Your Resource Kit for COVID-19.

With included resources for working remotely or virtually in the Senior Insurance Industry

In the current state of worldwide need, confusion and worry we want to ensure that all of our partners and agents are safe and are able to maintain the highest standard of care to our senior clients, who are most at risk of the illness effecting the world right now.  We have compiled many tools and resources to assist you in being able to service your clients remotely.

Senior Marketing Specialists Updates

NEW – Watch the recorded On-Demand Webinar: The COVID-19 Stimulus Package and How it Affects Your Agency

New legislation, aims to flood the economy with capital by sending $1,200 checks to many Americans, creating a $367 billion loan program for small businesses and setting up a $500 billion fund for industries, cities and states. Other provisions include a massive boost to unemployment insurance, $150 billion for state and local stimulus funds, and $130 billion for hospitals. Read More…

Taking Care of What’s Important, a Note from our President – At Senior Marketing Specialists, we treat our employees, our agents, and their customers as family.  We try to do this 365 days a year, and it’s during times like these that every little thing matters. Here are just a few of the things we are doing to make sure ALL of our families that we serve remain healthy, safe, fed… Read More…

Special Edition Podcast Released – Elite Cast: Your Agency During a Pandemic – JoAnn and Dan practice “social distancing” while working remotely to discuss what COVID-19 could mean for you clients, your sales, your staff, and our industry. Listen to the Podcast Here.

MDLive Tele-Health Provided by Senior Marketing Specialists to all direct contracted agents for FREE. – Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been recommended that unless an emergency, all of America should avoid doctors offices and emergency rooms.  We want to do what we can to help you and your family, so we have decided to pay for 3 months coverage for you and your family for a tele-health program.

Senior Marketing Specialists Offices are closed to outside visitors starting March 18th. – Due to the recent influx of COVID-19 cases in the US, and the fact that the most susceptible are the aged, Senior Marketing Specialists has decided to postpone all face to face meetings at this time and/or transition them to virtual meetings. Our home offices will be closed to any non-staff persons starting Wednesday, March 18th, 2020. We encourage you to call or email with questions and concerns. We continue to strive to deliver the best information and service to our clients, and our employees, and the safety of both remains our #1 concern.

Resources for Agents / Business Assistance / Client Facing Tools

• Tips on Staying Productive and Healthy While Working Remotely | With most of America (and the world) transitioning this week to remote working, our permanent remote team wanted to give you their top tips on staying productive and healthy while working remotely!NEW – COVID-19 and the Medicare Supplement & Medicare Advantage Markets – A guest article from CSG Actuarial
• Overview of the Small Business Paycheck Protection Program – The PPP provides small businesses with funds to pay up to 8 weeks of payroll costs including benefits. Funds can also be used to pay interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities.
• NEW –  Paycheck Protection Program Borrowers information  | To apply for a COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan and loan advance, click here.
• Virtual Office Only Protocol Letter to Clients – You can use our sample letter to announce to your clients you are no longer doing in person consultations.
• Personalizable COVID-19 Client Facing Newsletter. Download, personalize, and print or email. It’s as simple as that. Download your copy here.
• Social media post for announcing to your clients you do virtual or phone appointments
  • POST WORDING: Staying out of public places, social distancing and even quarantine does NOT mean you should go without the insurance protection you need. We have the capability to  meet with you virtually or over the phone for your appointment. No new devices or technology needed. Call or message us today to setup your appointment for the coverage you need.
  • POST Image: Download the accompanying image here
• REMINDER – Join SMS Agent Connect for many more Covid-19 / Coronavuris / Staying Healthy custom images and posts you can share on your own social media pages.
• NEW – COVID-19 Consumer Warnings and Safety Tips
• NEW – Personlizable Press Release on Scammer Warning
• NEW – COVID-19 Voicemail Script for you to use:
  OPTION 1: “Hello, you’ve reached [COMPANY NAME]. This is [YOUR NAME], letting you know for the safety of our customers, our team members, their families, and members of our community, we are limiting our in-office appointments effective immediately. We will be servicing your insurance needs via phone, email, and text. As of now, our staff will continue to operate from our office during normal business hours. We thank you for your patience and understanding. Please leave a message and we will call back as soon as we are able, and thank you so much for allowing us to service your insurance needs.”

  OPTION 2: “Hello, you’ve reached [COMPANY NAME]. For the safety of our staff, clients, and community, we have made the decision to temporarily close our office to the public. Our staff will continue to address the concerns and needs of our clients via email, text, and phone. With our staff working form home please pardon any additional background noise such as barking dogs or screaming toddlers, and bear with us as we navigate this unprecedented time together. “

Compliance and Remote Employees / Agents

• Sample Remote Employee Policy – You can use as an addendum to your employee handbook. Have each staff member sign and agree before they begin working remotely.
• Compliance Checklist to Working Remotely (for both staff and agents)
• Telesales Compliance and Information Guide – Information on compliance, application submissions (including Enrollment Express), and carrier guides to online enrollment
• HIPPA Definitions and Reminders

Virtual Sales / Phone Sales / Non-Face to Face Appointments

• SMS-U Phone Sales Videos – Find out more about how to get started, what to expect, and how to sell specific products without face-to-face presentations.
• Virtal Agency and Phone Sales Sales Toolkit
• One of the best ways to build and maintain trust with a new client or prospect is to include them in the shopping and enrollment processes. Using screen sharing software, like join.me can allows an agent to accomplish this over the phone just like if they were face-to-face. It is free and easy to use.
• Prospect Boss (formerly SalesDialers) just announced a spectacular offer to agents to help them prospect and continue to bring in new business during this time of social isolation when it’s hard to get in front of new clients. They are offering free 30 day 3-Line CRM Dialer with the call data to agents. Find our more here. 

Enrollments

• Our internal enrollment department will continue to process application submitted to us for scrubbing and submission. Please be sure to use the appropriate fax cover sheet on every application. You can download the cover sheet here.
• CSG’s Full Guide to E-Apps
• Enrollment Express Resource Kit – Includes training videos and resources to getting started with Enrollment Express.
• Continued use of carrier e-application processes is highly recommended at this time.

Resources, Information and Updates on Coronavirus

• NEW – IRS guidance and press releases on COVID-19, including tax relief info and stimulus checks.
• 80% of US coronavirus deaths have been among people 65 and older, a new CDC report says — here’s what it reveals about the US cases
• Social Security Offices CLOSED to in Person Services as of March 17th 2020 – More Details Here
• Visit usa.gov for information on how to access the government services you need.
• FDA Takes Action to Address COVID-19
• Visit Social Security Administration COVID-19 web page at www.socialsecurity.gov/coronavirus/ to find out what services they are continuing and which ones they are suspending, how to contact them, and important information about deadlines they are extending to ease the burden on individuals and medical providers during this pandemic.
• COVID-19 Health Benefits Resources by State – Each state is taking its own approach to Covid-19 health insurance regulation. Here is the directory.
• IRS Payment Deadline Extended to July 15, 2020 – Income tax payment deadlines for individual returns, with a due date of April 15, 2020, are being automatically extended until July 15, 2020. The filing deadline for tax returns remains April 15, 2020. Read more here.
•  Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources and Articles for Family Caregivers
•  The NAIC has created a new brief specifically to help people understand those potential impacts on Heath, Travel, Life, Business Interruption, Event Cancellation, Workers’ Compensation, General Business Liability, and Directors and Officers Insurance, as well as Annuities.NAIC INSURANCE BRIEF COVID-19 AND INSURANCE  |  https://content.naic.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/Insurance%20Brief%20-%20Covid-19%20and%20Insurance.pdf National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)  Coronavirus Resource Center  | https://content.naic.org/naic_coronavirus_info.htm 

Center for Disease Control COVID-19 Readiness Resources

• COVID-19 Updates for Travelers
• People at Risk for Serious Illness from COVID-19
• Get Your Household Ready for Coronavirus Disease
• What every American and community can do now to decrease the spread of the Coronavirus
• Visit The Centers for Disease Control website for more information on the Coronavirus.
• Coronavirus Self Checker

CMS / Medicare on COVID-19

• More Services Added to Medicare Telehealth​ – CMS will now allow for more than 80 additional services to be furnished via telehealth.
• CMS Expands Medicare Telehealth Services
• CMS Issues Frequently Asked Questions on Catastrophic Health Coverage and the Coronavirus. Read the official press release from CMS here
• The Trump Administration today announced expanded Medicare telehealth coverage that will enable beneficiaries to receive a wider range of healthcare services from their doctors without having to travel to a healthcare facility. “The Trump Administration is taking swift and bold action to give patients greater access to care through telehealth during the COVID-19 outbreak,” said Administrator Seema Verma.  Read the official press release from CMS here
• Summary of Medicare Telemedicine Services – View the CMS Medicare Telemedicine Health Care Provider Fact Sheet Here

• With the recent Coronavirus epidemic, we want to ensure that agents are aware that Medicare Part B will cover Coronavirus testing ordered after February 4, 2020 by a doctor or other healthcare provider. While there isn’t a vaccine yet, Medicare is still here to help. Click Here to see more about Coronavirus testing from Medicare.gov
• NEW – The standards for Medicare payment in a nursing facility have been adjusted. A three night hospital stay is not being required as a prerequisite for Medicare coverage of nursing facility care. Finding that the resident needs the following is required:
  • Focused nursing care on a daily basis (not including routine nursing oversight or medication administration) or
  • Skilled therapy services at least five days a week.​
  • Source: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/coronavirus-snf-1812f-waiver.pdf

Additional Guidance and Resources:

• CMS Current Emergencies Information Page – Information and updates about public health emergencies that are happening now
• Getting Prescriptions in a State of Emergency
• Getting Care and Drugs in Emergencies
• COVID19 Emergency Declaration Fact Sheet
• New Measures to Protect Nursing Home Residents from COVID-19
• In the memorandum issued March 10, 2020, CMS outlined the flexibilities MA and Part D plans have to waive certain requirements to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Carriers on COVID-19

You can find updates and resources from each of our carriers on this page. Please be sure to check back as updates will be added to the carrier section on a regular basis.

Carriers with provided guidance include Aetna/Silverscript, UnitedHealthcare, Mutual of Omaha, Humana, Cigna and Anthem.

Access the Carrier COVID-19 Page Here

Please call our office with any questions or for help in transitioning to a remote worker business model, 1-800-689-2800.