Tips: Marketing Medicare

With baby boomers continuing to become Medicare eligible, agents should consider marketing to this consumer base. Remember, you cannot talk about the Medicare Advantage or Part D unless you have completed the appropriate certifications. Research indicates that Baby Boomers are using social media: 84% of Baby Boomers have a Facebook account 58% visit a company’s website after encountering the brand on social media 41% have Pinterest accounts  Social media is a low cost way to reach those consumers and make any additional marketing projects more impactful. Providing informational posts could drive consumers searching for information to you and your website.   Make sure your website is up to date and ready for consumers.   Make sure all of your communications include all of your contact information, social media links and your website address. Post short informational articles with references to contact you as a qualified agent on your social media websites. Ask your contacts to like your articles. Coordinate matching informational newsletters out to your contact list and ask for referrals. To make this easy, I have created 12 small articles you can use to post or create newsletters. Be sure [...]

2019-09-10T14:06:58-05:00Marketing & Sales Ideas, Medical, Patty's Perspective|
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Tips to Utilize BCBS IL MSP Data Collection

Blue Cross Blue Shield of IL’s MSP Data Collection Opened on May 29 Beginning May 29, 2019, BCBS will begin collecting this data from renewing groups via Blue Access for Employers and the deadline to submit this information is Sept. 30, 2019. New groups complete this information in their submission paperwork. Starting May 29th, employers can log into Blue Access for Employers and enter the required information. Producers who have access to the group’s BAE account, may complete the MSP information on behalf of their group. Agents can log into their BAP, click on the BAE icon at the top, and see all of their groups. Click on the group name to open their BAE site. BCBS will be emailing groups with notification that this requirement is now open to be completed on their Blue Access for Employers website.  If the group doesn’t have a valid email on file, BCBS will be sending a post card/letter or making a phone call to the group. A Great Opportunity for Agents to Continue Marketing! Marketing is the business process of creating relationships with and satisfying customers. Therefore, marketing does not stop after [...]

2019-07-09T12:26:21-05:00Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Marketing & Sales Ideas, Patty's Perspective|
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TASC Landmines for HSAs, FSAs, and HRAs

Recently, MIBS hosted a seminar presented by Nancy Dantzman, Vice President at TASC and Craig Sayers, MIBS' regional director with TASC. It was a very informative and lively event. Nancy jumped right in discussing Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) which offer variability when setting them up. FSA Flexible Spending Account An FSA is an account employees can use to pay certain out-of-pocket health care costs not paid by other health plans, pretax. The FSA can be set up with the employer and/or the employee contributing. When employees contribute pretax, this lowers the payroll taxes that the employer has to pay so both parties experience savings on their tax liability.   In groups with high employee contribution, the employer’s payroll tax savings may be enough to pay for any administration charges for the FSA.   Employers are not required to make contributions but certainly can. The IRS sets the contribution limit each year and the limits for 2019 are: FSAs are known for their use it or lose it provision, however, groups may offer participating employees more time through either a carryover option or the grace period option to use any funds [...]

2019-06-11T16:42:07-05:00Ancillary, Marketing & Sales Ideas, Patty's Perspective|
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Tips: Adding Value to Group Enrollment and Renewal Meetings

Agents can add value to the group health plan that their clients are enrolled in by educating the insureds on how to maximize their benefits.   This also will increase the agent’s value in the employer’s mind.  With many families paying a monthly health premium that is higher than their mortgage, it is even more important to use the plan correctly.  Listed below are some topics and brochures to enhance your enrollment and renewal meetings. Stay in Network – insureds will receive more benefits by staying in network. Both BCBS IL and Humana offer insureds the opportunity to register for their carrier’s member website where they can view accrued deductibles and out of pockets, claims in process, provider searches and more. They also offer members a mobile app, making it very easy to search for an in-network provider while on the go. Since the mobile app is linked to the plan they are enrolled in, the provider search option already has their network, making the search easier and more accurate. Going out of network could result in very high expenses for the insured as those providers can balance [...]

2018-12-04T15:20:24-06:00Marketing & Sales Ideas, Medical, Patty's Perspective|
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Humana – Quoting Made Easier for 51+ Groups

Humana is rolling out a new quoting process available 7/1/18 for all underwritten new business with 10-99 enrolled, fully funded or level funded, requesting effective dates of 9/1/18 or later. With this new Quoting Process, Humana intends to shorten the time it takes to obtain an underwritten quote by eliminating the requirement of a base quote and reducing the documentation needed.   For groups enrolling 10 or more lives, Humana has eliminated the need for employee applications, the current carrier bill, the Risk Assessment Form and the current carrier claim report. This quoting method is available for groups with total of 51+ employees and: Has less than 100 eligible employees Enrolling 10-99 employees Groups enrolling less than 10 employees will still need to provide employee applications space space Information required to obtain quote: Agent Name and contact information Legal Name of Group Full Address and phone number SIC code Total number of employees on wage and tax/Number of eligible employees/Number enrolled Total average number of employees including full time, part time, union and seasonal employees on average in the prior year. Number of different prior group [...]

2018-10-30T14:20:08-05:00Medical, Patty's Perspective|
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Boating Season is About to Start

With winter slowly moving to spring, people start looking forward to warm weather and boating.   MIBS agents can assist their clients in finding the right coverage for that new boat with Safeco Insurance and Travelers. Watercraft Rating Categories spacer Safeco’s Watercraft Program Safeco’s Watercraft Program is open to most types of watercraft used for recreational purposes.  They offer a selection of coverages designed to provide protection to the insured operator and the watercraft. Program Advantages / Selling Tips:  Competitive Advantages Coverage for pets, personal property, and equipment such as water skis and marine electronics Standalone watercraft are accepted Agreed-value policy Eligible watercraft up to $300,000 and 40 feet Total price protection available for boats 2 years old and newer Roadside Assistance is available Emergency Assistance (on-water towing) Liability coverage only is available Towing and labor expenses Fuel spill and wreckage removal Optional fishing equipment coverage up to $20,000 Additional Interest/Marina Additional Insured is available spacer Safeco also offers the Captain’s Package Option for boats of all ages The Captain’s Package provides a valuable optional coverage. It can be added to new or existing policies for [...]

2018-10-30T14:15:38-05:00Marketing & Sales Ideas, Patty's Perspective, Property & Casualty|
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Streamline your BCBS IL group enrollment with DocuSign

BCBS IL and DocuSign   Imagine a world where all you need is your portable electronic device and you can complete the enrollment paperwork for a business to apply for a BCBS IL small group health plan.     Recently, BCBS IL presented the DocuSign enrollment tool to the staff at MIBS.   We were all impressed and played at being agents, sending out enrollment paperwork and filling it out too.  I was excited to see how easy and fast it actually was.   Each step of the process is designed to save time, increase accuracy of entered data and provide legible electronically signed documents to the group, the agent, and your MIBS CSR without printing forms, hand writing information, scanning or faxing. Ok, I know some of you will jump on this like, “Patty, tell me how!”   And there are those of my friends who will groan and sigh and say, “I can’t do that technology thing.”   Well, it really is not that hard. In an effort to make this as easy as possible, MIBS created a guide with step by step instructions on how to use Docusign.   You [...]

2018-10-30T14:14:32-05:00Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Medical, Patty's Perspective, Uncategorized|
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The Path of Most Resistance – Keep Going

There is an amazing group of people who make the decision to start their own business or accept a job that is paid exclusively by commissions.  There is no guaranteed income, only the possibility that if they work smart and hard, they have an unlimited potential to earn income.  Who in their right mind would take this path?   Per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2015, 10.1 % of all U.S. workers were self-employed and in that group belongs that crazy person with a job title of insurance producer.  Whether they work as an independent agent or work for a company or agency, they accept a job that compensates them only when they place business.  And to add to the craziness, the insurance producer works in an industry heavily regulated by the government resulting in unpredictable changes. Wow!  How does an agent continue down a career path that has so many stops?   Increasing premiums Decreasing commissions Open enrollment Constantly changing products and rules Cyber security Economic downturns Government regulations I would first like to say how much I respect that person who accepts a career where they [...]

2018-10-30T14:07:42-05:00Marketing & Sales Ideas, Patty's Perspective|
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Travel with Confidence with GeoBlue

GeoBlue Travel Insurance is Now Available MIBS agents can now offer GeoBlue International Medical Coverage to your clients traveling outside of the U.S. With GeoBlue, expatriates, business and leisure travelers can trust that care is available to them no matter the town, country or time zone.  Through an elite network of providers, innovative mobile and online tools, and a high touch approach to customer service, GeoBlue provides peace of mind to members anywhere in the world. Why do you need GeoBlue? The U.S. is one of the few countries that does not require payment before receiving medical care. Travelers needing medical care outside of the US could be subject to Full cost of medical care which is required to be paid prior to service Full cost of emergency medical transportation Insurance coverage from US has very limited coverage out of the country. Repatriation – In the event of death in a foreign country Difficulty getting through the red tape of moving the body back home Customs negotiations Costs associated with transportation of the body In the event of illness or accident, dealing with language barriers and procedures Difficulty [...]

2018-10-30T14:05:07-05:00Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Medical, Patty's Perspective|
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Don’t Lose Your Commissions

2018 Certification Reminder It’s that time of year again when you need to complete your annual certifications.  There are two certifications for Health agents: 2018 FFM (Federally Facilitated Marketplace) registration and/or certification must be done by: Independent agent If commissions are paid to an agency, writing sub-agents and principal of agency 2018 Medicare PDP/Medicare Advantage certification must be done by: Independent agent If commissions are paid to an agency, writing sub-agents and principal of agency   In order to place new business effective 1/1/2018 and/or receive renewal commissions in 2018, agents must complete the appropriate certification before the end of the year.  2018 FFM (Federally Facilitated Marketplace) Certification Before starting any certification curriculum, check to make sure your computer is compatible with the MLMS website.   I advise using the MLMS Check Your System configuration link which quickly shows if you need to do anything.  Log into the CMS portal, enter the MLMS Training website and click on MLMS Check your System link at the top of the page under How to Get Started.  This will check your computer to see if there is any action you need to [...]

2018-10-29T21:20:08-05:00Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Patty's Perspective|
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