- What is a Sales Appointment?Lesson 102:10
- Permission to Contact and Initial ContactLesson 202:55
- Medicare EducationLesson 302:27
- Verifying EligibilityLesson 401:58
- Scope of AppointmentLesson 501:54
- Narrowing Down the OptionsLesson 602:56
- Dive into Specific ProductsLesson 703:26
- Taking the ApplicationLesson 802:26
- Next StepsLesson 900:54
Narrowing Down the Options
With a signed SOA, you’re ready to identify what plan is ideal for your client’s specific needs and situation.
In this lesson we’ll talk through narrowing down to a particular product type, and in the next lesson we’ll talk a bit more about digging into a specific product.
Now that you’re narrowing down the options, it’s time to ask more questions!
You can start by asking about how they prefer to pay for their health care coverage.
Do they prefer lower premiums with more out-of-pocket exposure at the time of usage?
Or would they prefer to limit out-of-pocket expenses, even if that means they’ll have a higher premium up front?
While these specifics can get you on the road to a particular product, like Medicare Supplement for those looking to limit out-of-pocket costs, you still need more information.
Dig in and ask about how they prefer to access their health care.
Are they OK with working with a smaller network of providers, or would they prefer the flexibility to see any provider that accepts Medicare?
Then you could further explore if there are extra benefits they’d be looking for, like a dental benefit or perhaps a gym membership.
Keep in mind, it can also be helpful to ask about their previous coverage.
What did they like about that plan? What did they dislike?
Once you have these details, you can narrow options down to a plan type that meets your client’s preferences.
Are they looking for limited out-of-pocket costs regardless of premium? A Med Supp could be a good option.
Maybe they’re OK with using a network of providers if it lowers their monthly premium.
Those clients might be well suited for a Medicare Advantage plan.
Keep an open mind about the products available too!
If you’re working with someone who wants a lower premium with network flexibility, there are Medicare Medical Savings Account plans and Preferred Provider Organizations that might work for them as well.
Not to mention the ability to further tailor their coverage with the addition of ancillary products that can be combined with their Medicare coverage.
This is also a great time to review the enrollment periods they may qualify for!
You could review their Medicare effective date to determine if they are in their initial enrollment period or Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment period.
You could also review the Annual Enrollment Period and let them know about an annual opportunity to make a change to their coverage.
Lastly, review any Special Enrollment Periods, or SEPs, that may apply to their situation.
You can do a bit more fact finding here to identify if they’ve recently had a qualifying event that would enable them to use an SEP to join, drop, or switch their coverage.
Once you’ve walked through these steps, you probably have a good idea of what product type works for your client and what they’re eligible for.
Now let’s get more specific and talk about finding the right plan for them!
