Helping your clients sign up for Medicare is a great service that helps separate you from your competition.
We have to give one of our great agents, RD Roulston, the credit for this quick tip that we're sharing and encouraging you with today.
Want to learn more about improving your customer service? Check out An Insurance Agent's Guide to Mastering the Senior Market Client Relationship
Why You Should Help Your Clients Sign Up For Medicare Part B
Typically, this is how the whole Medicare sign-up process goes for your clients:
- They make the trek to their local social security office,
- Sit in the lobby for a few hours,
- Twiddle their thumbs, and
- They finally get called by a representative.
What happens then? The representative just hands them a couple forms to fill out. They waited all those hours just for a couple forms.
It's really frustrating, and a lot of people don't realize that they're wasting their time waiting for a couple documents that you can just download or fill out online.
We'll show you how to help your clients sign up for Medicare either online or on paper, but in both cases, you're saving your clients from spending an entire day at the Social Security office!
Help Clients Sign Up For Medicare Online
Here are the 4 steps to take to help your clients sign up for Medicare Part B:
1. Visit https://www.ssa.gov/
It takes about 10 minutes from here.
The application will ask the client for:
- Name
- SSN
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Questions about health benefits (other health insurance, employment information, etc.)
That's it!
Help Client Sign Up for Medicare On Paper
Alternatively, you can help your client fill out paper forms. In this case, you need two forms:
On the Application form, Mr. Roulston advises that you write in what effective date you want for Part B coverage in the "Remarks" section. The representative in the Social Security office usually does this, so if you're filling it out at home instead, be sure to do this!
- Request for Employment Information Form (for credible coverage)
Once you fill out these two forms, send both together to your local Social Security office. This is still much easier than going in person and waiting in line for the forms.
Providing Added Value to Your Medicare Clients
Showing your clients how to do this online and guiding them through the process will save them a lot of frustration! It seems like a little thing, but to your clients, you're offering them this free service that no one else has.
Related content:
- 5 Simple Ways to Support Isolated, Lonely Clients
- The Surprising Truth Behind Doing Complimentary Part D Evaluations
- How to Show Clients You Care When it Matters Most
