How We Get Paid/A Charlie Brown Christmas

I hope this message finds you well and you are having a great day.

I read an article about a doctor that was a whistle blower for a few Medicare Fraud cases and it made me think about the Charlie Brown Christmas cartoon that was on when I was a child and probably still comes on today. There was a scene when the Peanuts gang was milling about talking about Christmas. They were giving Charlie Brown a hard time about his tree-side note I feel his pain when I am marketing and people get upset for trying to help them, but I digress-Charlie Brown has had enough and he yells “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about!”

I remembered this scene because the article talked about how Labs and Testing companies pay Doctors to send patients to get tests at their facilities. Um What? So let me get this straight, your doctor could get a kickback to send you for tests to a specific Lab? Not one he has a healthy, above the board relationship with, no. Not one that is spot-on with their results, but one that will pay them the highest dollar. Makes no sense to me-Is there anyone who knows what helping people is about? I have had a personal experience with an underhanded, conniving, pill pushing doctor. The doctor talked about the amount of money these facilities were paying doctors to send them their way. They would pay up to $30.00 per patient, per test. Some doctors were making $17000 per month. According to the doctor, the lab can legally pay up to $3.00 per patient. How in the hell is that even right? The issue the good doctor had was that they were getting tests run for any and everything. Even if the client did not have that particular ailment, they still did the test and Medicare paid for it, which means we paid for it. Even if the doctor did not order it.

I do not begrudge anyone that works and makes a living. I also understand there is a cost to doing business, but there is no way in hell anyone is going to convince me that it is okay for your doctor or health professionals to profit off of you by ordering tests and prescribing medications. That is absolute and total BS. I am quite sure this plays a part in the rising costs of healthcare. Unbelievable any way you look at it.

Ok end of rant, I wanted to disclose how we as agents get paid. We are paid by the insurance company. The rate is going to be the same if you went to the particular insurance company and bought a policy. The rates are set with the Department of Insurance with your state. No one is going to be able to get you a better rate with the same company. Red insurance company is going to charge $100 for Plan G. If you go through an Agent, then Red insurance will be $100, if you call Red insurance company directly, the cost will be $100. The difference is Red insurance company will not be able to give you Blue insurance company's rates and their history, I can and will do that and more.

We get paid from the company directly.

Now if you read what I wrote above, I am sure you are thinking hypocrite! If that were all of the story you would be correct but, that is the very reason I am appointed with 22 companies in 14 states. That way I can make sure you are getting an unbiased opinion on which company is going to be right for you. I look at not just the price today, but what will it look like a year from now, two years. When will they start increasing the premiums just for getting a year older on top of the annual rate increase? What is their annual rate of increase been historically? I understand that does not guarantee anything but it does give you a good indication as to what can be expected. Yes I do provide for my family. Yes, I do get paid by the insurance company, but only if it is a good fit for you. That is why I am appointed with all of these carriers, to insure I am looking out for my clients and not my wallet.

I will provide for my family, by providing my clients the service they need and deserve.

If you have any questions please give me a call, 803-851-0219 or send me an email randy@thehgogroup.com. Please visit us on our webpage: TheHgOGroup.com

All the best,

Randy