I saw 2 stories which covered Aetna’s announcement today. One from the Pennsylvania Business Journal and one from Trading Markets.
The coverage will take effect on 1/1/10. Previously, the state retirees were covered by Coventry Healthcare on a PFFS product. The Aetna plan is a combination HMO/PPO Medicare Advantage model.
If you are an agent in Pennsylvania or any of the 19 states where Aetna offers Individual Medicare Advantage (Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia or Washington DC) and you have Small Group Retiree Clients/Relationships (active employees under 51 lives) or Middle Market Medicare Retiree Group Clients/Relationships (active employees from 51 to 3000 lives), contact Don Mazza in our office to get a quote for your 1/1/2010 Medicare Retiree Groups.
Many Small and Middle Market Retiree groups are facing large rate increases due to changes in MA funding. As a result, they may be very receptive to getting a competitive quote on their Medicare Retiree Group coverage. This is especially true for Medicare Retiree Groups which were written in 2009 on a Private Fee for Service Platform (800 Series Medicare Advantage or True Group MA PFFS Plans). Converting now to a PPO/HMO Platform has significant advantages!
Having recently secured the PA State Retiree account, Aetna may look more attractive to Governmental Entities (like City or County retiree groups). In some states outside of Pennsylvania, School Districts may be shopping as well for their retired teachers (in PA Teachers are covered under State Retiree benefits and would not be prospects).
The window is closing on quoting these groups for a 1/1/2010 effective, so don’t delay! Contact Don to find out what you need to get started!
Finally, keep in mind that the CMS marketing regulations on Group Medicare are very different than Individual Medicare Advantage, so you DO NOT NEED to be pass AHIP to sell Small or Middle Market Group Medicare to Retiree Groups! You will need to review study materials and, of course, be appointed to sell with Aetna.
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