEP

Prepare for AEP early.    As an independent insurance agent, Fall can be one of the most stressful times of the year due to the Annual Enrollment Period. But it doesn’t have to be! Although it will still be busy, there are four easy steps you can take now to ensure you’ll feel more prepared by October 15th. With these steps, you’ll be ready to capitalize on the biggest Medicare Advantage sales period of the year.

Prepare for AEP – Take time to review and choose carrier plans

This is the moment to take stock of your portfolio. Which carriers are you representing? Which of their plans have sold the best for you in the past? What do you have to offer new and returning clients? An agent should be familiar with the ins and outs of the plans they offer, including the benefits, costs, and applications so that you can meet the needs of your clients.

Prepare for AEP -Get ready to sell

Make sure that the basic requirements that you need to have met in order to legally and ethically sell Medicare Advantage have all been met. AEP is no time for surprises! Are your carrier certifications all completed? Is your AHIP exam completed and passed? Have you familiarized yourself with the new regulations from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)? It is vital that you be in compliance with all certifications, exams, and regulations in order to sell Medicare products.

Prepare for AEP -Gather resources and marketing tools

AEP can go much more smoothly if you partner with an FMO, or a Field Marketing Organization. They often offer their agents and partners access to many free marketing tools and resources, like event planning, reimbursement for certain purchases that go towards marketing, compliance support, online portals for data analysis and platforms for call recording, and even teams of people whose job it is to support your sales.

Look at the data

This is a good time to look at the numbers from previous AEPs. Are there certain demographics you do particularly well with? Do you have some plans in your portfolio that haven’t sold well in a few years? Look for trends and patterns and use them to identify strengths and areas of improvement to focus your energy on during this AEP.

With these steps, AEP may seem much less stressful than previous years, and maybe even much more exciting.

 Licensed Medicare Agents

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AEP Plan

Develop a Marketing plan for AEP in 5 easy steps.  Even though Annual Enrollment Period 2024 is fast approaching, agents cannot actually begin marketing or selling Medicare Advantage products to clients until October 1st. However, there are plenty of things a savvy agent can do while they’re waiting to prepare themselves for what can be the most fast-paced time of the year. One way to get ahead is to develop a marketing plan. Here are five easy steps to creating your individual strategic AEP plan.

Get specific about your target market

The more specific you can be about who you want to reach, the better. Too often, the target is just “people over 65.” But who, really, are your key demographics? Are they married? Urban? Do they have any health conditions you can help them find specific coverage for? Are they from an area with fewer in-network providers? Essentially – who are the people you can most effectively help?

AEP Plan – Know your audience

It’s always valuable to get to know the people you’re selling to. This not only builds human connections and relationships between you and your clients, but it will help you integrate their unique needs and worldviews into your recommendations for their healthcare coverage. So, what kind of people are these? What do they watch, or read, or listen to? Who are their trusted news sources? Etc.

AEP Plan – Get to know your competition

This is an obvious one, but it’s important to find out what other agents and Field Marketing Organizations (FMOs) are doing in your area. If they have a specific niche covered successfully, you may want to develop a separate one. It is also worth asking if there is something you do well that they do not or cannot do. This will help you stand out from the crowd.

AEP Plan – Make sure marketing is compliant

Before October 15th, every marketing material, channel, video, website, and handout needs to be in compliance with all of the new regulations from CMS. That way, nothing will cause delays when AEP starts in earnest.

AEP Plan – Check on returning clients

Although you can’t talk about anything but their current year plans, it will be helpful to find out now what their experience of their Medicare Advantage plan has been like this year so that you can use that information to predict what kind of changes, if any, they’ll need to make in their coverage during AEP.

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AEP Plan – Click here to see what Crowe and Associates has to offer 

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Inpatient vs Outpatient

It can be tricky to determine, at times, what is covered by Original Medicare and what is not. For instance, although Original Medicare has hospital insurance (Part A) and medical insurance (Part B), whether or not those insurances will cover hospital stays and procedures depends in large part on whether or not the patient is inpatient or outpatient. Beneficiary’s hospital status determines how much services cost in hospital, as well. To help clear things up, here are three real-life examples of what is covered and when:

Susan goes to the ER with chest pain. She is then formally admitted to the hospital under a doctor’s orders.

Inpatient vs Outpatient?

In this case, Susan is an outpatient until she is formally admitted under the doctor’s orders, after which she is inpatient. Her Part A insurance would pay for her inpatient hospital stay and all related outpatient services provided in the three days before she was admitted. Part B of Medicare would pay for her doctor services.

Jose goes to the ER with abdominal pain. The hospital keeps him overnight in observation, and then a doctor writes an order for admission on the second day.

Jose would be inpatient after the doctor writes the order for admission on the second day, and his Part A hospital insurance would cover accordingly, including the outpatient services in the three days before admission (the overnight observation). Additionally, his medical insurance (Part B) would cover his doctor services.

Laura is in the hospital for an outpatient surgery, but then is kept overnight due to high blood pressure. The doctor does not write an order to admit her, and she is released the next day.

In this case, Laura is never an inpatient, and her hospital insurance would cover none of those services she used while on overnight observation. However, her Part B insurance would cover her doctor services and all relevant outpatient services she received at the hospital.

These examples provide some real-life stories to help clarify what is covered by which part of Medicare and when, so you can best help your clients understand their benefits.

Licensed Medicare Agents

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 Life Insurance Myths

Life insurance is not required by law like many other types of insurance, and many people choose to forgo these policies. However, it can be an extremely valuable investment in your financial health and that of your family. Let’s clear up some of the life insurance myths.

Only the elderly need life insurance

Life insurance policies are more affordable for younger applicants!  Don’t be fooled by this mythIt makes the most sense to purchase earlier rather than later. Many term life insurance policies are also made with the option to be rolled over into whole life policies once the beneficiaries are older.

It’s too expensive

Polls show us that this myth is so pervasive that over 50% of people overestimate the cost of life insurance. Just like with other types of insurance, policy cost is determined based on age, driving record, health, gender, etc. so there is a lot of variation in plan premiums. There are many affordable options for life insurance that can fit your budget.

If you don’t work outside the home, you don’t need it

Life insurance policies aren’t just about covering lost wages.   That is one of the life insurance myths.  They’re about being able to replace critical work, including domestic work. A stay-at-home parent can be a driver, tutor, cook, day-care, cleaner, and babysitter that goes uncompensated. If that person were to pass away unexpectedly, all of those roles would have to be replaced and compensated.

I have group life insurance – that’s enough

Some people get group life insurance through their work. But what happens if they’re laid off, or the company goes under? In addition to that risk, many employer-provided policies offer only several thousand worth of coverage, which wouldn’t put much of a dent in more than funeral costs.

Personal savings is the same thing – life insurance myths

Personal savings can be a great thing to have, but it is not the same as a life insurance policy. For one thing, personal savings can often be easily drained with one unexpected hospital stay. For another, there is no need to limit the amount of support a family receives after the death of a loved one. The more financial support there is, the fewer things there will be to worry about during that difficult time.

I can’t buy life insurance with my pre-existing condition

Do not fall prey to this life insurance myth.  If the pre-existing condition is minor or the beneficiary is managing the condition with medical treatment, there are many policies to choose from that will simply charge slightly more for coverage despite that condition. There are also guaranteed issue policies, which guarantee coverage without any disclosure of medical history or exam, meaning that they will be more expensive, but provide the coverage regardless of pre-existing condition.

Life insurance can be a powerful tool in planning for the financial security of a family, and it’s helpful to understand exactly what it is and what it can do before making any decisions about it.   Don’t let any life insurance myths confuse you.

Licensed Agents

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Medicare Sales Tips

 Let’s be honest: generational differences are real, and people do change as they age. And they should! Priorities change as your life changes, and with advanced age usually comes advanced experiences and perspective. As Medicare insurance agents, the majority of your client basis is likely going to be 65 or older. Here are four Medicare sales tips to keep in mind when communicating with this population:

Use the proper terms

Ever had to hesitate before using a term for older people in a conversation? Do they prefer seniors? The elderly? Aged? No one wants to be offensive, and everyone has different preferences for how to be referred to. The good news is that there have been studies done on which terms for older people are the most well-received. In general, the term “older” is the most widely accepted by this age group. There’s nothing wrong with being an older person, and it’s true to their experience. Most people also like “seniors,” although not “senior citizens,” as they feel that it’s patronizing. The least liked term according to these studies was “elderly,” as people thought it made them sound frail. “Elder,” however, has a positive connotation associated with advanced wisdom and experience. Now, there are always exceptions to every rule, but with this knowledge you’ll be less likely to unintentionally offend your clientele.

Don’t use Senior Speak

This is one of the important Medicare sales tips when dealing with individuals over 65.  Speaking of seniors, there’s a verbal phenomenon that we’ve noticed that they really don’t like. Ever heard of Senior Speak? It’s when people use simplified language and even a higher pitched voice while talking to older people. Sometimes they use names like “sweetie” or “dear” instead of the person’s actual name. They might even be unaware they’re doing it. It can come off as extremely patronizing and condescending, since they wouldn’t be doing that with younger clients. It’s based on the assumption that the older clients cannot understand what you’re saying as well as younger ones, which is not only a rude assumption but, most of the time, completely incorrect. Making a conscious effort to communicate normally with older clients will prevent you from unconsciously slipping into Senior Speak and risking your sale.

Medicare Sales Tips – Practice patience

Let’s just be frank: You’re going to have to repeat yourself with clients over 65. Not because they are slower or don’t understand what you’re saying, but because for most of them this is the first time hearing all of the information you’re telling them. And it is a lot of information, with jargon and acronyms and things that take time to understand. They will have questions that seem obvious to you because you work in the industry and deal with the information every day. For people outside the industry, it can be very complicated. Using analogies and real-life examples can be very helpful for clarification.

Guide, don’t decide

Everyone wants to be in charge of making their own decisions. While you may think you know what’s best for your client, you still need to allow them to make the final decision on the best plan for their healthcare needs. A good mantra here will be, “Guide, don’t decide.” You cannot make the decision for them, but you can gather enough information about their healthcare needs and desires to guide them in the right direction towards choosing a plan that compliments their lifestyle.

Putting these four tips into your toolbox can help ensure that you’re practicing effective and respectful communication with a large portion of your client base.

Licensed Agents

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CMS Rules 2025

CMS announced changes to drug  cost rules. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) adjusts rules and regulations yearly.  This is to optimize the effectiveness of the federal Medicare program. Recently, they announced a new development that was a direct effect of President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) included a larger redesign of the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit. It is part of an attempt by the Biden administration.  And, is intended to address the high cost of prescription drugs in the United States.  Let’s discuss the CMS rules 2025.

Guidance

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services released the first of several guidance documents regarding this change, called the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan program. It is a voluntary program meant to allow Medicare beneficiaries to spread the out-of-pocket cost of their prescription drugs over twelve months. The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, a monthly payment plan, is designed to help “those who struggle the most with high upfront prescription drug costs,” according to the director of Medicare, Meena Seshamani. The Inflation Reduction Act also included a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs under Part D, which will take effect in 2025.

Essentially, starting in 2025, seniors will be able to pay their prescription drug costs in capped, regular monthly payments instead of in lump sums at the pharmacy during pick up. According to a statement released concerning the new regulations by CMS, “This will be helpful for people with Medicare Part D who have high cost-sharing earlier in the plan year by spreading out those expenses over the course of the year.”

This is all good information and good news for beneficiaries, but insurance carriers have questions. There is not yet guidance on how this new regulation will affect the insurance carrier’s plans for 2025. CMS rules 2025  information will be available in the next draft of guidance that is released.   And,  carriers will have to wait until early next year.

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Improve Website Conversion Rate

There’s endless ways that the ubiquitousness of the internet has changed the insurance industry. Agents who sell Medicare can now enroll people over the phone from their computer, all while being in compliance with all of the rules and regulations from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This is also why it’s so vital for your business to have a user-friendly website. Your website is free advertising, and it will be how many of your clients will find your services. But, if your website isn’t driving possible clients to contact you, or take other related actions, it needs some work. Here are some tips to improve your website’s conversion rate and provide more actionable steps for your future clients.  Improve your website’s conversion rate with these tips.

Understand the importance of conversion rate

Conversion rate is the percentage of online visitors that take a desired action when they visit your website. For many agents, that would be clicking a “contact us” button, or even a “request a meeting” button. Conversion rate is such an important metric because it is a way to measure how successful the website is at advertising and representing your services. It’s a marketing metric.

• Optimize your website

If the call-to-action buttons aren’t prominently displayed, your conversion rate will likely be lower than it could be. If your interface is clunky, or the graphics are cheesy, or the website isn’t streamlined for ease of use, all of these things can lead to lower conversion metrics. Review your website as if you are a customer. Is it doing the most it could be doing to convince visitors to act?

• Write engaging copy

The copy on your website should be clear and concise, yes, but this is also an opportunity to engage with your prospective clients. Let your voice come through as well, because your likability can be helpful in motivating people to act.

• Use social proof

Social proofs are customer testimonials, reviews, or real-life examples that show that your previous clients are happy with their experience. These count for a lot with encouraging prospective and new clients to act when they visit your website.

If you think of your website as an extension of your agency, then visitors are really experiencing a first-impression of working with you when they are on your website. Make it a good first impression with these tips and watch your conversion rate increase.

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