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Meet the Team in February!

We are delighted to announce the launch of this year’s IFG Monthly Newsletter! This monthly publication is designed to keep you informed about the latest updates, achievements, and upcoming events within our department.

What you can find in our February edition:

• CMS Rules of the Road for OEP

• CMS/Carrier Updates

• Compliance Reminders

• Meet the IFG Team

• IFG Trainings

• Medicare in the News

We encourage everyone to take a moment to read the newsletter and stay connected with our team's journey. You can access the latest edition here. https://www.teamifg.com/ifgmonthly434960

Your feedback is important to us! Please feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions to help us improve future editions.

CMS Rules of the Road for OEP

The Open Enrollment Period (OEP) began on January 1st, and while this election period does provide some opportunities for agents, it can also create some pitfalls to avoid. The chart below is a quick guide to share some basics about consumer eligibility. In addition, we have provided some helpful "may and may not" items for agents to consider during OEP:

During the OEP, agents may not:

• Send unsolicited materials advertising the ability/opportunity to make an additional enrollment change or referencing the OEP;

• Specifically, target beneficiaries who are in the OEP because they made a choice during the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) by purchase of mailing lists or other means of identification;

• Engage in or promote agent/broker activities that intend to target the OEP as an opportunity to make further sales; or

• Call or otherwise contact former enrollees who have selected a new plan during the AEP.

During the OEP, agents may conduct marketing activities that focus on other enrollment opportunities, including but not limited to:

• Marketing to age-ins (who have not yet made an enrollment decision); · Send marketing materials when a beneficiary makes a proactive request;

• At the beneficiary’s request, have one-on-one meetings with a sales agent; and

• At the beneficiary’s request, provide information on the OEP through a call center.

Carrier Updates

UHC: Updated information regarding the Healthy Food Benefit for the two plans in Tennessee (H0251-002 and H0251-004). Agents need to access the Sales Material Portal (SMP) through Jarvis to print the verification form, as it is not available during online enrollment.

In the SMP, agents can locate the form either in the enrollment guide (with form) or as a stand-alone document. For the stand-alone form, they should look for the Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill (SSBCI) Form. In the enrollment guide agents can locate the verification form right after the paper Scope of Appointment. This form is separate from the chronic verification form and does not affect plan enrollment, only the use of the Healthy Food benefit. Failure to complete this form could impact the member's ability to use their food credit in the first month.

CMS Updates

Changes to Special Enrollment Periods for Dually Eligible Individuals and Low-Income Subsidy/Extra Help Enrollees

The new Part C/D Rule introduces changes to when dually eligible individuals can switch Medicare Advantage Plans (including D-SNPs). Key changes include:

Elimination of Quarterly SEP: The current quarterly SEP for dually eligible and LIS-only individuals is eliminated as of January 1, 2025.

New Monthly SEP: Starting January 1, 2025, dually eligible and LIS-only individuals can make monthly changes to their Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plan (MAPD), return to Original Medicare, and enroll in a standalone prescription drug plan.

Disaster/Emergency (DST) SEP: This change takes effect on April 1, 2025. Applications using the DST election period must be submitted directly through CMS from this date. Plans must remove the Disaster/Emergency SEP from enrollment forms and mechanisms before April 1, 2025.

Standalone Prescription Drug Plan Changes: A new monthly SEP allows changes to standalone Prescription Drug Plan enrollment.

Integrated D-SNP Enrollment: Full-benefit dually eligible individuals can enroll in integrated and aligned D-SNPs monthly.

IFG Oversight Reminders

Discontinuation of AEP Related Marketing and Communication Materials

As the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) has now concluded, we wanted to remind you to discontinue the use of all marketing and communication materials related to AEP. This includes brochures, flyers, digital ads, mailers, and any other marketing and communication content.

Please ensure that all AEP materials are removed from circulation and all digital content is taken down from all platforms.

If you have not yet submitted materials for OEP/ROY, now is the time! Please note that the window for final approval is an estimated 45-60 days from start to finish.

To submit materials for approval, please use the submission portal: https://teamifg.com/marketingcompliance. The IFG Marketing and Communication Guide is a great resource as you develop your materials.

Thank you for your cooperation and prompt attention to this matter. Should you have any questions or require further assistance, please reach out to IFGMarketingOversight@teamifg.com.

Announcement:

In the coming weeks IFG will be making updates to the formatting of the web portal where agents/agencies submit their marketing and communication materials for a more streamlined submission process. Agents can expect to see a new Home Page that details

instruction and guidance for material submissions. In addition, the Home Page will include 3 separate links that will guide agents through the various submission types (Single Material Submission, Agency Website Submission, and Social Media/Ad Campaigns). These updates should help clarify and streamline the overall agent material submission process. The existing link to the Intake Portal will not be changing.

Reminders:

1. Reminder to ensure agents take the appropriate steps in licensing and qualifying sales, especially for North Carolina Med Supp. Please reach out to your leader or upline for appropriate process steps.

· For non-residents applying for a NC license, they would need to select the below options in NIPR:

· Accidents & Health or Sickness

· Med Supp/Long Term Care

2. In addition to utilizing Sunfire, we advise agent managers and agents to have a plan in place to verify license status of their agents (EX.: checking NIPR, Carrier portals, RTS reports). We recommend that agent managers create a list of each agent’s licensure and associated expiration dates.

3. Dual Agent Enrollment:

Reminder that IFG only allows a single agent to sell a plan to a beneficiary from end-to-end. Agents should not transfer to an “enrollment” agent to complete the enrollment application.

For agent-use only and must not be distributed.

Meet the IFG Team

We are excited to announce that our IFG Leadership Team has GROWN! Our Team is Your Team - In the coming months we will be taking time to introduce you to each of our new leaders… IFG is evolving to meet the needs of our customers now and in the future. Our Leadership Team has grown, with expanded roles and new talent. These changes will help us strengthen our foundation and scale our processes and services as IFG grows.

IFG MISSION STATEMENT:
At IFG, we are driven by our core values of Innovation, Collaboration, Accountability, and Execution. We empower our agents, agencies, and associates to achieve meaningful results by leveraging cutting-edge technology and resources. With an unwavering commitment to excellence, we strive to exceed our partners’ expectations and deliver an exceptional experience to every beneficiary.

IFG Trainings

Agent Activation CRM Training
Ready, set, learn! CRM Training and Tech Support calls are available every Tuesday at 11am EST. Visit https://ifgagenttools.com/crmtraininghub to select and register for your preferred CRM training, and access our top-notch tech and service support team, ready to assist you with your IFG CRM.

IFG SEP & TPMO Training
The IFG Sales Integrity Team is facilitating trainings via webinars. The first training focuses on the best practices for a timely/accurate delivery of the Third Party Marketing Organization (TPMO) disclaimer, impacts of misusing Special Enrollment Periods (SEP), as well the update to the Disaster Declaration SEP.

The training communication was sent to Agency Broker Executives, Agency Broker Relationship Managers, other supportive roles to share with their agencies and encourage all to join.

There will be 6 calls over 6 weeks which are listed below. If you'd like to register, you can choose from one of these options to attend (or several). It is encouraged for all agents to

participate and is a great resource to connect them. Let me know any questions you may have, or if you need a copy of the communication issued via the CRM.

• Wednesday, February 12th @ 12 pm EST

• Wednesday, February 26th @ 12 pm EST

• Wednesday, March 5th @ 12 pm EST

• Wednesday, March 12th @ 12 pm EST

• Wednesday, March 19th @ 12 pm EST

Link to Register: HERE

WellCare Opportunities with HIDE/FIDE Plans and year-round SEPs

Join Rose Hurdas, our WellCare representative, to learn more about HIDE/FIDE plans and what type of year-round SEP opportunities are available in 2025.

Wednesday, February 18th at 1:00pm EST Link to Register: HERE

Ameritas Dental and Vision Selling Opportunities

Join Chad Knies, our Ameritas representative, to learn more about Dental and Vision plans available in 2025.

Wednesday, February 19th at 11:00am EST Link to Register: HERE

IFG Sunfire Agent Training
Join us for a Sunfire hands-on walk-through with your knowledgeable Innovative Financial Group (IFG) Sunfire Team. The goal of these trainings will be to help answer important common questions and better utilize this innovative platform to assist with increasing your sales productivity. Register using the link below. Hosted by your IFG Sunfire Team Every Wednesday at 11:00am EST - 1st & 3rd Wednesday every month for Field Agents 2nd and 4th Wednesday every month for Call Center Agents

Starting 2/26 at 11:00am EST for Call Center Agents Link to Register: HERE

Starting 3/05 at 11:00am EST for Field Agents Link to Register: HERE

Keep an eye out for new IFG trainings, announcements coming soon!

Healthcare in the News

What a US Exit From the WHO Means for Global Health
JANUARY 24, 2025

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Creating Chaos at HHS

JANUARY 23, 2025

FOR AGENT USE ONLY | MULTIPLAN_IFG_GJSGDKST_25_C