Join GarityAdvantage CT Territory Manager, Jeanette Natale and Aetna Medicare Broker Managers, Tracey Goulet and Lisa O’Hara, for a refresher on using Aetna’s Ascend (Virtual Sales Office) App.
The Ascend app is the electronic enrollment tool for Aetna Medicare plans (MA/MAPD) and SilverScript PDP products. This tool has a number of exciting new features and expanded capabilities — giving you even more reasons to use it. Plus, it’s now compatible with more devices!
Why use Ascend?
Shorten the sales cycle: You can see more clients and complete more compliant enrollments in less time
It’s got everything you need: From the sales presentation to the enrollment application, all in one spot
More ways to enroll: With new features built into Ascend, you can enroll clients by phone or online with e-kits
Learn about these enhancements:
Scope of Appointment (SOA): Obtain an SOA by email or text
Offline capability: Complete an enrollment offline to upload later
Email option: Send an electronic enrollment kit (e-kit) to enroll online
Get an eSignature: Send a pre-filled application to your client to sign
Check Extra Help status: See if your client qualifies
Telephonic enrollment: Enroll clients by phone with the Remote Agent Telephonic Enrollment (RATE) option
In observation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
we will be closed Monday, January 18th.
NOTE: Carrier deadlines for enrollments still apply.
Important Notes: All Carrier deadlines for enrollments still apply. Please plan accordingly as any enrollments sent to the enrollment department after 5:00 PM Friday, 1/15/21 will not be processed until Tuesday, 1/19/21.
Please use the links below for directions on how to submit your applications to the carriers directly after 5:00 PM Friday, January 15th.
To ensure compliance with CMS enrollment time-frames, you should always submit your enrollments the day they are received. This requirement becomes especially important now because CMS requirements Do Not allow additional days for weekends and holidays.
For enrollments that are NOT time-sensitive, our Agent Dashboard and Enrollment Fax lines are open 24 hours to accept your enrollments. We will resume processing on Tuesday, Jan. 19th.
NEW FLASH: Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (HPHC) becomes the latest carrier to offer virtual enrollment capabilities through Medicare Select-a-Plan–the popular and easy-to-use online quote and enrollment tool offered exclusively to independent agents contracted through GarityAdvantage.
HPHC joins the growing list of top Medicare insurance carriers in New England to offer enrollment capabilities on the MSAP platform including: Aetna, Anthem, Fallon, UHC and WellCare.
With Select-a-Plan, you can:
Complete the SOA process paper-free
Enroll MAPD and PDP clients online and earn FULL COMMISSION
Enter/save your customer’s prescription drugs (replacing medicare.gov)
Check to see if your client’s doctors are in network across multiple carriers
Leverage flexible remote signature technology via email or text
Send customers a Personal Enrollment URL to facilitate self-enrollment
GarityAdvantage is a National Marketing Organization (NMO) for the top local, regional and national Medicare carriers. We are the only NMO physically located here in New England. We support our brokers with personalized training, unlimited co-op marketing dollars, complimentary leads during AEP and exceptional support throughout the year.
Plus, all broker commissions are paid directly to you. You get the whole pie, not just a piece of it! Request an HPHC contract or add another great carrier to your portfolio.
Contact your Territory Manager or Sales Support Specialists if you have any questions. See you there!
Wishing you a season of joy and looking forward to continued success in 2021.
As always, thank you for your business, loyalty, and support.
GarityAdvantage Agencies Holiday Hours
Thursday, Dec. 24th – CLOSED
Friday, Dec. 25th – CLOSED
Monday, Dec. 28th – CLOSED
NOTE: Carrier deadlines for enrollments still apply.
Important Notes: All Carrier deadlines for enrollments still apply. Please plan accordingly as any enrollments sent to the enrollment department after 5:00 PM Wednesday, 12/23/20 will not be processed until Tuesday, 12/29/20.
The Agent Dashboard and Enrollment Fax lines are open 24 hours to accept your enrollments.We will resume processing on Tuesday, Dec. 29th.
To ensure compliance with CMS enrollment time-frames, you should always submit your enrollments the day they are received. This requirement becomes especially important now because CMS requirements Do Not allow additional days for weekends and holidays.
Business hours at GarityAdvantage will be adjusted this week due to our annual holiday event for our staff.
Please note the following special office hours:
Friday, December 18th: Close at 2:30 PM
NOTE: Carrier deadlines for enrollments still apply.
Enrollments sent to GarityAdvantage prior to 2:30 PM on Friday Dec. 18th will be processed that same day.
Enrollments sent to GarityAdvantage AFTER 2:30 PM on Friday Dec. 18th will be processed on Monday, Dec. 21st.
If your enrollment requires same day processing after 2:30 PM on Friday Dec. 18th, please submit directly to the carrier.
Note: The Agent Dashboard and Enrollment Fax lines are open 24 hours to accept your enrollments.We will resume processing on Monday, Dec. 21st.
To ensure compliance with CMS enrollment time-frames, you should always submit your enrollments the day they are received. This requirement becomes especially important now because CMS requirements Do Not allow additional days for weekends and holidays.
December 7th is fast approaching, and we all know that with the end of AEP comes the inevitable onslaught of last-minute apps. In light of this we wanted to quickly remind you of the rules of engagement surrounding the end of AEP on Medicare Select-a-Plan:
All AEP apps must be submitted successfully by 11:59:59pm (23:59:59) on December 7th in the local time of the plan in which the customer wishes to enroll.
Apps may not be started before that time and submitted afterwards… they must be completed and submitted successfully, without errors, by that time.
We recommend that agents try to their best to submit their final few apps as far ahead of this deadline as possible to account for the time needed to correct any errors that may occur on submission, just in case they arise.
Here are two demonstrative examples:
An agent lives in California, and is writing an app for customer who lives on the east coast and is applying for a plan with a service area in the Eastern time zone.
This app needs to be submitted successfully, without errors, by 11:59:59 pm in Eastern Time on 12/7.
An agent clicks “submit” at 11:59 pm on 12/7 in the local time of the plan, but there is an error upon submission. It takes the agent 2 minutes to correct the error on the app and clicks “submit” again at 12:01am on 12/8. Since the successful submission didn’t occur until 12/8, this app will count as a 12/8 app and will not qualify for AEP.
Please let us know if you have any questions about this.
Thank you so much for using Medicare Select-a-Plan and we wish you a healthy, safe, and successful rest of your AEP selling season.
Follow These Helpful Enrollment Reminders for a Successful AEP
As you know, Medicare Enrollments are subject to strict submission time frames implemented by CMS. To ensure a smooth process every time, please follow this helpful list of Do’s & Don’ts when submitting your applications.
Electronic Submissions
DO: SUBMIT YOUR APPS THROUGH THE AGENT DASHBOARD
The Agent Dashboard: The easiest way to ensure your paper enrollment applications are submitted accurately is to submit through GarityAdvantage for processing (Med Advantage, Med Supp and PDP). As part of our service to you, GarityAdvantage will review your enrollments for accuracy.
DON’T: EMAIL YOUR ENROLLMENTS!
We no longer accept enrollments via email for security reasons.
DO: TRACK YOUR SUBMISSIONS VIA THE AGENT DASHBOARD
By using our agent dashboard, you will be able to track your application submissions while we also track your commissions and include your business in our ongoing audit to make sure you get paid.
DON’T: SUBMIT MORE THAN ONE APPLICATION PER UPLOAD
Online Enrollments
DO: USE MEDICARE SELECT-a-PLAN to ENROLL ONLINE
With MSAP, you can:
Complete the SOA process paper-free
Enroll MAPD and PDP clients online and earn FULL COMMISSION
Enter/save your customer’s prescription drugs (replacing medicare.gov)
Leverage flexible remote signature technology via email or text
Send customers a Personal Enrollment URL to facilitate self-enrollment
Please use a separate cover page for each enrollment mark if the submission is NEW or a CHANGE/CORRECTION. This cuts down on duplicate submissions!
Ensure Accuracy
DON’T: FORGET TO SUBMIT ALL THE PAGES OF THE ENROLLMENT APPLICATION
For example; we have noticed many Aetna apps coming in without the first page. Aetna requires this page for the submission to be considered a full enrollment.
Double check your submissions!
DO: CHECK CLIENT ZIP CODES FOR ACCURACY
DON’T: FORGET TO COMPLETE ALL OF THE REQUIRED INFORMATION ON THE APPLICATION
For example; UHC applications for Medicare Advantage and PDP have an additional agent received date “signature date” that must be completed. Double check your submissions!
DO: DOUBLE CHECK RECEIPT CONFIRMATION
Double check that you received a confirmation of your enrollment submission. If you enroll by fax, check your fax confirmation pages. If you enroll through the Agent Dashboard
, make sure your enrollment shows on the submitted apps page.
Train and Gain Access to Our All New Virtual Quote and Enrollment Tool
Arm yourself with the tools you need to work with clients remotely. Quote multiple carriers, perform comprehensive drug lookups, leverage text and email signature capabilities and complete enrollments in minutes – either in person, on the phone or via computer.
GarityAdvantage is pleased to introduce our all new online quoting and enrollment platform: Medicare Select-a-Plan! Join a Garity Territory Manager for a deep-dive training session.
With Select-a-Plan, you can:
Complete the SOA process paper-free
Enroll MAPD and PDP clients online and earn FULL COMMISSION
Enter/save your customer’s prescription drugs (replacing medicare.gov)
Leverage flexible remote signature technology via email or text
Send customers a Personal Enrollment URL to facilitate self-enrollment
Attend a training and be ready for AEP!
Agents must attend this training in order to gain access to the enrollment platform.
BIG NEWS! Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) is adding Docusign functionality to their virtual enrollment process. Join Heather Andrade, Medicare Broker Manager at BCBSRI, Michelle Rahme, Director of Medicare Sales at BCBSRI, and Jane Feit, RI/MA Territory Manager at GarityAdvantage as they walk you through the process and much more including:
Docusign is here: See a “real feel” demo of Docusign and how you can process remote sales
Telephone & website portal: Refresh your knowledge of other BCBSRI enrollment options
No Cost Lead Program: Learn about a unique sales/lead opportunity with Oak Street Health
Exceptional Agent Support: Find out why you should be working with BCBSRI & GarityAdvantage
