Baby boomers will continue to become eligible for Medicare in 2019 making Medicare products a great product to sell. Although MIBS only works with BCBS IL for Medicare products, selling them provides decent commissions and excellent retention.

BCBS IL’s Medicare Products are available to Medicare A & B enrolled clients and include:

Medicare Supplement Plans – guaranteed to issue and no certification required

Part D Prescription Plans – requires annual certification

MAPD Plan (Medicare Advantage) – requires annual certification

MACRA Confusion?

In April 2015, the Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) was signed into law. There has been confusion around what this means for Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans F and C. Some Medicare beneficiaries currently covered with Plan F or C are concerned that these plans will no longer be available after 2020.  Here is the scoop:

  • Medicare Beneficiaries who currently have a Plan F or Plan C policy will be able to continue to keep and/or renew their plans even after Jan. 1, 2020. In a sense, they are grandfathered and are able to keep their plans as long as they continue to pay their premiums.
  • Anyone who becomes Medicare eligible prior to Jan. 1, 2020 but does not enroll by Jan. 1, 2020 (i.e., beneficiary is still working and has employer insurance) will still be able to get a Plan F or Plan C product that covers their part B deductible, even after that date.
  • The new law only applies to Medicare beneficiaries who are newly eligible after Jan. 1, 2020. Plan F and Plan C will no longer be available for these beneficiaries after this date.

Why should you sell BCBS IL Medicare Supplement plans?

  • Selling the BCBS IL Medicare Supplement plans does not require annual certification
  • BCBS IL Medicare Supplement plans are guaranteed to issue even outside of initial and annual enrollment periods
  • Great retention for these plans as most members continue to renew their plans year after year

 

Part D and MAPD Plans

If you are interested in selling the Medicare Part D (Rx) and MAPD plans, be sure you have completed your annual certification for 2019 prior to discussing or selling these products.

These products can still be sold throughout the year for clients in their initial enrollment period.

Click on the button below for directions on how to complete the Medicare Part D and MAPD certification.

Click Here for Certification Directions

If you do not want to sell the Part D or MAPD products, you can still sell the BCBS Medicare Supplement plans and have the client call BCBS for their part D plan using the numbers listed below:

877-583-8608

877-592-3871

Opportunities

  1. If you sell individual under 65 plans, you can use your Retail Producer Portal to create reports of your clients who will become eligible for Medicare.
  1. If you sell group health plans, you can assist any employee who becomes eligible for Medicare. This is why it is good to collect basic information on all employees in a group including dates of birth. Even if the employee is covered by the group plan, you can still discuss which coverage options are best for that employee. These employees may also have parents becoming eligible. If your group allows, you can market all of your services to all employees.
  2. Do you sell other products or services besides health? Make sure those clients know what health services and products you can assist them with.

If you have more questions on these products, please contact your MIBS customer service representative. We are here to answer your questions and get you selling.