Find out what’s in store when marketing, sales, and product development professionals from local and regional Medicare Advantage health plans gather at The Venetian in Las Vegas for the annual Medicare Marketing & Sales Summit on Feb. 25-26, 2020.

Business growth expert Meridith Elliott Powell, who in July dazzled attendees of the AEP Medicare Sales Readiness Summit in Denver, will be the keynote speaker of the 13th Annual Medicare Marketing & Sales Summit  on Tuesday, Feb. 25.

Powell, voted one of the Top 15 Business Growth Experts to watch by Currency Fair, will kick off the first full day of the conference at 8:45 a.m. with a presentation on marketing and sales strategies to succeed regardless of the status of the economy. She will provide tactics marketing and sales professionals can use to navigate change during uncertain times.

An award-winning author, Powell has a background in corporate sales and leadership that spans several industries, including banking, health care, and finance. She worked her way up from an entry-level position to earn her seat at the C-suite table.

Matt Wallaert, chief behavioral officer, Clover Health, who wowed attendees at the 2019 RISE Nashville conference, will present on Wednesday morning, Feb. 26, with an interactive session on how to tap into behavioral science to enrich the member journey. He’ll provide examples of programs that have changed member behavior and motivated members to become active participants in the health care system.

Featured speakers and sessions

George Dippel, senior vice president client services, Deft Research, will follow with a presentation on the changes in Medicare shopping and the influence of dental, PPO, and supplemental benefits.

Learn effective ways to reach late-to-retires from Rick Berman, director of business development, SourceLink. He’ll explain how data analytics can help you detect the 35 percent to 45 percent of prospects that don’t retire at 65 and provide best marketing practices you can use to convert them.

DMW’s Justin Stauffer, vice president, integrated marketing, will offer digital marketing strategies for regional health plans.  Attendees will learn how to maximize the performance of their digital marketing and he’ll suggest effective launch strategies for new plans looking to compete against ever-present national plans. Stauffer will also explain how to recognize the appropriate times to educate rather than sell to prospective member audiences and which data points to focus on and which ones to ignore.

Improve your direct mail efficacy with RRD Healthcare Solutions’ Nichole Williams, director-business development, and Mark Traylor, research and customer experience director. They’ll explain a quantitative, time-saving approach to test direct mail, best practices for when and how to test it (and validate the results afterward) and gain insight into which format, plan design, and creative approach is optimal for age-in and AEP campaigns.

Kristy Croom Tucker, director of member experience and acquisition, BayCare Health Plans, will join Engagent Health’s Derrick Taveras, managing partner, and Austin Ifedirah, managing partner, for a session on how to use search engine positioning (SEP) to level-up AEP results.  Attendees will find out ways to engage and strengthen various sales channels throughout SEP. The panel will explain how to recognize best practices and ideal timelines for both year-round sales training and AEP preparations and how sales can creatively build crucial relationships during SEP.

Find out what the 2020 Presidential and Congressional elections may mean for the future of Medicare Advantage with Hank Osowski, managing partner, Strategic Health Group. He’ll explore how the vision and direction of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services could be influenced by the election results.

                                  RISE Association Executive Director Kevin Mowll talks to MMS 2019 attendees. 

 

Case studies

The agenda also features four case studies from industry experts: 

Brooke Ivey, EVP, business development for Bloom Insurance Agency, will describe how plans have made huge steps forward in sales channel engagement, membership growth, and member experience through embracing strategic sales and member onboarding process changes. You’ll learn three simple changes that have big impact as well as how to get colleagues onboard with making changes.

Get a look at a year in the life of an effective marketing team with Marissa Fox-Foley, vice president, head of marketing, communications and patient experience, HealthCare Partners, an Intermountain Healthcare Company, and Scott Hopkins, executive vice president, Anderson. They’ll explain one successful marketing team’s timeline and deadlines for year-round marketing efforts, including materials review, lead generation deadlines, and AEP prep. Learn strategies and best practices for the use of various marketing channels throughout the year, not just AEP.

Andrew Napierala, sales manager, Medicare and individual products, consumer markets, BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York, will offer a case study on enhancing your distribution model with market-driven retail locations. He’ll offer innovative ways to employ retail locations in your communities, explain how to compare the effectiveness of different distribution models during AEP, and describe ways to customize your retail strategy according to market-specific drivers.

Discover creative approaches to improve your age-in strategy with Steve Selinsky, vice president of business development, HAP. He’ll explain how to recognize ways to work with community partners to help reach age-ins.

                                  Networking at the MMS Summit in 2019

 

Separate tracks for marketing and sales professionals

The marketing track will feature the following sessions:

  • Find ways to say “yes’ to marketing and sales with Naomi Irvin, manager, divisional compliance–sales, marketing & communications, BlueCross BlueShield North Carolina
  • Member onboarding, engagement, and retention with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina’s Kristin Ward, senior strategic advisor and Christina Jaromin, Sr., marketing communications specialist
  • A panel discussion on health plans’ most forgotten customers–their medical providers with William Jay Justice, director of marketing/sales, Vantage Health Plan; and Karen Fitzgerald, marketing and communications director, Health Plan of San Mateo
  • Generate referrals to increase sales and lower marketing costs with Larry Baca, director, sales, Inter Valley Health Plan

The sales track will feature the following sessions:

  • A panel discussion on AEP sales strategies, execution, and results with speakers, Ed Estey, sales manager, senior markets, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care; Lou Yacovoni, director, Medicare sales, Geisinger Gold; and Sarah Fernandes, Medicare sales manager, Health New England
  • I am senior, and I am your customer, a discussion on what Medicare representatives (marketing, sales, managers, etc.) need to do to reach today’s seniors with Victor Merolla, Washington producer sales manager, Providence Health Plan
  • A panel, moderated by Whitney Adkins, Senior vice president, operations, Bloom will offer call center sales strategies
  • Learn innovative approaches to agent training with panelists Ann Booth, marketing manager, Medicare Advantage, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana; Jameson Keller, vice president of strategic development, AgencyRM; and Stefanie Cao, Medicare sales manager, CareOregon
  • Archie Dey, director of consumer insights, SCAN Health Plan, will provide strategic data acquisition during sales/marketing process drives prospect and member experience
  • Learn how to expand channel distribution strategies and partners for sales success with John Whittemore, MBA, director of sales, government business, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana

Networking receptions

Networking opportunities will be aplenty throughout the conference:

A RISE member reception will take place on Monday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Attendees will also enjoy a cocktail reception the end of the first full-day on Tuesday, Feb. 25 from 5:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.

Networking will also take place during breakfast and lunch both days and networking breaks will be scheduled between sessions.

The 13th Annual Medicare Marketing & Sales Summit  will take place Feb. 25-26, 2020  at The Venetian in Las Vegas. Click here to see the complete agenda and here to register.