Title: MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PLANS 2004
1MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PLANS 2004
- Presented By
- BLUE CROSS OF CALIFORNIA
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2MARKET POTENTIAL
- 2 Million people turn 65 each year in the U.S.
166,667 each month, 5,574 each day - 3.6 MILLION CALIFORNIA SENIORS
- Approximately 200,000 Californians become
Medicare eligible each yr. 16,000 each month - Based on 2000 U.S. census data.
3MEDICARE DEFINITIONS/ EXPLANATIONS
- Benefit Period - Each new benefit period requires
a new Part A (Hospital) deductible, but also
restores the Hospital day 1 - 90 benefits, as
well as the SNF day 1 -100 benefits. A new
benefit period begins when the beneficiary has
been out of the hospital or SNF for 60 days. - Lifetime Reserve Days - Hospital days 91 - 150
that do not renew each benefit period. Once
exhausted, beneficiary responsible for all
charges.
4MEDICARE DEFINITIONS/ EXPLANATIONS
- Accept Assignment - term referring to doctors who
accept the Medicare Approved Charges as full
payment for services. - Excess Charges - Amount doctors are allowed to
charge in excess of Medicare Approved Charges.
Cannot exceed 15 of the Medicare Approved
Charges. - Foreign Travel Benefit - 250 deductible, 80/20
coverage for medically necessary emergency care.
5MEDICARE DEFINITIONS/ EXPLANATIONS
- At Home Recovery Benefit - Pays up to 1,600 per
year for short-term, at home assistance with
activities of daily living (ie. dressing and
bathing) for those recovering from illness,
injury or surgery - Preventive Care Benefit - Pays up to 120 per
year for things like a physical exam, cholesterol
screening, hearing test, etc.
6TRADITIONAL MEDICAREGAPS IN COVERAGE - YR. 2004
- Hospitalization -
- First 60 days
- Days 61 - 90
- Days 91 - 150
- Days 151
- Skilled Nursing Facility -
- Days 0 - 20
- Days 21 -100
- Days 100
- Lifetime Reserve Days
- Gaps
- 876 per Benefit Period
- 219 per Day
- 438 per Day
- No Coverage
- No Copayment (if Approved)
- 109.50 (if Approved)
- No Coverage
7TRADITIONAL MEDICARE GAPS IN COVERAGE
- Physician Services
- Annual Deductible
- Medicare Approved Charges
- Excess Charges
- Blood
- First 3 pints
- Prescription Drugs
- Care Outside of US
- Gaps
- 100
- 20
- Up to 15 of approved charges
- No Coverage
- No Coverage
- No Coverage
- Very Limited Coverage in Mexico and Canada
8UNDERSTANDING MEDICARE PAYMENTS
- Doctor Bill
- Medicare Approved Charges
- 15 Excess Charges Maximum
- Medicare Pays 80 of Approved Charges
- Member Pays 20 of Approved Charges
- Member Pays 100 of Excess Charges
- Doctor writes off amount above 115 of approved
charges
- 2,000
- 1,500
- 1,725 (15 of approved charges)
- 1,200
- 300
- 225
- 275
9BLUE CROSS OPTIONS
- Medicare Supplement Plans
- Standard Plan A
- Select
- Select Plus
- Classic C
- Classic F
- Classic I
- Classic J
- SmartChoice
- SmartChoice Plus
- AdvantageCare
NEW!
10BLUE CROSSClassic Plans
11BLUE CROSSClassic Plans
12BLUE CROSSClassic Plans
13BLUE CROSSClassic Plan Rates - area 1, 2, 3
14BLUE CROSSClassic Plan Rates - area 4, 5, 6
15BLUE CROSSStandard Plan A, Select Plans
16BLUE CROSSStandard Plan A, Select Plans
17BLUE CROSSStandard Plan A, Select Plans
18BLUE CROSSStandard Plan A, Select Plan Rates -
Area 1, 2, 3
19BLUE CROSSStandard Plan A, Select Plan Rates -
Area 4, 5, 6
20BLUE CROSSPre-65 Plan Rates
21Blue Cross Medicare Supplements
- SELECT Plans
- Medicare SELECT is a type of Medigap insurance
policy which requires the member to utilize a
contracted network of physicians or hospitals in
order to receive full plan benefits. - ALL Blue Cross of California Medigap plans are
SELECT plans with the exception of Standard Plan A
22Blue Cross Medicare SupplementsCommon Guarantee
Issue Rules
23Blue Cross Medicare Supplements
- Enrollment Tips
- The applicant MUST have BOTH Parts A B of
medicare - check their medicare card! - You must provide an Outline of Coverage and the
Guide to Medicare at the point of sale - Applicant must complete the medical health
questions, signature, and date THEMSELVES - All questions - including the question regarding
Prescription drug usage - must be completed
regardless of plan applied for or whether the
member is in a guarantee issue period
24Blue Cross Medicare Supplements
- Enrollment Tips
- If the member is coming from a Senior HMO plan,
they MUST disenroll prior to becoming effective
on the supplement plan. If they fail to do so,
any and all resulting claims will be the members
responsibility! - Applications may be submitted up to 90 days prior
to the requested effective date. - Applications must be RECEIVED in Senior Services
by the last BUSINESS day of the month to receive
a 1st of the following month effective date.
25Blue Cross Medicare Supplements
- Enrollment Tips
- Applications received after the 1st of the month
and prior to the 15th of the month will receive a
15th of the month effective date - unless a
specific effective date that falls AFTER the
receipt date is specified. - Any effective date other than the 1st or 15th
must be the result of loss of coverage and the
applicant must provide proof in the form of a
letter or phone number.
26Blue Cross Medicare Supplements
- Changing Supplement Plans within Blue Cross
- Blue Cross will not process any changes
(including disenrollments) until the
paid-to-date. - Be certain that the member receives the
appropriate outline of coverage for the plan they
are changing to. - Both downgrades and upgrades in coverage require
a new application - Change from Frozen (inactive) to Active Plans
ALWAYS requires underwriting.
27Blue Cross Medicare SupplementsUnderwriting
Rules for Coverage Changes
28Blue Cross Medicare Supplements
- Two party rates will only be accepted in the
following situations - Both individuals must be enrolled on the same
plan. - The applicant is within their 6 month Medicare
guaranteed enrollment period -- obtaining Part B
coverage. - The applicant is terminating a group policy.
- Both applicants pass medical underwriting.
29Blue Cross Medicare Supplements
- Two party rates will only be accepted in the
following situations - If adding to an existing plan, the paid-to-date
must coincide. If existing member paid-to-date
is the following month, the enrolling member
should pay one month as a single enrollee. The
next month they may pay the 2 party rate. - Note if the existing member has paid annually,
it is possible to back out the premium to
accommodate a 2 party rate - however, be aware
that the premium will be reapplied at the current
premium rate.
30Blue Cross Medicare Supplements
- FREE Senior Passport Savings Program
- Pharmacy Discount Program
- Vision Care Discount Program
- Medical Records Service
- Hearing Care Discount Services
- Travel Car Rental Discounts
- Lodging Discounts
- Retirement Planning
- Moving Services
- Mail-Order Discounts
31Blue Cross Medicare Supplements
- Free Senior Passport Savings Program
- LifeResource Solutions
- One-Stop resource for issues relating to Elder
Care Services, Legal Financial matters, and
everyday life - Unified Health Care
- Discount on medical equipment
- HealthyExtensions Program
- Programs and services designed to help you stay
healthy
New
New
New
32Blue Cross Medicare Supplements
- Broker of Record
- If an individual converts from a BCC individual
plan to a Senior Plan directly through BCC, the
Agent of Record on the individual plan will be
loaded onto the system and receive 8 flat
commission - Per agent agreement, Agents will not be reflected
as the Broker of Record when replacing an
existing BCC supplement or an existing policy. A
3 month lapse in coverage is required in order to
be considered a new policy.
33Blue Cross Medicare Supplements
- Agent Services Toll Free Line
- 1-888-209-7839
- Customer Service Toll Free Line
- 1-800-333-3883
34Blue CrossCross Selling Opportunities
- Blue Cross Long Term Care Plans
- Competitive Plans
- Separate Agent Agreement required
- LifeBenefits Whole Life Insurance
- 85 first year, 5 renewal commissions
- 3K - 25K Face Value
- Simplified Underwriting
- Dental SelectHMO
- Available in select areas
35Retention Tools
- The impact of automatic bank draft
- Members on Bank draft have a higher retention
rate that non-bank draft members. Since the
average Senior member stays with Blue Cross for
10 years, each additional year a members stays
with Blue Cross would generate an additional
294.84 in annual commissions. - 3 additional years 884.52
- 5 additional years 1,474.20
- 7 additional years 2,063.88
- This example is based on the sale of one F Plan
to a 65 year old in Southern CA.
36Thank You
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