What is a Medicare Scope of Appointment Form and Should You Sign the SOA?

Did you know that you may have to sign a “permission slip” before talking to your insurance agent about Medicare?

Since 2006 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has required the use of a “scope of appointment form”, or “SOA”, and that the form must be reviewed and signed by a Medicare beneficiary before any meeting with a licensed insurance agent or insurance broker if you are interested in discussing a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) with them. Interestingly enough, a signing a scope of appointment is not required if you only wish to discuss Medicare Supplement Plans, which are also known as Medigap Plans.

The SOA form can be completed in-person, over the phone, or electronically through email or text message.

Although SOAs seem like an unnecessary step, Medicare Agents must use the SOA to set the scope of the appointment to ensure that only the types of insurance plans that you, the Medicare Beneficiary, want to discuss are presented. Without a signed scope of appointment, your agent or broker does not have your permission to discuss different Medicare Advantage Plans and cannot discuss the plan benefits with you.

What types of information is on the Scope of Appointment Form?

The scope of appointment guidelines determine what types of information can be requested on the form. On the form you’ll indicate which form of Medicare Plans you want to explore by either checking a box or initialing next to each one.

Some scope of appointment forms will also include the option to discuss some lesser known ancillary Medicare insurance products that are used to cover medical expenses that Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage Plans may not cover. These supplemental insurance plans may include hospital indemnity plans, dental, vision, or cancer insurance plans.

When it comes to contact information, you will provide your name, address, and phone number. Your Agent will also provide their name, phone number, disclose how you two came in contact, and indicate any specific plans which may be discussed during your meeting, based off your selections.

If you provide a scope of appointment and choose not to discuss specific plans and later wish to discuss those plans, a new Scope of Appointment will need to be completed. If you are unsure about exactly what types of plans you wish to discuss, it is recommended to mark them all that way when you meet with your trusted agent so that way to do not need to sign a new SOA later.

Once all of the information is provided on the form, both you and your agent will need to sign the form.

What is the 48-Hour Rule?

Starting in September of 2023 a new scope of appointment rule went into effect that says you’ll need to sign the SOA form and wait 48 hours before discussing any of these plans with your agent. If you’re creeping up on your enrollment date, like the end of the month before you plan needs to start, and you need to enroll urgently don’t worry. There are some exceptions to the rule which will waive this 48 hour cooling off period. Make sure to ask your Local Insurance Agent about these if you’re in a time crunch

Signing the form 48 hours before the appointment may seem like a hassle, but it’s actually designed to protect you from unscrupulous agents which may attempt to take advantage of your urgency. It ensures you don’t feel rushed into making a decision. Medicare calls this a “cooling” off period to give you time to discuss your options with a spouse or the person that helps you make these decisions so that you can make the most informed decision possible.

We’re Here to Help

At Green insurance we make the scope of appointment process super easy. We will provide you with the form electronically with a simple link that we can send you either by text or email. Choosing the type of plans you wish to discuss with us is super intuitive and completing the SOA takes only a minute.

If you have an questions check out the link below or give us a call at (904) 717-1176.