Although agents must wait until October 15 for AEP to officially begin marketing, there are a few things you can accomplish before then. Now is the ideal time to schedule ANOC meetings with your current MA and PDP clients.
Prepare Your Clients for What’s Ahead
As we approach the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), it’s crucial to stay connected with your clients. Reach out to remind them that AEP is just around the corner and encourage them to look for the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) letter from their carrier arriving in September. This letter is key, as it outlines important changes to their plans.
Reassure your clients that you’re here to support them during this transition. Let them know they can expect an invitation from you soon to review their plan’s updates for the upcoming year. Regular check-ins not only keep clients informed but also strengthen your relationship, showing them, you care about their needs and are committed to their well-being.
Hosting ANOC Meetings
One effective way to review plan changes with your clients is to hold carrier-focused ANOC group meetings. Holding separate sessions for different carriers avoids confusion and helps clients focus on changes specific to their plans. You can schedule these meetings between October 1 and October 14, or early in the AEP season. Email out your invitations so they arrive quickly. Remember you cannot require attendees to provide any contact information in order to RSVP to your event.
Start setting your meeting dates and times now. Choose a site for meetings that has a large screen to be able to present information to the group. Depending on the number of clients you have and how many people the meeting room will hold, you may want to hold one or two meetings per carrier. Set the expectation in advance that these meetings will be to review carrier changes. Make it clear you cannot begin actual enrollment until October 15. Clients who wish to meet with you one on one can request a date for an appointment after October 14.
Upon concluding your meetings, always thank your clients and let them know how much you appreciate their business. If you wish, you can provide them with a small gift or novelty item. CMS has set a single gift limit of $15 per person and a yearly limit of $75 per person. This means you need to keep track of which client received what gift. No cash gifts are allowed. Gift cards are only allowed if they are for small businesses, such as local restaurants, coffee shops, gas stations, etc. Gift cards for big box stores such as Walmart and Target are considered cash. Small novelty items such pens, chip clips, mousepads or calendars work well in lieu of a gift. If you give something, you must offer it to everyone. In addition, you may serve only light snacks and refreshments because CMS prohibits meals as gifts.
Staying Compliant
CMS has very specific compliance guidelines for hosting Medicare presentations. Agents must wait until October 1 to begin marketing next year’s plans to potential beneficiaries and must not begin enrolling members until October 15. This means you must not solicit, accept, or hold completed enrollment forms until October 15. You may leave an enrollment application with a client during pre-AEP meetings (October 1 to 14), but you cannot assist enrollees with applications prior to October 15. If you fail to follow these rules, the application may be rejected, putting your commission and your client’s coverage at risk.
Follow Up ANOC Meetings with One-on-One Meetings
After you complete your ANOC group meetings, go ahead and begin scheduling one-on-one individual meetings after October 14.
Give your clients a checklist of items you’ll need for the one-on-one meeting. They should bring their Medicare card, a list of their doctors, and a list of their medications with dosages as well as information about any changes to their health, budget, or travel plans. Encourage them to write down their questions. All this will help you determine if their current plans are still a good fit or if you need to discuss other options.
Remember, you need to collect a CMS approved Scope of Appointment form at least 48 hours before you meet one-on-one with clients. You can only discuss the topics listed on the SOA. This is a requirement for existing clients because there is a possibility they will switch plans. Be sure to take thorough notes and document everything in your CRM tool.
Your preparation and hard work will pay off with a successful AEP. Western Asset Protection will be with you every step of the way. Contact us today.