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Medicare Sales Meeting Questions

Medicare agents have a number of ways to reach prospective clients. One of those ways is to hold education and sales events. While education events cannot lead to enrollments, sales events can and should. With these Medicare sales meeting questions, agents will be able to learn about their prospective and offer them the best plans and support for their insurance needs.

Financial Medicare Sales Meeting Questions

Asking financial Medicare sales meeting questions is vital to discover if the prospective clients qualify for Medicaid or other financial assistance. It also determines what kind of premiums people can afford to pay. Medicaid and other financial assistance qualifying incomes vary by state, as they are state-funded programs. Some prospective clients, depending on their income and assets, might even be eligible for a dual enrollment plan, or DSNP.

• What is your monthly income?

This will determine if they qualify for any state or federal help with their premiums or even if they qualify for a DSNP.

• If you are married, what is your combined monthly income?

• Do you have any assets that may put you over the limit for this plan?

If the agent is looking at an asset-sensitive situation, it is easier to let the prospective client know what that asset limit is than ask if they have any assets. There are some states that are not asset-sensitive. As an agent, it is important to do research ahead of time to determine what the guidelines are for that particular location.

Other Medicare Sales Meeting Questions

If a prospective client already has a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplement, it is best to start by asking them how it has been working for their healthcare needs. They may have needs that are not covered and the agent may be in a good position to have them find more suitable coverage.

• What type of plan are you on right now?

• What company is it with?

• Why did you decide to purchase this plan?

• Are there doctors you would like to see that you currently cannot because of your network?

• Is this plan covering the medication you need and expect to need?

It is often the case that beneficiaries are on a plan that they didn’t feel enthusiastic about. There are many options to help get every prospective client the coverage they need and want.

 Some other general Medicare sales meeting questions that may help the agent determine the most beneficial plans to offer might be:

• Do you have dental care? If not, do you want dental care?

• Does your current plan provide benefits like dental care, vision coverage, or over the counter medications?

• (For those on a dual plan) Have you used any of the extra benefits the DSNP offers?

These extra benefits can include grocery cards, utility assistance, and flex benefits, and many beneficiaries do not know how to utilize them.

With these Medicare sales meeting questions in mind, the needs of the prospective clients will be clear for the agent to see. This will help everyone end up with the coverage they want and a plan that suits their individual healthcare needs.

Licensed Medicare agents

Get information about the new five star UHC ISNP.   This plan is exclusive to Crowe and Associates agent.  In order to sell this plan, agents need to complete an additional certification and training.  Exclusive training will familiarize agents with all the components and properly represent the benefits of this ISNP.

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What is a pro-rated Medicare commission

Medicare commissions are an integral part of the healthcare insurance industry.  That is why, understanding what is a pro-rated Medicare commission is something that is important for Medicare agents.  Pro-rated Medicare commissions help ensure that both agents and brokers receive fair compensation.  We will explain a little about what pro-rated commissions are, how they work, and why they are important.

What is a Prorated Medicare Commission:

A prorated Medicare commission refers to the proportional payment that an agent or broker receives for enrolling individuals in either a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.  Once an agent submits an application for a beneficiary, the agent receives commission.  The amount of commission is based on the number of months the enrollee remains active in that specific plan.

How Does Pro-rated Commission Work:

Pro-rated commissions are based on the principle of fairness.  Agents/brokers receive a portion of the total commission for each month an enrollee remains on their plan. This is done instead of receiving the full commission upfront. This payment structure helps agents avoid chargebacks for unearned commissions.  This structure also motivates agents to provide on going support to clients and ensures they retain their book of business.  Once the initial enrollment is completed, if an agent provides continuous assistance, education and support to a client they are more likely to remain with that agent/broker.

To view more details on commission payments, click here

How do you Calculate a Pro-rated Commission:

To calculate a prorated Medicare commission, simply divide the total commission amount for a specific enrollment by the number of months the enrollee stays active in the plan. For example, if the total commission is $600 and the enrollee remains active for 10 months, the agent or broker would receive $60 each month.

Benefits for Beneficiaries:

Pro-rated Medicare commissions indirectly benefit beneficiaries by encouraging agents and brokers to maintain an ongoing relationship. In other words, beneficiaries have access to a reliable resource to guide them through plan changes, answer their questions, and assist with any issues that may arise during the coverage period.

Agent-Beneficiary Relationship:

Pro-rated commissions foster stronger relationships between agents and beneficiaries. Agents have a vested interest in delivering high-quality customer service, ensuring that beneficiaries have a positive experience throughout their Medicare coverage. Beneficiaries can rely on agents for personalized advice, plan comparisons, and assistance in navigating the complex Medicare system.

To sum it up, pro-rated Medicare commissions are a fair and transparent compensation structure for agents/brokers who enroll individuals in Medicare plans. By aligning incentives between agents and beneficiaries, prorated commissions contribute to better long-term relationships, ongoing support, and improved customer experiences. For individuals seeking Medicare coverage, partnering with an agent who receives prorated commissions can be a valuable resource for obtaining guidance and assistance throughout their healthcare journey.

Click here to view a YouTube video on Medicare commission payment details

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Tips For Selling Medicare Over The Phone

The vast majority of Medicare beneficiaries will have their first conversations with an agent either over email or over the phone. Particularly since the pandemic, many people are more prepared to discuss, choose, and even purchase their plans over the phone rather than in person, in an office. With this in mind, here are some basic tips for successfully marketing and selling Medicare insurance plans over the phone.

How to Get Prospects to Call

In general, the nature of Medicare insurance plans means that outgoing calls or cold calls are not the most successful way to sell Medicare. Agents can call pre existing contacts, of course, and beneficiaries ready for re-enrollment, but in general, it is best to let potential clients come to you.

One marketing tip is to get involved in the local and wider community. An agent having a presence in their community means that, when people are ready for Medicare insurance enrollment, that agent will be the one they think of and are most likely to call. Some of the ways agents can do this is by writing newsletters in local papers, giving free seminars at local libraries, and getting involved with local business groups to network with local business owners. Community is where sales come from and opportunities as well. If the agent develops a reputation as an expert in their community, that will drive members of the community to them as needed.

How to Make Outbound Calls

There are many rules about making outbound calls as a Medicare insurance agent. They are rather strict, and the following is a list of what an agent can do:

• Call current enrollees, including those in non-Medicare plans, to discuss plans

• Return phone calls and messages to those who contact them

• Call with permission.  Examples include an online phone call or contact request or a business requesting a return call from the agency

These rules exist to protect beneficiaries, and are related to the ethics of selling Medicare insurance plans. The following are some of the things that agents cannot do:

• Make unsolicited phone calls to prospective beneficiaries and clients

• Call about other business and then switch topics to Medicare

• Agents cannot call about referrals – the referred person must call the agent

• Call someone who attended a sales event – the only exception to this rule is if the agent has express permission for this phone call from that sales event.  Proof of permission must be documented.

• Agents cannot call about whether or not prospective clients received something in the mail

With those rules in place, the most ethical and easiest way to generate business for a Medicare insurance agent is by getting people to call them; not the other way around.

Licensed agents – Selling Medicare Over the Phone

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Starting a Medicare Insurance Agency

If you enjoy helping others and  want to start your own business, starting a Medicare insurance agency could be a good fit for you.

The first thing you need to have is a solid understanding of Medicare:

You should familiarize yourself with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services (CMS) and their rules and regulations.  It is very important that you understand the various types of Medicare plans available and what they provide.

It is also a good idea to have Medicare sales experience. This will help you understand what it takes to be successful in the field and give you invaluable information to train your downline agents. Although there are some large Medicare agencies with owners that do not sell, they employ key people who do have sales experience that help ensure the success of the agency.

Some ideas to get you started:

1.  It is necessary to develop a business plan to help you get started
2.  Make sure you obtain all the necessary licenses and certifications to be complaint with all regulations.
3.  Establish a legal structure such as; sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC) or Corporation.  It is best to consult an attorney of advisor to help with this.
4.  Obtain all the insurance coverage you need including E&O, liability and in some cases, workers compensation.
5.  Develop a marketing strategy to promote your agency and gain public visibility. Create a website, social media platforms, print media and networking events.
6.  Decide what staff you need to run a business and make sure they are trained and ready to go.

Agency Contract levels:

The amount each contract level receives is regulated by CMS.  Each year, CMS puts a cap on the amount of commission paid for each sale.  This amount varies by state.

The different levels of contracts include:

1.  Street level – carriers pay the compensation directly to the sub agent with the override paid to the agency.  The amount of the override depends on the agency level.
2.  General agency or GA is the first agency level.  Agents at this level receive compensation above street level as well as overrides on any business written by downline agents.
3.  Master General Agency or MGA.  This level is achieved by meeting carrier requirements beyond that of the GA level for sales and downline agents.
4.  Senior General Agency or SGA.  There are even more sales requirements as well as a higher number of downline agents needed to achieve this level.

Please keep in mind, the number of subagents and sales that each carrier requires to reach the different contracting levels is determined independently by carrier.

If you have either a GA, MGA or SGA contract, your sub agents can still receive street level compensation with your agency receiving the override compensation.  Most carriers pay the street level  compensation directly to the sub agent while the agency receives the override payment.

More information about starting a Medicare Insurance agency:

Some agencies work with LOA (licensed only agents).  This means, the insurance carrier pays all compensation to the agency.  The agency then pays a agreed upon amount to the agent.  This model is commonly used by agencies who provide either low or no cost leads to their agents.  When this is the case, compensation levels can vary greatly, depending on what type of leads are offered.  Some agents receive compensation well below street when this is the model used.  With this set up, agencies generally own the book of business and may or may not pay out renewals.

Other agencies offer their agents street level contracts.  If this is the case, the agents receive compensation directly from the carrier as well as referrals.  In this instance the agent owns their own book of business.  Agent who are aware of the street level compensation amounts will rarely decide to work LOA under an agency.

You need agents to make up your agency::

To bring in new agents, you need to have something to offer them.  Provide them with leads or a lead program.  Make sure you offer training to them as well as be available to answer any questions they may have.

It is also a good idea to provide free tools that can help make writing business easier for them. Like online quoting and enrollment tools.

Click here to learn more about what to offer your downline agent

A proven training program helps your new producers build the confidence to get up and running. Training also helps low producing agents increase sales.  Many agents complain about uplines that do not provide the guidance they need to make sales.  Many agents are just looking for the support they need to become successful.

Most agencies use several strategies to recruit new agents.  Before you bring in anyone, decide if you are looking for agents who are already licensed and experienced or you want to bring on someone with no experience so you can train them from the ground up.  Whatever you decide, be sure you bring in someone who has the potential to help your agency grow.

How do I build the agency’s book of business:

The most important part of a Medicare business is finding qualified prospects and enrolling them in policies.  That is where finding a good source for leads is very important and finding the best way to work them.  Some agents do well on the phone while others may be great at presentations.  Maybe you like mailers.  This is something that you need to figure out.  Leads do not come with a guarantee.  Weather you make those sales or not depends on your ability.

The best lead source is word of mouth.  When you take good care of your clients, they tend to tell their friends and relatives.  This is free lead source and are invaluable.  That is why we cannot stress enough;  know your stuff!  Learn the plans and the enrollment periods.  Be aware of the marketing rules and everything in between.  This way you can ensure your clients get the best possible coverage and will stay on your books.

Learn about our T-65 Medicare Seminar Sales Program

Watch our YouTube video on best practices to build a Medicare agency

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Five Strategies for Getting and Keeping Clients

Agents need to learn how to effectively approach their potential clients in order to provide them with appropriate supplemental health insurance that will cover what is needed. Here are five strategies for getting and keeping clients.

1. Establish Rapport

This can truly be as simple as treating clients like the people and individuals that they are rather than as revenue. Empathy and confidence can go a long way here, as well as asking open-ended questions to get clients to open up to you in ways that may help you determine how to best help them.

2. Understand Motivations

There are nearly unlimited options for Medicare Supplemental Plans. With this in mind, it is crucial that an agent find out what is important to the client. Once the agent understands what procedures, services, and goods are likely to be needed, it will be much easier to recommend a supplemental plan that fits with the client’s lifestyle.

3. Educate Clients

It is vital that clients are informed about all of their options. Before they will buy a supplemental plan, they need to believe that they need what the agent is offering them, which requires the knowledge to evaluate their options. Part of educating clients is illustrating how the right levels of coverage will affect their lives moving forward. Many clients who come to purchase supplemental insurance will have little idea of how the system works, so it is very important that agents are knowledgeable enough to give them the information they need to make educated decisions.

4. Tell Relatable Stories – (key to getting and keeping clients)

Often, agents can be tempted to quote facts and figures as a way to convince clients to purchase supplemental coverage. However, it is often much more effective to tell personal stories. Anecdotes about how the right level of coverage has positively affected former customers or acquaintances can do much more for convincing than abstract numbers can.

5. Discuss Costs in a Positive Light

Although clients will have to pay to purchase the supplemental plans, agents can make this far more palatable. One of the ways to do this is to give examples of how the level of coverage they are paying for will positively affect their lives.

Five Strategies for Getting and Keeping Clients – Training Videos.

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Watch a webinar on building a Medicare agency

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Does Medicare Cover Hospice ?

How to Qualify for Hospice Care:

Your clients qualify for hospice care if they have Medicare Part A and meet the following conditions:

• A hospice doctor (and regular doctor if applicable) certifies that they are terminally ill (defined as a life expectancy of 6 months or less).

• They accept comfort care (palliative care) instead of continuing to try to cure the illness.

• They sign a statement choosing hospice care instead of other Medicare-covered treatments for the terminal illness and related conditions.

Your clients can usually get Medicare-certified hospice care in their home or other live-in facility like a nursing home. They can also get hospice care in an inpatient hospice facility.

What is Hospice Care:

Depending on the terminal illness and related conditions, a hospice team will create a plan of care that can include any/all of these services:

• Doctors’ services.

• Nursing and medical services.

• Equipment for pain relief and symptom management.

• Medical supplies.

• Drugs for pain and symptom management.

• Aide and homemaker services.

• Physical therapy services.

• Occupational therapy services.

• Speech-language pathology services.

• Social services.

• Dietary counseling.

• Spiritual and grief counseling for you and your family.

• Short-term inpatient care for pain and symptom management.

• Inpatient respite care, which is care provided in a Medicare-approved facility (like an inpatient facility, hospital, or nursing home), so that the usual caregiver can rest.

• Any other services Medicare covers as the hospice team recommends.

What it Costs in Medicare:

• Clients pay nothing for hospice care.

• Clients pay a copayment of up to $5 for each prescription for outpatient drugs for pain and symptom management. In the case the hospice benefit doesn’t cover a drug, the client’s hospice provider should contact the Medicare plan to see if Part D covers it.

• The client may have to pay for board if they live in a facility and choose to get hospice care.

• To learn more about what is covered under Hospice Care, visit Hospice Care Coverage.

Find out what Medicare covers

Click  here to learn 5 things Medicare does not cover.

If you would like more information on Medicare enrollment, you can find it at Medicare.gov.

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Medicare Advantage sales

Medicare Advantage Sales: A Guide for Insurance Agents

Medicare Advantage plans, also known as Medicare Part C, are becoming a very popular choice for many Medicare beneficiaries. Because of this fact, many Medicare agents earn a good portion of their commission through the sale of MA plans.  These plans are an alternative option to the Original Medicare plans that Medicare offers.  In this blog, we go over a few things you need to know about the sale of MA plans.

Understanding Medicare Advantage Plans

Before we dive into Medicare Advantage sales, it is important to understand what these plans are. Medicare Advantage plans provide benefits similar to Original Medicare (Part A & Part B).  Original Medicare does not offer these plans.  Only private insurance companies can offer these plans to beneficiaries.  Most plans include additional benefits such as vision, dental and hearing coverage.  Many MA plans also provide prescription drug coverage (Part D).

These plans typically have either a low or no plan premium.  It is important to note;  MA plans have restrictions on which doctors and hospitals you can use. In addition, beneficiaries must continue to pay their Part B premium even while enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.

Eligibility for MA Plans

To be eligible for a Medicare Advantage plan, individuals must be enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Part B, and live within the plan’s service area. There are several instances when enrollment in these plans typically occurs.  They can enroll during their Initial election period (IEP) or during the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) which takes place from October 15th through December 7th each year. However, individuals may also be able to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan during certain special enrollment periods (SEPs).

Selling Medicare Advantage Plans

Now that you understand what Medicare Advantage plans are and who is eligible for them, let’s discuss how to sell these plans as an insurance agent.

1. Obtain the necessary licenses and certifications: In order to sell Medicare Advantage plans, you must be licensed as an insurance agent and certified to sell Medicare Advantage plans by both  the insurance carrier and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
2. Know your products: It’s important to understand the various Medicare Advantage plans offered by different insurance companies, as well as the benefits, costs, and restrictions associated with each plan. This knowledge will allow you to help clients choose the best plan for their needs.
3. Develop a marketing strategy: Medicare Advantage sales require a targeted marketing strategy. You may want to consider advertising in local newspapers or on social media, attending community events, and offering educational seminars.
4. Build relationships with clients: As with any sales business, building relationships with clients is key to success. Make sure to follow up with clients after they enroll in a plan to ensure they are satisfied with their coverage and answer any questions they may have.
5. Stay up-to-date with changes: Medicare Advantage plans can change from year to year, so it’s important to stay informed of any updates or changes to the plans you offer. This will ensure that you can provide accurate and up-to-date information to your clients.

 2023 MA commissions

Learn about our Medicare quoting and enrollment sites, they are free to our agents!

In conclusion, selling Medicare Advantage plans can be a rewarding business opportunity for insurance agents. By obtaining the necessary licenses and certifications, knowing your products, developing a marketing strategy, building relationships with clients, and staying up-to-date with changes, you can successfully sell these plans to Medicare beneficiaries.

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Sell Medicare Plans From Home

You might be interested to know you can have a great home based career. If you are willing to do the work this can be great opportunity for you. If you like helping people and providing people with the coverage they need.  You can learn to Sell Medicare Plans From Home.  Insurance agents traditionally sell Medicare plans on a face to face basis.  They usually hold meetings in either clients homes, a public venue or their own office. If they have one.  This is how a majority of our agents write Medicare plans.  Although, our top producers rarely if ever go out to meet with new prospects or current clients.   They write and retain Medicare plans from their home every day without the need to travel and are consistently our best producers.  While Medicare supplements are often the most popular plans to sell online, some agents do also offer Advantage and part D plans.

Through trial and error we have learned the most efficient and effective way to sell Medicare from your home or office without face to face meetings.  With hard work and dedication our strategy is a fantastic way to build a big book of business quickly. We work with both new and existing agents.  Let us help you start to build a  good client base and become a successful agent.  We provide a 100% free Medicare lead program. In fact, we provide training  both via webinar and in person. In addition, we will pay licensing costs for new agents.  We offer all our agents full support.

Getting Started

Existing agents should either contact us or start with our here.  Those individuals that do not have a license and who want to become an agent, should start with our Becoming a Life and Health Agent blog.  Please  either call our office at 203-796-5403 or email admin@croweandassociates.com with questions.  We are here to help you succeed and are happy to do so!

In order to sell from home, you need to enroll members online and over the phone.  Our online enrollment platform called Connect4Medicare allows agents to enroll members online.  Click here for recorded webinar!