Why Does Benefytt Get A Bye?
Shady dealings, felons in the C-Suite and multiple class actions haven’t put a dent in their ability to transform into a major distributor for Medicare Advantage plans.
While the average street agent can face sanctions for very minor transgressions, the big players in Medicare are turning a blind eye to who is really behind this “new” company. Google is your friend, go check it out. I’ve followed this for a few years and keep thinking that they will be stopped, but they only get bigger thanks to massive infusions of capital and I suppose friends in high places -?
Let me back up. All agents and by all, I really mean all, hate the Joe Namath ads!
The ads are misleading. They have caused a lot of turmoil in our industry that has blown back on our ability to advertise and form call centers. CMS is alarmed at the rise in Complaints To Medicare (CTMs) surrounding the ad and now we face more scrutiny (while the ads still play on.)
Who was behind the ads? Well, that’s where all the fun starts. If you called the 800# in the ad they were evasive but ended up transferring you to a GoHealth agent. HIIQ was accused of selling “virtually worthless” indemnity plans and there are probably still class actions suits pending in a few states. Look it up and tell me why the big Medicare Advantage companies gave them a contract?
Yes, CMS is upset about the ads and yes, there will be new regulations to combat them. Meanwhile, the company formerly known as HIIQ then Total Health Solutions and is now Benefytt. All you need to know is there is another call center competitor on the landscape, selling for all the core carriers and most likely still using a business processing center (aka unlicensed agents) to screen the leads before turning it over to an agent to finalize the sale.
This is high-tech Medicare sales. A long way from selling across from the client at their kitchen table!
Sylvia Gordon is the president of Gordon Marketing, one of the nation’s largest distributors of Medicare, Health, Life & Annuities via independent agents in all states. Contact Sylvia@gordonmarketing.com or find her on Tik Tok @MedicareMama.
