Should You Sell D-SNPs?

A Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan is a great product to add to your portfolio, especially since 12 million Americans (20 percent of the Medicare population) have dual-eligible status.

While we think selling D-SNPs can greatly help to boost your business, there are some things to consider first. Let’s look at the answer to this question: Should you sell D-SNPs?

A Quick Background

What are Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs)? The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services explains that D-SNPs “enroll individuals who are entitled to both Medicare (title XVIII) and medical assistance from a state plan under Medicaid (title XIX). States cover some Medicare costs, depending on the state and the individual’s eligibility.”

D-SNPs fall under the category of Medicare Advantage plans. There are different types of D-SNPs based on Medicaid levels: Full-Benefit, Medicare Zero Cost Sharing, Dual Eligible Subset, and Dual Eligible Subset Medicare Zero Cost Sharing. For each type, there are certain criteria that clients must meet to be considered eligible. Additionally, plans might be integrated or non-integrated depending on whether they coordinate with their state’s Medicaid program. They could also have different networks, including HMO or PPO.

Because dual-eligible individuals also qualify for Medicaid based on falling below an income threshold, you’re more likely to get clients in low-income communities than in affluent neighborhoods.

Are You Non-Judgmental?

Due to the nature of these plans, you will mostly find prospects in the following places: food banks, soup kitchens, senior centers, utility assistance locations, and areas with low-income housing. For some agents, these places may not be very familiar.

You may have grown up around these places or you may have even volunteered there at one time or another. Everyone has different life experiences, and it’s important to be respectful of them, even if they are different from your own. Having an open mind is extremely important when selling D-SNPs. If you find yourself looking down on a client because of their current living or financial situation, selling D-SNPs may not be right for you.

Are You Empathetic?

Empathy is a valuable trait for any insurance agent to have, but it’s especially beneficial for agents who are selling D-SNPs.

Try putting yourself in your client’s shoes and think how you would want to be treated and spoken to if you were in their situation. An agent who will excel in selling D-SNPs is one with a compassionate heart. You may have to figuratively hold your client’s hand through the process and give them a significant amount of guidance. Patience is very valuable in cases like these.

Selling D-SNPs may be a good route for you to take if you’re the kind of agent who likes to go above and beyond for your clients. You may want to help connect them to local resources in their area, such as community centers and food banks. [B]enefitsCheckUp.org](https://benefitscheckup.org/ “BenefitsCheckUp”) is also a good place to start. Going the extra mile for your client now will lead to greater client retention in the future.

Are You Willing to Put in the Necessary Effort?

If you asked 10 other agents whether they sell D-SNPs and why, you might get 10 different answers! Agents can struggle with selling D-SNPs for a variety of reasons, one of which is the time required to invest in your client if you want them to understand their coverage and stick around.

It’s easy to make a D-SNP sale; it’s also easy to lose one. Why? One reason is what we call the “oo, shiny” effect combined with the fact that D-SNP enrollees can potentially switch plans more often than regular Medicare Advantage enrollees. D-SNPs can have very appealing benefits, and a beneficiary wanting to plan switch to improve their situation as much as possible makes sense; however, this means that if you don’t invest the time needed, it’s easy for another agent to come along and poach your client.

It’s easy to make a D-SNP sale; it’s also easy to lose one.

Thus, to sell D-SNPs successfully and retain the client base, you must be thorough. Explain the details of coverage and how it works. Help them navigate enrollment. Clue your client in on how much work has gone into finding the right plan for them. Describe how to utilize the benefits. Follow up regularly. Provide superior customer service.

Then, when another agent comes along with a shiny, new D-SNP, your client will be calling you to ask questions instead of just switching without any communication. If you aren’t willing to invest time and effort into cultivating relationships and educating your clients, then D-SNPs may not be right for you.

If you think you have the right personality to sell D-SNPs, go ahead and add some new contracts to your selling options. For simple online contracting, try Ritter’s Contract Now (newly registered agents must speak with their sales specialist to unlock this tool).

Working with dual-eligible individuals can be very rewarding and with many benefits. But you should answer these questions honestly about yourself before diversifying your portfolio. If you answered “yes” to these three questions, then selling D-SNPs might be the next best move for your insurance business!

Our team at Ritter Insurance Marketing can help you get started selling D-SNPs and support you every step of the way. Register with us for free to get started.