An agent asked me to sign a scope of appointment for before we could discuss my Medicare insurance or part D plan. What is an SOA? Is this normal? Are call centers exempt from this practice?
Answered by 16 licensed agents
The Scope of Appointment (SOA) form is required to be signed 48 hours prior to any scheduled appointment where Medicare Prescription Drug (Part D) plans or Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans benefits are being discussed. The SOA lays out what will be discussed during your appointment with the agent/broker. Only plan types selected on the SOA can be discussed during your meeting. It must be signed by both the Medicare beneficiary and the Medicare agent/broker. The form is a Medicare requirement and all agents, included call center agents, are required to comply with the regulation.
There are three exceptions to the 48 hour rule:
1) Walk in without prior appointment
2) Inbound call initiated by the beneficiary
3) Within 4 days of the end of a valid election period
Scopes are required by Medicare to have a client sign. It specifies what the agent is going to talk about with the client. Call centers are not exempt. If they’re getting around that, they should be reported.
The Scope of Appointment lays out the parameters of a Medicare insurance meeting and must be completed before the sales appointment. This is normal. Call centers are not exempt from this practice. Currently, there is a 48 hour time delay from the time the SCOPE is completed until the sales meeting can be held. Exceptions are for inbound contacts from the customer such as when a client walks in your office door or calls you directly. The SCOPE must still be completed, however.
A scope of appointment form or SOA is a required form all licensed agents are expected to get signed and reviewed by possible clients, the form spells out what will be discussed at this appointment.
Call centers can be outside the U.S. Basically they don't have to follow the rules and regulations legitimate agents follow.
An SOA is a form for your protection as it “tells” Medicare that you understand what the benefits of either an Advantage or a Part D(rug) plan are. It can only be exercised by a licensed agent. It ought to be signed 48 hours in advance of the new plan being processed. A call center is mainly involved with taking a prospect's personal data for distribution to an agent. However, some agents may be a part of a call center so that variance has more to do with an individual state’s rules. This is a customary practice.
An agent asking for a scope of appointment is not only normal, it is a Medicare requirement. It is done to help keep seniors from being inundated with sales calls, thus the agent needs a prospects permission to even talk about it.
A CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) form SOA Scope of appointment is required for an agent/broker to discuss Medicare approved plans like Prescription drug plans (part D) or Medicare Advantage plans (part C). This form must be signed 48 hours prior to discussion. The exceptions being a "walk in" or "inbound" call. Or within 4 days of a valid enrollment period.
Call centers are held to the same rules and cannot give specific details to plans in the area without a SOA.
The "Scope of Appointment" defines the parameters of a Medicare insurance meeting and must be completed prior to the sales appointment. This is normal and a requirement according to CMS. Call centers are not exempt from this requirement. Currently, there is a 48-hour delay between the completion of the SCOPE and the sales meeting.
Before any marketing appointments with you as a potential enrollee, Medicare brokers are required to complete a Scope of Appointment (SOA) form. This measure is in place to protect you from scams and unethical sales practices. Brokers must fill out and submit the form to you at least 48 hours before the appointment.
No, call centers are not exempt from obtaining a Scope of Appointment (SOA). Both telephonic and electronic communications, including those from call centers, are subject to the SOA requirements and the 48-hour waiting period, unless specific exceptions apply.
Yes a scope of appointment is required prior to discussing Medicare plans & prescription drug (Part D) plans per CMS. The SOA - A gives the agent permission to discuss plans with the potential client/beneficiary.
Call centers usually have to record the call and have the client call into an inbound call.
The Scope of Appointment (SOA) for 2025 is a federally required document that outlines the specific Medicare plans and products a beneficiary agrees to discuss with an agent. This requirement is enforced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to ensure transparency and prevent high-pressure sales tactics. Agents must document the SOA before any face-to-face sales meeting to ensure both parties understand what will be discussed.
The Scope of Appointment (SOA) is a standard form or recorded verbal agreement required by Medicare that outlines the specific types of plans an agent is permitted to discuss with you, making it a normal practice for agents before discussing Medicare plans. While SOAs are generally required to ensure beneficiaries are prepared for the discussion.
The Center for Medicare Services requires it, our government entity that establishes the rules for all sales of Medicare Part C and Part D plans. The Scope of Appointment(SOA) limits sales to the items you, as the client, agree to be educated on! NO, call centers use a telephonic agreement.
The Scope of Appointment form is a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) compliance form that all agents are required to have signed by a Medicare Beneficiary before the appointment starts. It does not obligate you to any product it is just saying these are the products we are going to discuss in this appointment. Call centers are not exempt from this requirement.
An agent must have a Scope of Appointment (SOA) signed currently 48 hours prior to meeting one-on-one with a beneficiary either by the beneficiary or an authorized representative. This is a form that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has designed to protect the beneficiary. All the information provided on the form is kept confidential and retained by the agent for a number of years set forth by CMS. You either initial or check the box of the type of product you want the agent to discuss.
Keep in mind that by signing the form it does not obligate the beneficiary to enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan nor does it affect current or future Medicare enrollment. If You call the 'Call Center' then they are exempt from requiring you to sign the form.
An SOA is not mandatory for a Medicare appointment however some advisors do require them. In my practice, we do not. I’d be happy to answer any questions or discuss your Medicare options with you.
