The risk agents take when using a third party marketing organization enrollment systems

This post first appeared on LinkedIn on March 15,  2023 and is written by Scott Nichols

 

It seems like these Medicare enrollment systems are everywhere. Many come from the vast conglomerates that have bought up our industry, but others come from upline FMO’s. They are usually free and convenient, and you have heard mw talk about why and the risk to your BOB’s they can pose, but there are other risk to using them agents don’t know until it affects a sale.

 

At this point you may be saying “What!” “No way!”

 

Yep, and my friends at CMS IT department agree with me on this one.

 

When you use a TPMO enrollment system you are completely depending on the TPMO and carrier systems being able to communicate with each other and that the data they have on your “ready to sell” status match.

 

They MUST match. This is done with what they call n the industry “TOOGLES.” Matching TOOGLES in both systems stating you are “ready to sell” means your client application will be processed and you will get paid. If these do not match and one system says your “ready to sell” and the other system says your not either the enrollment does not get processed, or you don’t get paid, or both. YIKES!

 

In a recent conversation I had with CMS IT they shared with me that these enrollment systems are headaches for them because of compliance issues and beneficiary complaints.

 

They asked me how our Search & Save system handles enrollment and when I told them we have a simple “agent portal” button next to the plan information for agents to click on and go directly to that carriers log in they were thrilled.

 

They even said they wished every Medicare (TPMO) system did this!

 

Here is what I think. I was raised with “too many cooks spoil the soup.”

 

Search & Save removed the middleman. No middleman. No Toggles. No complaints, and best of all, you get PAID!