BUSINESS PROFILE: Princeton Agencies, Inc.
With change, national marketing companies will have to drastically change the way they do business.
Some big changes are coming in Medicare for 2023. These changes will not only impact plans, prices and benefits, they will affect how agents communicate with their Medicare clients.
According to David Haugen, Medicare agent with Princeton Agencies, new laws put into place by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will affect all current Medicare eligible persons effective on the 2023 Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) starting Oct. 1, 2022. In order to protect the Medicare eligible community, new safeguards implemented by CMS require organizations marketing, selling, or discussing specific Medicare Advantage (MA), Part D plans (PDP), or Medicare Advantage plans with part D coverage (MAPD) to record phone calls with all current or potential members.
“This new law even affects calls between an agent and their current clients,” said Haugen. “Any phone call initiated by a client, agent, or Medicare marketing organization that involves enrollment or discussion of coverages provided by a specific company must be recorded. Furthermore, the client must be notified that the call is being recorded by the Medicare agent or marketing firm.”
Although the ultimate goal of the change is to protect consumers, it will make the education and enrollment process more difficult via phone call, said Haugen. If a client or potential client opts out of the call because they do not want to be recorded, any further communication will have to be done through email or in person with their agent.
“We prefer to meet with our current or potential clients in person due to the complexities of Medicare, so in many ways this does not affect our preferred way of doing business with our clients,” Haugen said. “But, many of the national marketing companies continually calling seniors will have to drastically change the way they do business.”
A summary of the rights all Medicare recipients, including how they can be contacted by organizations selling Medicare products, can be viewed at Medicare.gov.
“We’re asked almost every day, ‘What other changes are coming this fall for the 2023 Medicare plans in our area?’” said Haugen. “Our answer is -- sometime in September, all people currently enrolled in an MA, PDP, or MAPD Advantage plan will receive an ANOC letter from their provider. ANOC stands for ‘Annual Notice of Change.’ Your ANOC letter provides information you need to help decide whether to stay on your existing plan, or change to a new plan during the Annual Enrollment Period, starting on Oct. 15 and ending on Dec. 7 every year.”
Some of the information included on the ANOC letter highlights changes to plans when they renew on Jan. 1. These changes will include:
• New Monthly premiums
• Benefits
• Cost of Medical Services
• Prescription Drug Costs
• Changes in maximum out of pocket amounts, or
• Cancellations of plans requiring people to enroll in a new plan for 2023.
Last year, many Minnesotans lost their Medicare cost plans due to their insurance company no longer offering cost plans in several counties, said Haugen.
“Those people had to choose another plan for the 2022 plan year. “It is likely there will be more changes like this for 2023.”
Two of the most popular plan providers in the area are Blue Cross and UCare. In order to help people better understand changes to the Blue Cross and UCare plans for 2023, Princeton Agencies has scheduled live meetings to review these changes.
The UCare ANOC meeting will be held on Oct. 11 from 3-5 pm, and the Blue Cross ANOC meeting will held on Oct. 12 from 3-5 pm. Meetings will be held at the East Central Regional Library at 100 4th Ave. South, in Princeton, Minn. Seating is open to the first 100 people attending.
Attendees at the ANOC events will review all changes to Blue Cross or UCare Plans, and representatives from Princeton Agencies will answer your questions.
“You will leave confident your plan meets your needs, or we will schedule a personal consultation during Annual Enrollment running from Oct. 15 through Dec 7,” said Haugen.
If your health, place of residence, lifestyle, or prescription medications have changed during the past year, Princeton Agencies will also want to schedule a personal consultation to ensure your plan continues to meet your needs.
“Remember you can reach out to us anytime if you any questions about your Medicare plan, or about dental, vision, hearing, travel, or any other health insurance you need to enjoy all life’s adventures,” said Haugen.
There are five Princeton Agencies locations — Princeton 763-389-3650, Milaca 320-983-3913, Onamia 320-532-4645, Cambridge 763-444-4544, and Foley 320-968-6973. All offices will offer in-person or phone consultations. You may also visit their website at princetonins.com or email us at medicareinfo@princetonins.com to get in touch with them.
Princeton Agencies has a history that dates back more than 120 years.
“We remain devoted to offering local reputable service to the communities we live in and serve,” said Haugen.
This is a paid business profile. If you would like to learn more about promoting your business in the Sr. Perspective with a business profile, call Jim at 320-334-3344.