If you have ever met with a licensed insurance agent about a Medicare Advantage or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, you may have been asked to complete Medicare’s required Scope of Appointment (SOA) form. Medicare requires your completion of this form to allow agents to discuss plan benefits, provider networks and cost information.
At first glance, it may seem like a contract obligating you to work with that agent and enroll in or change a plan. In reality, the SOA form is designed to give you full control over what will be discussed during your meeting with the agent. You are granting the agent permission to discuss only the topics of interest to you.
What does the SOA form do?
The form identifies the types of Medicare coverage you would like to discuss. For example, you may want information about a Medicare Advantage plan, a prescription drug plan or both.
By completing the SOA, you establish the subjects you want to discuss before the sales or marketing appointment takes place. This helps keep the meeting focused on your needs and your questions.
Does signing mean I have to enroll, change my plan or work with that agent?
No. Completing an SOA does not obligate you to enroll in or change your present coverage, or work with that agent. It documents the Medicare products you’ve granted the agent permission to discuss with you.
You remain completely free to decide whether making a change is right for you.
Why does my agent want the form before discussing specific plans?
Medicare has strict rules governing how agents may market Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans. Agents must stay within the subjects that you indicated on the form. The forms are subject to auditing by Medicare to ensure you wanted information the agent provided.
Once the types of coverage you’re interested in are established, your agent can discuss available plans, benefits, premiums, prescription drug coverage, provider networks and other considerations and costs.
The SOA is your protection—not a commitment and not a contract.
You may wish to view this as “These are the Medicare options I would like my agent to help me understand.”
The Scope of Appointment is one of the safeguards Medicare uses to help make sure that conversation stays focused on what you ask to discuss regarding plans that will help you address your changing needs.
So, when your Medicare agent asks you to complete a Scope of Appointment form, please know it is simply a helpful first step. It allows you and your agent to focus the conversation on the Medicare options you want to understand, so you can feel informed, comfortable, and confident asking questions before making any decisions.
Leah Kari, AMR, FHIAS, specializes in showing Medicare eligible people their insurance options. Reach Leah for comments by phone at (520_ 484-3807 (TTY users dial 711) or send an email to leah@leahkarisolutions.com.
