Aetna is still on CMS Marketing Suspension (see full disclaimer below), however, their certification portal is open for agents to get certified to sell the 2011 Part D and/or Medicare Advantage. Of course, CMS will have to lift the Marketing Suspension before you are able to sell, but we are recommending that you complete the certification in advance if possible.
I recorded a training to walk you through the process of getting set up with the certification. Click here to view the Certification Page.
Here is the CMS Press Release.
Posted in 2011 MA PLans, Aetna, All, Part D, Training/Certification | Leave a Comment »
Here is a posting from HealthNewsDigest. CMS is estimating that average premiums on Stand Alone Part D Plans (PDP) and Medicare Advantage Plans with Prescription Drugs (MAPD) will increase from an average monthly premium of $29 in 2010 to around $30 in 2011, a 3% increase.
Here is the official announcement from CMS.
Further, due to manufacturer discounts on brand name drugs in the Doughnut Hole, Medicare Beneficiaries will see an almost 50% reduction in the cost of their Brand drugs in the Doughnut Hole. Generics will be subsidized by 7% in the Doughnut Hole, as well, due to changes to the benefit structure brought about by PPACA.
You can find rate book and supporting data, including low income subsidy amounts for 2011 by clicking here.
Posted in 2011 MA PLans, CMS, News, Part D | 3 Comments »
We have more opportunities available for Retail locations coming this Fall AEP. To review the list of stores, visit our retail page.
Posted in 2011 MA PLans, Medicare Advantage | 1 Comment »
It appears that between Wednesday night and Thursday morning AHIP added a substantial amount of material in Module 4 regarding the changes in the Medicare Advantage and Part D system which relates to the Health Care Reform Law (PPACA). If you’ve reviewed the material prior to yesterday, we are recommending that you go back into AHIP and review the new materials in module 4.
Module 5 also has some changes, but less significant. Some added material covered Educational versus Marketing events, what an agent can do at each type of event and guidelines on using marketing materials.
Posted in 2011 MA PLans, Medicare Advantage, Part D, Training/Certification | 5 Comments »
Another week with in-depth training that will prepare the senior insurance agent for AEP. AEP will be here before you know it, so be ready by licensing and re-certifying now. The listed training sessions will help you do just that. Registration is “one click” away at Ritter Insurance’s “Event’s Calendar”! (You must be logged in to register!)
- Monday, Aug 16, 2010; No scheduled trainings at this time.
- Tuesday, Aug 17, 2010; Ritter Insurance Marketing will be offering in-house training on United Healthcare 2011 Certification. United Healthcare Product Training: Evercare Dual Special Needs Plans; Low Income Subsidy seminar will be offered to agents in the Plano, TX area. Coventry Health Care of Kansas Advantra 2011 Benefit Training seminar will be offered to agents in the Wichita, KS area. Aetna Advantage Plans for Individuals, Families and the Self-Employed; Medicare Basics seminar will be offered to agents in the Mt. Laurel, NJ area. Genworth Senior Supplemental Products; One on One Seminar will be offered to agents in the Canton, OH area.
- Wednesday, Aug 18, 2010; United Healthcare Product Training: AARP Medicare Supplement seminar will be offered to agents in the El Paso, TX area. Molina Options Plus Special Needs Plan, Molina Options MAPD webinar will be offered to agents in UT. Genworth Senior Supplemental Products; One on One Seminar will be offered to agents in the Beachwood, OH area.
- Thursday, Aug 19, 2010; Coventry agents; BeneftsCheckUp webinar will be offered to agents in PA. Coventry Health Care of Kansas Advantra 2011 Benefit Training seminar will be offered to agents in the Overland Park, KS area. Molina Options Plus Special Needs Plan, Molina Options MAPD seminar will be offered to agents in the Bothell, WA area. United Healthcare Product Training: Product Portfolio refresher course or new agent overview seminar will be offered to agents in the Mercer Island, WA area. Genworth Senior Supplemental Products; One on One Seminar will be offered to agents in the Beachwood, OH area. Aetna Back to Basics: Medicare 101 Seminar will be offered to agents in the Jacksonville, FL area. Aetna Advantage Plans for Individuals, Families and the Self-Employed seminar will be offered to agents in the Grand Rapids, MI area. Aetna Individual Producer World website and the Consumer Portal system webinar will be offered to all agents.
- Friday Aug 20, 2010; Genworth Senior Supplemental Products; One on One Seminar will be offered to agents in the Toledo, OH area. Aetna Free Producer Training Webinar will be offered to all agents.
Posted in Aetna, All, Coventry, Final Expense Life, Genworth Companies, Individual Major Med, Insurance Companies, Insurance Products, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, Molina Medicare, States, Training/Certification, United Health Care | Leave a Comment »
Today we launched online commission statements for the month of August. Direct Deposits will follow in the next 24 hours.
To view your statement, there is a menu item under “My Info” titled “Commission Statements” at www.ritterim.com. You can view all statements from January 2010 to present. You have the ability to download the data in several different formats.
Posted in About Ritter Insurance Marketing, Website | Leave a Comment »
We are pleased to announce that we’ve completed development and testing and we’ve deployed a new version of Medicareful.com which will compliantly write “Contact Us” details into the Lead Portal (CRM) using agent authentication at our brokerage website, www.ritterim.com.
Now, once a prospect enters their information for your webpage, their contact information is written into our secure database (original timestamped) to provide evidence of “initial interest” on behalf of the Medicare Beneficiary. We will save the “original copy”. By logging into our website, you can track your lead, disposition your lead, run quotes, etc.
As we move to our new Health Management System (HMS), we will migrate all of your contact data to our new platform. We intend to roll this out in late October, with a demo of the new release in 2 weeks.
Posted in About Ritter Insurance Marketing, Website | 1 Comment »
On July 29th, CMS issued guidance to Medicare Advantage and Part D plan sponsors regarding requirements for 2011 certification programs. Some carriers released their 2011 Certification portals on August 2nd. Some carriers have delayed their certification process to review compliance with the recently issued guidance.
What does this mean? Since I’m familiar all of the items in the CMS document, I’m not quite sure to what extent AHIP training covers all of the items in CMS’ 8 pages outline of topics to be covered. I can say that AHIP doesn’t seem to cover the 2011 PPACA changes to OEP and the new Disenrollment period from Jan 1st – Feb 14th.
I’m not saying that this is an absolute guarantee, however, DON’T BE SURPRISED if you see some “additional training modules” coming out in the coming weeks for those who already passed certification early. I’m thinking there’s a better than even chance that current programs may need to be modified in light of the CMS guidance.
While we encourage folks to start early and take their time digesting the material, I think you should be on the lookout for “last minute” changes to certification.
As always, you can count on us to keep you up to date with detailed web pages on certification requirements! You may want to “check back” to our Medicare Advantage pages and look under “Certification” for your carriers to see if anything has changed!
Posted in About Ritter Insurance Marketing, All, CMS, Training/Certification | Leave a Comment »
With the changes to Private Fee for Service (PFFS) coming on January 1st, 2011 which require “networking” in many counties, there will be a large number of non-renewals as of 12/31/2010. Now is the time to start thinking about your marketing plans for this fall!
Some agents are not aware that there is an SEP for MA Plan non-renewals. According to the CMS 2011 Call Letter, you can begin marketing on October 2nd, 2010. Here is a description of the SEP from my “Learn about Medicare Advantage” page.
Letters will be mailed on or around October 2nd. You will need this letter as proof of the SEP. The SEP will allow you to take an enrollment in October for a 1/1/2011 effective (you can also take an enrollment in October for a 11/1/2010 effective or an enrollment in November for a 12/1/2010 effective, but I generally don’t recommend it since in most cases MOOP’s/deductibles, etc. will start over).
If you have clients who are impacted, make sure you are appointed and certified early to avoid the rush (every year we see 4-6 week delays in licensing/appointment turn around times) and to be sure you have your supplies in time to start enrolling.
For clients who do not have an SEP, you can begin marketing on October 1st, however, you cannot take an enrollment form until November 15th.
Remember, even with existing clients, a Scope of Appointment Form is almost always required to be signed in advance any time you meet with a beneficiary about a Medicare Advantage or Part D plans (walk ins would be an example of an exception).
Posted in 2011 MA PLans, All, CMS, Enrollment Periods, Part D, Training/Certification | 4 Comments »
