Agent Update Memo - September 2022
Below you will find new training and information both from
Senior Marketing Specialists and the industry as a whole.
Senior Marketing Specialists Updates
- AEP Extended Hours start Monday, October 3rd
- Monday – Thursday: 7:00AM – 6:00PM CST
- Friday: 8:00AM – 4:00PM CST
- Sales Summit recordings are now available. Login with your Summit registration to view!
- The Weight of a Promise, by Dan Mangus and featured on ICMG’s latest blog.
- Order your compliant Agent Marketing Portfolio pieces now for AEP!
- Birthday/Anniversary rules were adopted in several States, use our State Birthday Rule Cheat Sheet.
- September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. Use our SMS Agent Connect Facebook page for compliant and relevant social posts!
AEP Updates
- AEP Toolkit – Certification Guides, First Looks, SOA Forms, and so much more!
- MedicareCENTER Enrollment Platform – The call recording solution this AEP!
- Grow your Business this AEP with cost sharing
- Get your 2023 Supply Orders submitted to ensure your materials are delivered in time.
- Plan out the rest of your year with our AEP Month by Month prep guide.
- Certification Portals:
- Devoted
- Blue KC
- UnitedHealthcare
- Mutual PDP
- Humana
- Anthem
- Aetna
- Cigna
- WellCare*
- Lasso/Zing
- Essence– Certification link will be emailed from producersupport@lumeris.com
- Kaiser Permanente– 2023 certification information coming soon
Carrier Updates
- *WellCare sent out communication stating agents that had completed Annual Certifications, were not ready to sell. Here are the steps to finalize your certifications and get Ready to Sell with WellCare:
- Sign into Centene Workbench
- Find “My Credentials” on the left side of the screen
- Select “My Certification Cases”
- Complete the document as directed
- Aflac’s focus is on giving customers the best insurance experience possible. Isn’t it time to get to know Aflac? Get contracted today.
- ACE Medicare Supplement insurance now available in 23 states. Get contracted today.
Market Updates
- The Inflation Reduction Act has passed. It contains several key Medicare provisions on drug coverage.
- Big news for Americans with mild to moderate hearing impairment – FDA finalizes rule allowing access to OTC Hearing Aids.
- CMS Landscapes roll out in September
- Check out our CMS Landscape Walkthrough video
- CMS Marketing Changes will start October 2022. Here are some resources to help you understand the changes and how to act:
- A clear walkthrough of how the CMS Marketing Changes affect you
- CMS Call Recording FAQ’s
- See page 119-121 of the Marketing Regulations
- Submit your CMS Third Party Marketing Materials here
I personally have been with Senior Marketing Specialists for 2 years now. My father, Paul, has been with them since 2004 or 2005. You guys are GREAT! It really is white-glove service. I always get answers to my questions on the same day, either on the phone or through email and concrete evidence to back-up those answers. Having a support system like Senior Marketing Specialists makes day-to-day operations of our agency much easier!
~ Noah K.
Our AEP Toolkit has all the marketing resources, certification walkthroughs, carrier specific details, and tools you’ll need in one easy to access spot!
Sources:
cited in article
Recent Posts
$35 Insulin is a Hot Topic, But Who Will Benefit?
When CMS announced the finalization of the Part D Senior Savings model on May 26, the frantic calls began. $35 dollar insulin makes for a big headline, and clients began calling. Everyone, agents included, wanted to know more about this new program. So, what is the deal with $35 insulin, how does it work, and who can get it?
It all starts with the Part D Senior Savings Model, designed specifically to test the efficacy and feasibility of changing the rules surrounding compensation for certain drugs, namely, insulin. This works by removing disincentives surrounding a Plan Sponsor’s ability to offer lower cost sharing during the coverage gap, or “Donut Hole”. That is the core of why this is such a big deal: this program allows Plan Sponsor’s to offer a flat, predictable (in this case, no more than $35) copay for insulins, no matter what “coverage phase” a beneficiary is in. Haven’t met your deductible? $35. Donut Hole? $35, and the same everywhere in between.
So how does it work?
Why are plans now able to do this, and what was stopping them before? A key facet of plan design for Part D coverage included the times at which manufacturers of drugs could contribute to cost sharing, which currently is prohibited during the coverage gap. The new Part D Senior Savings Model allows for plans to continue to receive cost-sharing from manufacturers, without bearing additional financial burden. So, what is really important to know about all this?
- This is a test. This Pilot Program has been set up for the 2021 plan year to involve both Plan Sponsors and Manufacturers to determine how effective this new method can be in achieving better health outcomes and maintaining competitiveness in the market.
- The program is voluntary. Not all plans are involved, and not all insulins are involved. The CMS announcement from May 26, 2020 indicated that, “over 1,750 standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage have applied to offer lower insulin costs through the Part D Senior Savings Model for the 2021 plan year”. Until plan details are finalized closer to Annual Enrollment, we will not know which plans, or even how many standalone PDP’s compared to MAPD’s are involved.
- Not Everyone will benefit. Due to the nature of this being a pilot program, it will NOT be available to everyone in every area. In addition, even if a plan in your area includes this benefit, we must be careful to take ALL the client’s drugs in to account, not only insulin. These plans will not fit every diabetic client.
So, what can we do to prepare?
Keep an eye our for more announcements from CMS. They will be releasing more news as AEP draws nearer. Sign up for our Carrier Rollouts in July to get Sneak Peaks on new plans and who may be participating. Anticipate questions from clients who may or may not have access to plans with $35 insulin, and prepare alternatives, like our CleverRx discount program. Most importantly, reach out to Senior Marketing Specialists with any Questions!