NAHU Region 8 asks you to just help one person today if you can. Make a call, mow a lawn, deliver a meal…whatever you can do. On social media, use #justhelpone to post comments and photos. Need inspiration? Check out this video of LAAHU members John Antonioli with Ross Pendergraft and five others at Providence St. Josephs Hospital. The team provided 100 lunches to the ER staff of Providence St. Joseph’s Hospital in Burbank.
Do You Need Help?
NAHU has developed a way for members in need to apply for assistance and for others to donate to help. See more info here.
Reopening Guidelines
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued guidelines for reopening schools, businesses and more. Go here.
People Unable to Enroll in Medicare Due to COVID-19 Now Have Extra Time
People who were unable to enroll in Medicare during the normal enrollment periods due to the COVID-19 pandemic, now have extra time. California Health Advocates and others were integral in advocating for this time. The extra time, referred to by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as “equitable relief”, is for enrolling in Medicare Part B, premium-free Part A or refusing automatic Part B enrollment. People may be eligible for this equitable relief if they were unable to enroll in Medicare Part A or Part B because of delays and problems accessing the Social Security Administration (SSA) to file an application or enrollment, as a result of the unexpected, pandemic-induced closure of field offices. This extra time/equitable relief is retroactive to March 17, 2020 and extends 3 months through June 17, 2020. In addition, CMS announced that the Special Enrollment Period (SEP) they have for beneficiaries affected by a FEMA-declared weather-related emergency or other major disaster, is now applicable for COVID-19. This means that people who missed an opportunity to change their Medicare Advantage and/or Part D plans due to the COVID pandemic, now have a SEP to make a change. This SEP is available nationwide to beneficiaries of all states, tribes, territories, and the District of Columbia effective March 1, 2020 and runs through June 30, 2020. Anyone who has questions or needs assistance with either the SEP for Part D and MA plans or equitable relief/extra time to enroll in Medicare Part A or B, can contact their local Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) at 1-800-434-0222.
Covered Cal Sees 123k+ Enroll
Covered California announced this week that 123,810 people had enrolled in health care coverage since the exchange announced a special-enrollment period in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pace of sign-ups during this time has been nearly 2.5 times higher than the level seen during the same period in 2019.
Thanks, National African American Insurance Association!
Thank you to our friends at the National African American Insurance Association. We recently sat in on an excellent presentation by Dr. Syretta R. James on strategies to address anxiety, stress, depression and work-life balance amid the COVID-19 pandemic. NAAIA and its regional chapters have many upcoming Zoom seminars. Please check out NAAIA’s website. You can also access NAAIA’s recorded Zoom webinars, including Dr. James’s presentation, here.
Don’t forget LAAHU’s Zoom Happy Hour Today 4 p.m.
This is an excellent way to stay connected to colleagues. Register here.
Dialogue on Diversity
IICF is offering Dialogue for Diversity Live! June 25 at 1 p.m. PT. More info and registration here.
LIFE
LIMRA Study: Agent Recruiting Continues During Pandemic
LIMRA reached out to U.S. and Canadian agency-building companies regarding their recruiting efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and the challenges and strategies around it.
All of the companies surveyed are still recruiting agents. Despite the challenges with getting newer agents licensed, 65% of companies are not focusing on more experienced agents. To compensate for social distancing guidelines, most companies are using virtual platforms such as Zoom to engage with candidates.
Companies are training and sourcing candidates in both new and traditional ways. They’re currently using more virtual conferencing, telephone interviews and virtual classrooms, while also continuing to use traditional methods like Zip Recruiter, LinkedIn, and Indeed.
In some cases, companies have had to delay the start dates for inexperienced agents who still needed to pass exams in order to sell insurance. Most companies, however, have continued to onboard new recruits.
“Some states have allowed for temporary licenses and companies are taking advantage of this,” says Margaret Honan, assistant research director, LIMRA. “Others are continuing to have non-licensed candidates focus on studying in order to be ready to test once it’s possible.”
When it comes to keeping business and recruiting going, many companies are looking at increasing the use of digital signatures for submission of business.
Even though they can’t meet face-to-face, companies are keeping candidates involved in the process through frequent check-ins, virtual meetings, and phone calls.
“Many companies have a dedicated support team that keeps in contact with candidates throughout the process,” Honan says.
With the health crisis of the pandemic, there is a heightened awareness around the financial services industry and the protection products they can provide for Americans. It’s important that insurance companies continue recruiting agents to be prepared to serve the needs of consumers both now and once the pandemic is over.
FINANCIAL PLANNING
The National Association for Fixed Annuities Webinars
Click the links for more info and registration:
Fixed annuity product changes in response to COVID-19: An update and a look into the future
Thursday, May 21, 2020
11:00 a.m. PT
Elder Financial Fraud in the COVID 19 Environment
Thursday, May 28, 2020
8:30 a.m. PT
What About Gold to that 401(k)?
Robert Lawton has a post up about adding a gold fund to your 401(k). Check it out here.
MEDICARE
Pinnacle Financial Services Joins Forces with AmeriLife To Serve Booming Medicare Market
AmeriLife, a leader in marketing and distributing life, health and retirement solutions, has acquired an interest in Pinnacle Financial Services, one of the largest full-service health, life, annuity and long-term care national marketing organizations providing financial products and services for individuals, businesses and their employees. AmeriLife, with nearly 50 years of providing Medicare solutions, and Pinnacle, a leader in insurance and financial products sales, are joining forces to leverage their combined resources to provide the large and rapidly growing Medicare market with holistic planning solutions. This transaction – along with Jack Schroeder and Associates and Stephens-Matthews – further expands AmeriLife’s capabilities and distribution reach to meet the Medicare and life insurance needs of America’s retirees.
DENTAL
EVENTS
- NAAHU Annual Convention will be Virtual in June
National Association of Health Underwriters announced its annual convention will now be virtual and take place on June 28-30, 2020. More info at NAHU’s website.
- LAAHU Annual Sales Symposium will be Virtual in July
LAAHU’s AdapTech annual conference will now be virtual on Friday, July 17, 2020. More info at LAAHU’s website.
- Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation Women in Insurance Regional Forums Rescheduled
IICF has rescheduled the Women in Insurance Regional Forums:
New York: October 26
Los Angeles: October 30
Dallas: November 17
- 16th Annual BenefitsPRO Broker Expo 2020 goes forward with August 20-22 date
BenefitsPRO Broker Expo 2020 says the show will go on August 20-22 in Austin, Texas. More info here.
- CAHU Women’s Leadership Summit Now Rescheduled for March 2021
CAHU’s WLS committee announced that the second Women’s Leadership Summit has been rescheduled for March 24-26, 2021, at the JW Marriott in Las Vegas. Questions should be emailed to info@cahu.org.
