6/16/09 UPDATE – See my most recent update here. . .
I got a confirmation last week that CMS had, in fact, pushed out the corrected files for Broker Commissions as of June 4th (last Thursday). Apparently, there was a subset of the file which was showing that some cases were to be paid initial commissions instead of renewal.
Further, they anticipate that all files (January through June) will be pushed out to the Health Plans by the end of June. Given about 2 weeks to process payments, in the absence of any further troubles, I’d project that we’d be current through June by mid-July. Going forward, reports should be coming out on a monthly basis.
Craig,
How could CMS use the rationale that if someone had only a PDP, but no MA or MAPD plan, that they don’t qualify as being New To Medicare Advantage? As you know, everyone that initially comes into the Medicare system has to choose a Part D plan or face a penalty each month they don’t, therefore; practically 99% of all Medicare Beneficiaries will, at a minimum, be using original Medicare Part A & Part B, plus a Part D Prescription plan. Understanding this, what you’re saying is that ANYONE outside of their Initial Enrollment Period or ANYONE that is NOT completely new to Medicare altogether is NOT qualifying as being New To Medicare Advantage?
I’ve had enough. I’d like to know if any one else is interested in forming a class for a class action lawsuit? I’m going to talk to a lawyer this week and start the ball rolling. With so many agents getting screwed, we should be able to do something to save our livelihood.
Please keep us informed about class action law suit. I am owed commissions on 22 policies I wrote. I was told i have to complete and inquiry with United Health Care.
Curtis:
I spent quite a bit of time on the phone about this. . .from the agents I’m hearing from, the common thread is that brokers are being paid renewal on cases where the Medicare Beneficiary had Original Medicare and a PDP. I’ll blog on this later tonight.
Craig
Kristin,
I want to make sure I’m getting this correctly: If the Medicare Beneficiary was using only original Medicare A/B + a PDP, then an agent put them into an MA plan or MAPD plan for their first time, that doesn’t qualify as “new to Medicare Advantage”??
The updated files are in. The new files left out all people that had a PDP and enrolled in a medicare advantage for the first time. I have now talked with 5 companies that confirmed that. They will be doing charge backs as soon as they sort the files. I think this is so wrong and we as agent have to fight this.
I have written 22 different policies this season that were new to Medicare Advantage. I have only been paid on 5 of them for United Health Care. These 5 people have never had a drug plan before. This trend seems to be very common and it had better get corrected soon.
Another United Agent wrote 30 and he has been paid on 3 so far. I will let people know it more $$ shows up.
Ray,
You are not the lone ranger. That will be the one person who actually gets paid correctly.
How can you enroll someone who is aging-in and not be paid Initial First Year???
This “RIP-OFF” is being perpetrated by the insurance companys. CMS never told them to withhold our commissions. All CMS did was tell them how much those commissions could be.(different rip-off).
Its time we Agents quit representing these companys that have no integrity. Through out this entire fiascop not one of these companys stood up for the agents.
United Healthcare released the info on payments to agents today. I received the list of second half commissions that are being paid through the end of February. They are only recognizing about 1/2 of my new enrollees and Med Supp conversions. The email releases last week made it clear that there is no appeals process. Basically, they expect us to take what we get and live with it. Is anyone else getting royally screwed like this or am I the “lone ranger”?
This feels like the last straw. I think I’m out of the Med Advantage business.
Ray:
I heard that Aetna’s new list is about 1/3 smaller than the original list. There have been some rumors going around that CMS will not pay initial commissions if there was a PDP in place even if the person was never in an MA plan. This is totally contrary to the rules they wrote and contrary to their rationale for determining what is new and what is renewal. It also doesn’t jibe with the formatting of the report they were to issue on New to Medicare and New to Medicare Advantage.
My best bet to try to figure out what is happening is to look at Aetna because I process all of the applications and try to do some sampling to see what they are doing.
I’ll also try to follow up to see if there is an appeals process in place with any carrier.
the companies that paid me from the first report are now telling me that the new report as of June 4tn is much smaller and that they will have to do charge backs. Does anyone know what happened to this report and if someone had original medicare with a Pdp will that be an intiail commission?
I spoke with American Progressive ( a Universal American company) i was told they recieved the corrected files from CMS and that Agents should be seeing commissions in a week or two.
Thanks, Craig. Okay then, it would really be helpful for agents to start posting when they receive second-half commissions, for what effective dates it was for, what company it was from, and if they believe it was correct. Personally, I represent Universal American companies and haven’t received anything as of yet. I will be more than glad to post when I do. Until then, for those that get theirs, please update the rest of us, as we eagerly await our own commissions.
Curtis:
I’ve gotten paid by Aetna for January and I’ll be paying those commissions out by the end of this week. I believe Coventry paid, but only those agents on direct deposit and I think they will need to review what they paid on as it may have been incorrect.
Craig
Craig,
Did Aetna pay you initial commissions on people who came Original Medicare that had an existing PDP?
Were you able to tell from the report that was sent to you which people were or were not new to MA?
[...] May 28, 2009 by Craig June 8th, 2009 UPDATE: I’ve now heard that CMS has pushed out the corrected reports. I’ve updated that here. [...]