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Medicare Compare Website

Crowe and Associates offers clients a Medicare compare website that allows current and future clients to search for the plans that fits them best.   The quote site (through Connecture) gives clients the ability to search for the Medicare Advantage, Medicare supplement and/or Part D Rx plan that fits theirs needs.  Using our site does not send your information to any third parties.  As a result, you will not be receiving any solicitations by telemarketers when you use the platform.

Medicare Compare Website through Connecture: plan research

The site will give you access to a number of companies Medicare Advantage and PDP plans.   The plans are based on the area you search allowing people in all 50 states to utilize it.  Quote and compare all the Medicare (MA and MAPD) plans and PDP plans in your area from multiple carriers.  For those eligible for state help through Medicaid or the Medicare savings program, the Medicare compare website has an option to show dual eligible plans available.  Medicare supplement quoting is also available for those that want to check Medigap prices in their area.

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO START RESEARCHING PLANS TODAY

CLICK TO QUOTE, COMPARE AND ENROLL IN MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, PART D AND MEDICARE SUPPLEMENTS

Doctors and Medications:

Creating a profile on the Medicare compare website allows you to create and save a list of doctors and medications.   Lists can be saved to make checking doctors and medications for Advantage plans and PDP plans easy.  The system will show how each plan covers the medications to see which ones have the lowest overall cost for the year.   You can run a list of your doctors against all the advantage plans at the same time.  This means, you do not have to look through multiple provider directories.

Medicare Compare Website: Enrollment

Members may enroll into the plan they like directly through the site without the need to speak with an agent.  For those    We are available to help those that would like to discuss the options before making a final choice.

Use the Medicare What’s Covered App to review Original  Medicare benefits

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Humana OTC catalog 2021

The Humana OTC catalog 2021 is a great resource for anyone who has a participating Humana Medicare Advantage plan.  Due to the fact that there are yearly changes to benefits, it is always a good idea to check your summary of benefits even if you are on the same plan as last year. Look up your coverage information in your MyHumana account, under member support.  Just click on Documents and Forms under member support.

Humana 2021 OTC Order form

Download the 2021 Humana OTC catalog: Click here

Place your OTC order:

Online at HumanaPharmacy.com.  Simply click on “Shop OTC & Supplies”  and add OTC items to your cart and place your order.

Use the Humana Pharmacy mobile app.  Easily download the app from your mobile service provider to place your OTC when it fits into your schedule.

Send your order by mail.  Fill out the OTC Health and Wellness product order form and send to:  Humana Pharmacy, PO Box 1197, Cincinnati, OH 45201-1197.

Fax your completed order form to 1-800-379-7617.

Any order that exceeds your plan’s allowance will require a payment by either check, money order or credit card to pay the balance due.  Any balance over the OTC allowance limit will be subject to sales tax.

2021 Humana OTC Order form

2021 Humana OTC catalog – download

Additionally:

If you have monthly benefit allowance, you must place your order by the 20th of each month.  On the other hand, if you have a quarterly allowance; orders must be placed by the 20th of the end of the quarter.  (March, June, September and December). 

Some plans offer a rollover allowance.  This means, your benefit will roll over to the next benefit period.  Please be aware, benefits do not roll over to the following year and must be used by December 31.

Choose the best plan for your needs; learn more

Learn about the Medicare updates for 2021

Need help with your OTC benefit; call Humana Pharmacy 1-855-211-8370 (TTY: 711).  M-F, 8 a.m. – 11 p.m. and Sat., 8a.m.- 6:30p.m. EST.

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Wellcare OTC catalog 2021

If you are looking for a Medicare Advantage plan, consider all the benefits a Wellcare Medicare Advantage plan has to offer.  Some plan benefits include an OTC allowance.  Take a look at the Wellcare OTC catalog 2021.

Wellcare 2021 OTC catalog – download.

There are 3 ways to purchase approved items:

You can purchase items online 24/7.  Just create an account at: cvs.com/otch/wellcare.   you will need your member ID, birthdate,  zip code and a current email address.

1. You can look up your benefit amount and and purchase OTC items from your inside your online account, browse products and add items to your cart.
2. Once you have placed your online order, you should receive it in about 14 days.  Wellcare must receive your order no later than 11:59 PM, ET for same day processing.

Order over the phone:  Call 1-866-819-2516 (TTY:711)   A customer service representative will assist you Monday-Friday from 9am-8pm.   The representative will ask yo for both your Id card and the item code to place your order.

1. Call the OTCHS (over the counter health solutions) and use the automated system to order 24/7.  Some information such as your birthdate will be used to authenticate your identity. Once the authentication process has started, your name and address will be verified.  

In person; just go to cvs.com/otchs/wellcare/storeloctor to find a participating location to purchase items from.

1. Use your OTC health solutions catalog to find approved items.  Approved items will have a blue label to help identify eligible products.
2. Go to any cashier and show them your insurance OTC card to checkout.

Any unused OTC benefits will not roll over to the next benefit period.  In other words, this is a use it or lose it benefit.

Additional information:  Returns or exchanges are not permitted, sue to the personal nature of the products.

Please call OTC Health Solutions 1-866-819-2516 (TTY:711) within 30 days of placing your order to report either missing or damaged items.  A replacement item of either equal or greater value will be substituted at no additional cost to you.

Any unused OTC benefits will not roll over to the next benefit period.  In other words, this is a use it or lose it benefit.

Click here for Wellcare CVS OTC catalog.

Does Medicare cover home healthcare costs?

Contact Crowe and Associates for help with your Medicare plan at (203)796-5403 or by email at admin@croweandassociates.com.

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UHC OTC catalog 2021

Some UHC Medicare Advantage plans provide members with OTC benefits.  For anyone who is in one the participating MA plans,  the UHC OTC catalog 2021 is a useful tool. There will be a lot of great information included in the welcome packet you will receive.  This packet includes, your ID card, benefit information and a fulfillment by Walmart OTC card.

Download  the UHC OTC health & Wellness catalog for 2021 here.

Members of specified UHC Medicare Advantage plans receive OTC credits every quarter to use on approved items.

On the first day of each new quarter, the credits will arrive in your UHC OTC account.  The amount of credits each member receives depends on the plan you are on.  The plan summary of benefits will specify the plan benefit amount. After that, your credits will expire at the end of each quarter and do not rollover.

Here are the ways you can use your benefit credits:

Go online and create an account at; MyUHCMedicare.com/HWP.  Once you have created your account, you can check your OTC balance, look for approved items and place your order.

Order over the phone at; 1-833-845-8798 TTY 711.  Please be sure you have your product number as well as name of item and your account number handy before you call.  The customer service representative will also ask you for the security code found on the fulfillment by Walmart card.

Place your order through the mail.  Just use the mail order form and the postage paid envelope you find in your health and wellness product catalog.

UHC OTC catalog 2021

Medicare changes  2021

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Have you thought about adding dental, vison or hearing coverage?

Aetna OTC catalog 2021

Are you a member of an Aetna Medicare advantage plan?  If you are, you need the Aetna OTC catalog 2021, because it offers many great products at no cost to you.  Not sure if your plan offers this benefit; check the summary of benefits for your plan.  If you do not have a summary of benefits, you can find out if your plan offers the OTC benefit by calling: 1-833-331-1573 (TTY:711).  Due to the fact that different Medicare Advantage plans offer different benefits, be sure to note if you have either a monthly or a quarterly benefit amount.

Members of participating plans can access both plan documents and the OTC catalog online: AetnaMedciare.com/OTCCatalog.

Once you are on the website; choose plan year 2021 and sue the drop down menu to fill in other necessary information.  Once this is done, you will be able to access all plan documents including the OTC catalog.

Download the 2021 OTC catalog

Members of the Aetna 2021 DSNP plan can click here for the OTC catalog.

Because people like to do things differently, Aetna gives members 3 ways to order OTC items:

Before you place an order, please have your Aetna member ID number ready.

To order by phone, call 1-833-331-1573 (TTY:711).  You can reach customer care representatives Monday-Friday, 9am- 8pm local time except in Hawaii.

Pick up your order in person at any participating CVS OTCHS-enabled pharmacy. To find a participating CVS; just go to the store locator at: cvs.com/otchs/myorder/storelocator.

Order online at: cvs.com/otchs/myorder.  The first time you  go to the site, you will need to create an account.

Do you need a paper copy of the catalog?  Just call member services; you will find this number on your member ID card.

If you are a D-SNP plan member, you will automatically receive an OTC catalog in the mail with your other plan documents.

If you would like to download a copy of the Aetna OTC catalog:

CLICK HERE – 2021 AETNA OTC CATALOG

CLICK HERE – 2021 AETNA DSNP OTC CATALOG

Should I choose a Medicare Advantage Plan or a Medicare Supplement Plan?

We can set up a time for you to speak with a licensed insurance agent, if you need help choosing an insurance plan.   Contact us either at (203-796-5403) or email admin@croweandasociates.com.

Learn more about Crowe and Associates

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Connecticare OTC catalog 2021

The Connecticare OTC catalog 2021 is a great tool for any member of a participating Connecticare Medicare Advantage plan.   To verify weather or not your plan offers the OTC benefit; either look through your plan materials or call 1-855-957-2056 (TTY:711).  Yo can go online connecticare.com/medicare  to check your plan benefits.

2021 Connecticare OTC Catalog – Flex3, PartBSaver & DualBasic plans.

Spanish 2021 Connecticare OTC  Catalog – Flex3, PartBSaver  & DualBasic plans.

The folowing plans offer a quarterly benefit amount:

1.  Choice Part B Saver Plan allows members a quarterly OTC benefit amount of $75.
2.  Flex 3 Plan provides a quarterly OTC benefit amount of $50.
3.  Choice Dual BASIC-QMB Plan-  provides a quarterly OTC benefit amount of $50.

Anyone who is a member of one of these plans can use the following mail order form:

OTC Mail Order Form Connecticare 2021 – Click here

Any members of one of the plans listed above plans; order your OTC items either online at connecticare.com/mailOTC or over the phone: 1-877-239-2942.

Please note:   You will need your member ID when placing an order.  All items ordered will be mailed to the member.

Member of Choice Dual HUSKY Plan receive their OTC benefit amount of $50 monthly.

Any member of the Choice Dual Husky Plan will receive an OTC card to use in store on approved purchases.  The card may only be used in stores that are part of the participating network.  To view a complete list of participating pharmacies visit otcnetwork.com.

Some of the Connecticare OTC network pharmacies include: CVS, Duane Reade, Family Dollar, Rite Aid, Walgreens and Walmart.

Because OTC benefits expire at the end of each benefit period; either the end of the quarter or the end of the month it is Important to be sure and use them before it is too late. The unused balance does not rollover.

If you want help finding the best Medicare plan option for you;  contact us either by phone at (203)796-5403 or email at admin@croweandassociates.com.

Crowe and Associates

To find out if Medicare covers home healthcare costs; click here

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EmblemHealth OTC catalog 2021

If you are fortunate enough to be enrolled in one of the Medicare Advantage plan that is offered by EmblemHealth, you may like a copy of the EmblemHealth OTC catalog 2021.  Members who are unsure of their plan benefits;  can contact member services to verify their benefits.

Take a look at the EmblemHealth 2021 OTC Catalog.

Do you need a catalog mailed to you; call Nations OTC at 877-239-2942.

Members of participating plans have 3 ways to order OTC items.

1. Mail in your order; just fill out the order form and send your form to: NationsOTC, 8930 West State Road 84, Suite 187, Davie, FL 33324.
2. Call the order in.  You can reach NationsOTC at 877-239-2942 (TTY: 711).  Member Experience Advisors are available from Mon- Fri, from 8 am until 8 pm.
3. Order online at:  EmblemHealth.com/mailOTC .  Be sure to have the item number as well as your member ID with the number 1 on the end and your birthdate available.

If you are a member of the VIP Reserve HMO, you can only access the OTC benefit through mail order and will not receive a separate OTC card.  Please use your member ID on your order form. 

EmblemHealth OTC Order Form;  2021 Mail Orders.

2021 EmblemHealth 2021 OTC Catalog – click here.

You can also visit EmblemHealth.com/mailOTC to view a copy of the OTC catalog.

In the event that an item is unavailable, EmbleHealth reserves the right to substitute an item of equal or greater value.  There will be no additional cost for item substitutions.

Members who place an order over the OTC benefit limit will need to provide an additional payment method before their order can be processed.

Once your order is processed; it should take about 2-5 business days for you to receive it.  Orders are non returnable as the items are of a personal nature.

 If you either need help or have questions; just call Member Experience Advisors at 877-239-2942 (TTY: 711).

Does Medicare cover home healthcare; click here to learn more

What does the donut hole mean?

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How to sell Medicare plans over the phone

It is not difficult to learn how to sell Medicare plans over the phone.  We will provide the blueprint in the article below.   If you do not have experience in Medicare sales, there are some steps to take prior to starting.

You will need a health insurance license to sell Medicare plans

Click here to see the steps to get a health insurance license

Starters guide for Medicare Contracting

After you have an insurance license, there are steps to take for contracting and certifications.  Use the link for step by step instructions.   Medicare contracting and certifications guide

How to sell Medicare plans over the phone- The set up

There are a number of ways to sell Medicare plans over the phone.   The most obvious option is to get set up as a call center/telesales agency.  While this set up can ultimately work very well, there are some obstacles to doing it which are time and cost.  Call scripts will need approval by the carriers. All calls will need to be recorded as well. The other negative is the cost to start the call center.  Those with funding and time to invest should call us to discuss the call center option further at 203-796-5403 or email Edward@croweandassociates.com.    For most people we will suggest a different approach.

Selling by phone in conjunction with online enrollment

A quicker and less expensive way to start is selling over the phone and processing enrollment online. The online enrollment function is available at no cost through our online enrollment portal Connect4Medicare  (C4M)  C4M provides agents with their own approved enrollment website and consumer facing URL.  Agents and prospects can quote and compare plans, run drug comparisons, search doctors and enroll prospects online without a face to face meeting.  The agent can enroll the prospect or the prospect can self enroll through the link sent to them by the agent. You can text or email the enrollment links.  CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CONNECT4MEDICARE   Under this set up, agents can talk to prospects over the phone and then email or text them the link to complete the enrollment.

How to sell Medicare plans over the phone: Generating lead volume

You will need to generate prospects to try to close so figuring out the method to use is important.  There are a number of ways to do this but we will focus on two of them here.

Telemarket leads:  There are companies that will generate leads by phone at a set price per lead.  The calls are recorded and the information is sent to the agent to close the sale.  We have worked with a vendor to offer one of the best prices for teleleads.  With call back leads at $10.00 and live transfers at $16.00 a large amount of volume can be generated at a low cost.  CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Online leads:  Online leads are also a good way to generate prospect volume at a low cost.  You can get online leads for $8 to $15 each depending on the lead aggregator/lead company.  Shared and exclusive leads are available but we suggest using shared leads due to the high price point of exclusive leads.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT USING ONLINE LEADS

We offer a free lead program to help off set your lead costs- Learn more about the Crowe and Associates Free Medicare Lead Program

How to sell Medicare plans over the phone: Other important things to know

Having the correct set up for phone sales is important but organization is also key. As a result, it will be important to have a good CRM. Connect4Medicare is a basic CRM but we suggest having your own in order to stay organized.  It will be important to keep all prospects in your database, schedule return calls and keep notes on each call.   In addition, you need to have a scheduled routine every day.  How many leads will you work? What time will you be contacting new prospects vs. calling existing prospects you are working with?   Other things to consider are: How much money will you have in your daily lead budget?  Do you have access to all competitive plans in the area/states you are working?   Thought and preparation is needed in order to be successful when starting any type of phone sales.

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Medicare donut hole 2020

Most Medicare drug plans have a coverage gap or “donut hole”.  If you reach the Medicare donut hole 2020, it means that you have a temporary limit on what your drug plan will cover for your prescriptions.

Some people do not enter the coverage gap/donut hole.  The only time you enter the gap is when both yourself and your drug plan reach the annual spending amount. The Medicare donut hole 2020 amount is $4,020.  This amount applies to only covered drugs in.  This amount may change each year.

Keep in mind; if you are on Medicare and get Extra Help paying for Part D, you will not enter the coverage gap/donut hole.

There are 3 levels of coverage with Medicare Part D:

1.  You are in the the initial coverage stage before you reach the coverage gap.  Last year, in 2019, the initial coverage limit was $3,820.  The initial coverage limit has been raised up to $4,020 for 2020.
2. The second level is when you reach the coverage gap/donut hole. You will be on this level once your Medicare approved prescription drug plan expenses reach the initial coverage limit. Medicare has changed the percentage you pay for your medications during the coverage gap. In 2019, Medicare members had to pay 25% for brand-name prescriptions and 37% for generic medications. The percentage members have to pay for Medicare prescription drug plans in 2020 will be 25% for both brand-name as well as generic prescriptions.
3. The third level is called the catastrophic coverage level.  You reach this level only if you have reached the annual out-of-pocket threshold.  This amount is calculated by using all the money you paid for prescriptions for the year, including what you pay during the coverage gap.  If you reach this level, Medicare will cover at least 95% of the cost for your medications for the rest of the year.  The out-of-pocket threshold for Part D in 2020 is $6,350.

Important information if you use brand-name prescription drugs:

Once you reach the coverage gap/donut hole in 2020, you will not have to pay more than 25% of the cost for brand-name prescription drugs that are covered by your plan. You will be entitled to this discounted rate if you either buy your prescriptions at a pharmacy or order them through the mail. Certain plans offer you even lower costs when you reach the coverage gap. The discount will come off the agreed price your plan has set with the pharmacy for that specific drug.

Although you pay no more than 25% of the price for brand-name drugs, almost the full price of the drug will count towards your out-of-pocket expenses.  This will help you get out of the coverage gap. In other words; both what you and what the manufacturer pays (95% of the cost of the drug) counts toward your out-out-pocket spending.

If you need help choosing a Medicare Advantage, Medicare supplement of Prescription drug plan, feel free to use our Medicare quoting tool below:

Click here to use our free medicare quoting tool 

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Medicare number lookup

If you cannot locate your new Medicare card, there is a way for you to order a new Medicare card.  You can easily find the information you need by using the Medicare number lookup provided in your social security account.  CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE

The first step is to create your own personal my Social Security account:

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Aetna OTC catalog 2020

If you are a member of certain Aetna Medicare plans, you are eligible to receive an OTC benefit.  You can find out more by looking at the Aetna OTC catalog 2020.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A  COPY OF THE AETNA  2020 OTC CATALOG

There are 2 ways to order:

The easiest way to order is Online:  Just go to cvs.com/otchs/myorder.  You can use this way 24/7, therefore it is very convenient.

If you are not comfortable with the computer, you can order by phone.  Call 1-833-331-1573 (TTY:711).  Phone ordering is available Monday-Friday from 9AM until 8PM ET.

Things to remember about our OTC program in CT:

1. The OTC benefit is $50 per quarter.  This is a total benefit value of $200 per year.
2. Members must use the catalog to order their items; they can either call the toll free number or order online
3. You can either use the whole $50 benefit at once or you can split it into two separate orders during the quarter.
4. Any unused benefit balance will not roll over to the next quarter.
5. Members cannot use The CVS extra care card to purchase OTC items.
6. OTC items cannot be purchased in the store at the discounted rate.
7. You receive free shipping on all orders.
8. In most cases, your Items will arrive within 10 business days.

Do you need help finding the right Medicare plan for yourself; please contact us.  We can be reached either by phone  at (203)796-5403 or email at teal@croweandassociates.com.

CLICK HERE TO USE OUR COMPARISON SITE AND FIND THE BEST PLAN OPTION FOR YOU.

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