What you should be doing at your sales event: Provide refreshments and snacks Hand out objective, educational materials on Medicare programs
What are the regulations for marketing a Medicare sales event?
You must adhere to certain regulations for marketing your sales event. When creating ads or invites, you cannot require potential attendees to provide contact information to RSVP for the event. While you may plan to educate attendees on Medicare programs during your presentation, you cannot say your event is “educational.”
What types of Medicare events can I hold?
In general there are 2 types of Medicare Events you can hold, Educational Events and Sales Events. The educational event is meant for you to share information, and answer any questions your prospects or their care-givers may have.
What qualifies as an educational event for Medicare?
The event must meet Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) strict definition of an educational event. When meeting CMS’s definition, the event must be designed to inform beneficiaries about Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Coverage, or another Medicare program.
Where should I Hold my health care marketing event?
For starters, your event must be held in a public setting where individuals do not receive health care services. This is not just relegated to hospitals. It may include Expos, Health Fairs or similar events. I think it goes without saying that having potential clients in your own home for marketing purposes is not allowed.
Can you provide food at a marketing sales event?
Brokers are allowed to provide “refreshments and light snacks” at marketing and sales events. However, brokers are not allowed to provide (or pay for) meals.
What actions are prohibited during marketing sales events for Medicare?
Cannot send unsolicited text messages and leave voicemail messages. May call or visit beneficiaries who attended a marketing/sales event prior permission is given and documented. Cannot approach beneficiaries in common areas (i.e. parking lots, hallways, lobbies, sidewalks).
What is an informal marketing sales event for Medicare?
Informal sales events are held in a less structured style or in a less formal environment. And, typically utilizes a table, kiosk, or a recreational vehicle (RV) staffed by a plan representative who can discuss plan products. Remember, beneficiaries must approach agents first.
Which activities are permitted at an educational event for Medicare?
You may do the following at the conclusion of your educational event: Distribute business cards and contact information so beneficiaries can contact you at a later date. Complete and collect Scope of Appointment (SOA) forms. Set up marketing appointments.
Can you request RSVP for Medicare marketing event?
When creating ads or invites, you cannot require potential attendees to provide contact information to RSVP for the event. While you may plan to educate attendees on Medicare programs during your presentation, you cannot say your event is “educational.” You should disclose the products you plan on reviewing.
Which of the following must you not do when marketing UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage?
As an agent, you must not do which of the following when marketing UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans to consumers? Use providers or provider groups to distribute printed information comparing benefits of different health plans without approval.
Who can present at an informal marketing sales event?
Informal marketing/sales events are conducted with a less structured presentation or in a less formal environment. They typically utilize a table, kiosk or a recreational vehicle (RV) that is manned by a plan sponsor representative who can discuss the merits of the plan's products.
What are some examples of informal events?
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What is informal sales presentation?
Informal types of sales presentations include: Elevator pitches: This is where you make contact with a prospect and have just a few minutes to discuss your offerings. These can take place at your business or at a conference, social event or unrelated business meeting. The key is to always be prepared to pitch.
Can you provide giveaways at a Medicare educational event?
You can do the following: Hand out educational material on Medicare programs such as MA, MAPD, PDP and other programs. Give away promotional items – They may included names, logo's and phone numbers. Provide meals, light snacks and refreshments. Use business reply cards (BRC's)
Which of the following is considered by CMS to be a sales and marketing event?
What Does CMS Consider a Sales Event or Appointment? An activity will be considered a sales event or appointment if it is designed to persuade potential enrollees to choose a specific plan (or set of plans), according to CMS.
What statement must appear on advertisements for educational events?
CMS requires that educational events be advertised explicitly as “educational” and that the advertising and invitations to both sales events and educational events include, verbatim, the following disclaimer: "For accommodations of persons with special needs at meetings call
What are the two types of events that Medicare can hold?
In general there are 2 types of Medicare Events you can hold, Educational Events and Sales Events. The educational event is meant for you to share information, and answer any questions your prospects or their care-givers may have. An educational event is not intended for sales activities like distributing plan specific marketing materials ...
What is Medicare Educational Event?
A Medicare Educational Event gives agents an opportunity to get in front of prospects and their caregivers who are looking to learn about Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D and other Medicare related programs.
How much notice do you need to give for a cancellation?
If you have to cancel an event, there are best practices you should be aware of. You should strive to give your attendees at least 48 hours notice of the cancellation. Along with the following best practices, you should follow up with your carriers as they may have specific requirements regarding event cancelation.
How long do you have to stay at a venue after the start time?
You or your rep must remain their until at least 30 min. after the original start time.
When do you have to fill out a registration form?
In most cases they will require you to fill out a form detailing your event. You will normally be required to submit the registration the month prior to the event, so make sure you understand the timeline of the requirements before setting an event date.
Can you require a prospect to fill out contact information to RSVP?
You cannot require potential prospects to fill out contact information to RSVP to your sales event. Your marketing materials must also contain the disclaimer: “For accommodations of persons with special needs at meetings call <phone number and TTY number>".
Can you hand out marketing materials at an educational event?
You’re not trying to steer people toward any product with an educational event. Nevertheless, you are allowed to hand out generic marketing material, business, cards, etc. You are also allowed to complete Scope of Appointment (SOA) forms for future appointments and collect them during an educational event.
What is the purpose of a Medicare sales event?
The purpose of a Medicare sales or marketing event is to get potential enrollees interested in a particular plan or a limited number of plans. To help solicit enrollments, CMS allows you to discuss plan-specific information (such as premiums, copays, etc.) and distribute and/or collect enrollment applications.
Why do you need to communicate in Medicare sales?
Because such activities are the nature of a Medicare sales event, you must communicate this in any marketing material you create (such as ads and invitations) to promote the upcoming event.
How to advertise a sales event?
Compliantly advertising your sales event is half of the journey. To make it all the way, here are the activities you shouldn’t do during events for existing clients and prospective enrollees: 1 Don’t give attendees the impression that providing any contact information is necessary. You must clearly state on the event sign-in sheet that providing any personal contact information is optional. 2 Don’t use personal contact information provided by raffle participants for any other purpose besides to notify them of any winnings. 3 Don’t conduct health screenings or other similar activities that could give the impression of “cherry picking.”
What is sales event?
An activity will be considered a sales event or appointment if it is designed to persuade potential enrollees to choose a specific plan (or set of plans), according to CMS. The inclusion of plan-specific information, sales techniques, and the collection of applications differentiate these events from educational events.
Who is responsible for submitting sales scripts to CMS?
Before brokers conduct sales events or appointments, they must submit all sales scripts and presentations to the insurance company they represent. The insurance company is then responsible for submitting those sales and marketing items to CMS for approval.
What information is used to notify winners of a raffle?
Use personal contact information collected during the event, which the broker has indicated will be used to notify winners of a raffle or similar activity, for any other purpose. If brokers include sign-in sheets at their events, it must be clearly indicated that providing any contact information is completely optional.
What can a broker do during an appointment?
Brokers are allowed to do the following during a sales event or appointment. Educate potential enrollees. Discuss plan-specific information. Collect plan applications.
What are the activities that are prohibited during sales events?
The following activities are prohibited during sales events and appointments. Conducting health screenings and similar activities that give the impression of “cherry-picking”. Even requiring an email, phone number, or address before an individual can RSVP for an event online or through mail is prohibited.
Can brokers educate clients?
Brokers can still educate their clients during a sales event or appointment, but they will still have to follow CMS’ rules for sales events and appointments.
What are Medicare marketing guidelines?
The Medicare Marketing Guidelines provide guidance on the do’s and dont’s of providing food and drinks at Medicare events. Before you call a caterer, you will want to ensure you are adhering to the Medicare Marketing Guidelines (MMG) for providing food and refreshments at Medicare events. You do not have to flip through ...
Can you provide food at a Medicare event?
You can provide food at your Medicare Marketing and Sales Event, however, you are only allowed to provide “refreshments and light snacks.”. You are not allowed to provide (or pay for) meals. You will have to use your best judgment on the food you provide.
What are the two types of marketing events under Medicare?
There are two main types of Marketing/Sales events under Medicare regulations – Formal and Informal . 1- Formal marketing/sales events are typically structured in an audience/presenter style with a salesperson or plan representative formally providing specific plan sponsor information via a presentation on the products being offered.
Can educational events be advertised as sales?
Educational events ARE NOT marketing/sales events and can only be advertised as educational.
Is an educational event a sales event?
Educational events may not include any sales activities such as the distribution of marketing materials or the distribution or collection of plan applications. Educational events must be explicitly advertised as “educational,” otherwise they will be considered by CMS as sales/marketing events.
What are the Medicare marketing guidelines?
The Marketing guidelines reflect CMS' interpretation of the marketing requirements and related provisions of the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit rules (Chapter 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 422 and 423).
Can Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans use one document?
The guidelines allow organizations offering both Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans the ability to reference one document when developing marketing materials.
Do Medicare agents get commissions for unreported sales?
Report all events to Carriers according to their guidelines – agents won’t receive commissions for any sale resulting from an unreported marketing/sales event, and failure to report events may result in having your Medicare contract revoked
Can sales events follow educational events?
Educational and Sales Events: CMS removed the prohibition that sales events cannot immediately follow educational events. This should provide flexibility in planning events and increase attendance. Agents can now hold an educational meeting at a hotel meeting room at 9AM immediately followed by
Can a healthcare provider conduct sales activities?
May not conduct sales activities, including sales presentations, the distribution of marketing materials, and the distribution and collection of enrollment forms in healthcare settings, except in common areas.