AEP Readiness Agent Guidance

READY TO SELL

Have you completed all your 2024 certifications? Check our resource page for quick access and tips.

 

2024 Medicare Certification Resources

 

DISCLAIMER REQUIREMENT

CMS updated the language on the required TPMO disclaimer. Agents now have to include both organization AND plan counts as part of this disclaimer. Click below to review the new language in it’s entirety.

 

2024 CMS Final Ruling FAQ Fact Sheet

 

TELEPHONIC 2024 ENROLLMENTS WITH HUMANA 

Effective for 2024 MAPD sales, Humana will require all appointed agents to use an approved telephonic sales script when doing Humana business over the phone. This script was developed by Integrity and approved for use by Humana (and many other Medicare Advantage carriers) to meet the Humana requirement.  The script does include both enrollment and Scope of Appointment (SOA) language.  Note the script needs to be read on a recorded line.

 

Humana Field Agent Telephonic Sales Script

COMPLIANCE UPDATE

In the 2023 Final Rule, CMS provided new requirements for all selling agents this AEP. A couple of things to highlight: Call recordings are required for Sales, Marketing, and Enrollment calls. Make it a point to review the pre-enrollment checklist with your members. Also, be sure to review the new required elements with your clients before enrolling them. For a complete guide to a compliant sale, download our checklist below.

 

2024 Final Rule Compliance Checklist

NON-ELECTRONIC/PAPER APPS

Compiled by our Service Team, use this handy reference for the rare occasion a you need to submit a paper application.

 

Paper App Submission Email | Fax | Mail

 

GENERAL/CARRIER SPECIFIC AEP TIPS

Make every app count!  Application tips and guidance for a successful AEP can be found in this ‘must have’ reference guide.

 

2024 AEP Tips and Guidance General/Carrier

COMPLIANT MARKETING

With new compliant rules and greater scrutiny on marketing activities, it’s more important than ever to maintain compliance in your marketing. We’re here to help!  Send marketing materials to us for review.  We are also your go-to for filing pieces that require CMS review and approval.

 

2024 Agent Medicare Compliance Guide
Compliance Review Submission

SERVICE, SUPPORT, AND MORE!

We’ve got your back.  Reach out when you need help, or get 24/7 assistance from our plentiful online resources.  The Service Team are here with solutions and our website features tools, training, and information to answer every question. Check out the Agent Toolkit, Resource Center, Event Calendar, Carrier Bonus/Sales Contests and Recent News!

 

CSM Service Team Contact List
Cornerstone Senior Marketing Website

MEDICARECENTER

This FREE platform is chock-full of new features and enhancements including Policy Management, Ask Integrity AI technology, 48-Hour SOA Tracking, update to the Personal Agent Websites & more!

 

If you are a new user to MedicareCENTER and have access, be sure to look at the Learning Center for videos, trainings, and guides to help you this AEP!

 

Go To MedicareCenter.com

 

VIEW PREVIOUS TRAININGS AVAILABLE 24/7 FROM OUR WEBINAR LIBRARY

 

WEBINAR LIBRARY

 

Questions? We are here to help! Contact your CSM Representative  or call 614-763-2255

Important: 2024 Field Agents Telephonic Sales 

New Requirement for Humana Appointed Agents:  2024 Telephonic Sales Field Agent Script

Effective for 2024 MAPD sales, Humana will require all appointed agents to use an approved telephonic sales script when doing Humana business over the phone. 

 Click the link below to download a script, developed by Integrity, and approved for use by Humana (and many other Medicare Advantage carriers) to meet the Humana requirement.  The script does include both enrollment and Scope of Appointment (SOA) language.  Note the script needs to be read on a recorded line.

 Agents that want to use an approved script for telephonic sales outside of Humana, may use the script below as a reference and, depending on the carrier, may also use this script for their SOA and enrollment. 

Cornerstone Senior Marketing will host a webinar on October 11th about this new Humana requirement and to review the Field Agent Telephonic Script in greater detail.  Please register for this webinar if you have questions about this new requirement and/or can benefit from a run-through of the script.

***A recording will be posted inside our Webinar Library shortly after the webinar has concluded.

 

Humana Call Script 2024 – presented by Matt Fry

Wednesday, October 11, 2024

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

 

DOWNLOAD A COPY HERE: 2024 FIELD AGENT TELEPHONIC SALES SCRIPT

 

 

Cigna: Corrected Updates to the 2024 Medicare Advantage Enrollment Guide

Cigna Agent Communication from 10/5/2023:

Corrected benefits and updated digital copies.

Please review this email before meeting with customers to ensure you are presenting the correct benefit information.

We discovered a few errors in the 2024 Cigna Healthcare Medicare Advantage Enrollment Guide.

What you need to know:

  • You do not need to order new sales kits. You can continue to use the guides that have been printed and distributed. We just need your help making sure the customer gets the correct benefit information.
  • Corrected copies of the Enrollment Guide have been posted to Producers’ University and CustomPoint. You can find the updated guide in Producers’ University by visiting the Resource Center.
  • To address the correct benefits, please follow the steps below.

How to get the correct benefit information

 

  1. Print and use these corrected pre-enrollment checklists.

These should replace the checklists in your printed guide.

NOTE: You must be logged in to Producers’ University directly or through CignaForBrokers single sign-on to access these documents.

 

2. Review the list of benefit corrections below.

Make sure your customer understands the benefits offered with their selected plan. The benefits listed below are not available with all plans.

Transportation: The benefit for routine, non-emergency transportation was listed as 60 miles instead of 70 miles. Prior authorization is required for trips exceeding 70 miles one-way.

In-home support: Our in-home support program provides a variety of helpful services and companionship virtually through a telephone, smart phone, or computer. This is a change from 2023.

 Services can include help coordinating transportation and meal/grocery delivery. Companionship includes virtual visits focused on social check-ins, games, even art classes and virtual museum tours.

 

  1. Update your training and customer/telephonic scripts with the corrected benefit information.

 

 

Thank you for your understanding. We appreciate your help, and we are sorry for the inconvenience.

Ohio Department of Insurance: Statewide Events Underway to Prepare Ohioans for Medicare’s Fall Open Enrollment

For Immediate Release
September 12, 2023

 

COLUMBUS — Ohio Department of Insurance Director Judith L. French announced that the department’s Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP) has started its virtual and on-site statewide Medicare Checkup events to help Ohioans prepare for Medicare’s Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 open enrollment period to select coverage for 2024. OSHIIP is the state’s official Medicare educational and counseling program.

During the events, participants will learn Medicare fundamentals and changes, how to compare plans, prescription drug coverage options, and ways to save money. The events are presentation-only until Oct. 15 when plan comparisons and counseling services become included in most events.

The careful evaluation of Medicare options is imperative because plans may have different benefits, out-of-pocket costs, covered prescription drugs, in-network physicians, and premiums each year. Medicare will release 2024 plan information on Oct. 1 at medicare.gov.

To search onsite events by county and to register for a virtual event, visit insurance.ohio.gov/medicare. OSHIIP also offers individual virtual counseling — appointments can be scheduled on the department’s website — and assistance via oshiipmail@insurance.ohio.gov and 800-686-1578. Medicare representatives are available at 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227).

# # #

Media Note: Please visit OSHIIP’s Medicare Checkup events on-site schedule, sortable by date and county, and include details of upcoming events that are in your coverage area in your reporting. OSHIIP staff are available for interviews.

 

Aetna’s New Enrollment Requirements Per CMS

Compliance Connection

For Aetna Medicare Distribution Partners

September 27, 2023

In this edition we’ll continue to review some of the new sales presentation elements and questions from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that you need to address with your clients. Through the “beneficiary blues” scenarios, we’ll demonstrate the positive impact you can have on your clients’ satisfaction. These requirements apply to enrollments completed after September 30, 2023. Your agency may already require you to cover some of these items.

CLICK FOR FULL UPDATE LINK

Wellcare: Important 2024 Commission Information

Important 2024 Commission Information

Attention Valued Partner,

As you prepare for the 2024 Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), we want to bring to your attention some important commission information.

Broker Commission Rates

New and existing MAPD plans will continue to pay the maximum fair market value commission rates for PY 2024 enrollments on all health plans: Wellcare, Allwell, Fidelis Care and Health Net.

 

 

Commission Resources and Tools

We are pleased to provide you with the following 2024 Commission Resources. We are confident you will find these resources informative.

Click on each topic for detailed information:

 

Compensation Schedule (Agreement)
Commission Payment Schedule

 

Commission Calculator
Broker Compensation

FAQ

Cigna – Commissionable Low Premium PDP for 2024

2024 PDP: Commissionable + Low Premium!

There is still time to get onboard!
All signals point to Cigna’s PDP low premium offerings for 2024 being very (very) competitive and the enhanced plan with extra gap coverage likely to be the lowest priced product in the extra gap coverage segment. Check out the 2024 PDP Premiums and Plan Designs now. If you are not already appointed with Cigna, there is still time!

 

Request Cigna 2024 Plan Premiums and Designs

 

Interested in a Cigna appointment? Click Here

Anthem News – Bon Secours Mercy Health Update

Bon Secours Mercy Health is staying in Anthem’s Medicare Advantage network in Ohio.

Anthem announced that they reached an agreement with Bon Secours Mercy Health to keep them in their Medicare Advantage network. They have secured a a new long-term contract, ensuring members will have in-network access for years to come.

Anthem is sending letters to impacted members to share this good news. If members already moved to a new provider, they can stay with them or switch back to Bon Secours Mercy Health.

Please visit anthem.com/MercyHealthOhio for the latest information.

2024 Wellcare Kits Ordering Delay

CustomPoint – 2024 Sales Materials Ordering to Begin Friday, September 29, 2023

In an effort to fulfill all of the 2024 sales material pre-orders first, the CustomPoint portal will open for general ordering of sales materials on Friday, September 29, 2023, instead of Wednesday, September 27 as previously communicated.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience and understanding.  Please contact your Cornerstone Senior Marketing Service Team if you have any questions.

Cigna: New Way To Submit Your HRA’s for 2024

The enhancements will make your selling experience easier than ever before.

Cigna’s Value Based Enrollment (VBE) initiative continues to be a successful and well-received program among Cigna Healthcare agents.

As part of this program, agents can earn $75 or $125 (depending on the plan) for facilitating Health Risk Assessments (HRAs) with their eligible customers, which means more money in their pocket!

New Way to Access HRAs

Cigna has heard your feedback and have worked to make HRA facilitation easier and faster than before.

Starting on September 29, 2023, you will be able to access Cigna Healthcare’s HRA in the following locations:

• SunFire or ConnectureDRX: HRA embedded in each program for agents that are fully integrated into the respective vendor platform.
• Cigna for Brokers: For non-SunFire users and/or non-Connecture agency partners – Use single sign-on to access SunFire HRA via the “Health Risk Assessment” link in the Tools section.
• eEnrollment: Embedded at the end of the customer enrollment process (i.e., via SunFire HRA widget – HRA will be embedded directly within eEnrollment).

 

Current HRA Tool – Icario

You can continue to use the Icario tool to facilitate HRAs with your customers until January 1, 2024. After this date, Icario will no longer be available to facilitate HRAs, but you will be able to use the new tools listed above – SunFire and ConnectureDRX.

What is a Health Risk Assessment (HRA)?

 

The Health Risk Assessment (HRA) is a tool that helps the health plan assess a customer’s needs by asking a series of health-related questions. Answers are used to partner with health care providers and to develop a plan of care.

 

Facilitating an HRA for your customers provides you an additional opportunity to engage with them and solidify your relationship. It also helps jump start the customer’s journey, engagement, and utilization of Cigna Healthcare’s services resulting in increased retention and improved outcomes for the customer.

 

If you facilitate an HRA for your customers, you are eligible to receive payment, which varies depending on the plan they enroll in.

 

What Medicare plan types are eligible for the VBE HRA payment?

 

The HRA payment will be made for new Medicare Advantage customers, and voluntary customer plan changes that result in active Cigna Healthcare customers.

 

Agents earn $125 when facilitating an HRA with D-SNP and C-SNP customers, and $75 for all other Cigna Healthcare MAPD customers.

 

Prerequisites and Requirements

To be authorized to facilitate the VBE HRA, you must:

• Complete VBE HRA training via Producers’ University. (VBE HRA training is no longer a separate or standalone course – we have embedded the content as a downloadable PDF in Our Compliance Program.)
• Qualify as ‘Ready to Sell’ to complete the enrollment application with the customer.

After you complete the VBE HRA training, you will receive access to Cigna Healthcare’s electronic HRA within 24-72 hours (if you are ‘Ready to Sell’).

Deadlines to Submit HRAs

You must facilitate the HRA with the customer and submit the completed HRA in the portal, within ten (10) calendar days of the customer’s application sign date, in order to ensure a positive customer experience.

As a best practice, you should obtain the HRA immediately after completing the customer’s application for enrollment. Otherwise, we recommend confirming your next appointment with the customer with the date and time details, prior to making the next outreach.

You’ll have until December 22, 2023 to submit the HRA for any customer applications taken from October 1 – December 7 of 2023.