Ask The Medicare Specialist

QUESTION:

Question from Jay (in response to the last column regarding ways to save money on expensive medications): Another great column. Tony Diroma, your Prescription Drug Case Worker as you refer to him, offers a great service to clients. The help he gave my sister when she worked with you was extremely valuable. It’s none of my business but how can you afford to pay Tony when he doesn’t generate any revenue?

ANSWER:

The following was my email response to Jay: I’m glad to hear Tony was helpful. He is one of the most thorough, meticulous, and caring people I’ve ever met.

I did start him on a larger salary than I’ve ever given a new hire or agent because of the titles he was going to hold, as well as the skill set and wisdom he brought as someone who had been productive in a number of positions prior. He was also one of the first people I met when I moved to Connellsville and a long-time friend. I knew he was an outstanding human. Tony is indeed now a commission producing agent in addition to his duties as our Prescription Drug Caseworker and Life Insurance Specialist.

That being said, all new agents go a year or two before they start to cover their wages and other expenses of having employees such as taxes, worker’s comp, health insurance, and retirement benefits. I can afford to do that because we’re a high-volume agency and making a profit. It’s my theory that investing in good people, what I consider the number one asset of any business, is the most important ingredient to success other than customers.

I do have five full time administrative employees, and two seasonal, who don’t produce any income. These are vital positions, just as important as agents. Their duties and hard work allow us to see more clients and take more time with them to ensure our agents are thorough and thoughtful. In that regard my administrative employees more than cover their expenses. I pay much higher wages than the going rate and always share in the success of the business because without them, there is no Health Insurance Store as we know it today.

Any business who doesn’t understand this concept is foolish in my opinion. I get great production from my employees because they know I care and understand if they work hard, smart, efficiently, and take care of clients like they would their own parents, which is our policy, they will be rewarded financially and with appreciation. My staff is constantly sent little presents from clients; flowers, cards, candy, wine, (moonshine in Fayette County. Lol) homemade cookies, gift cards, etc., as thanks for going above and beyond. Every agent’s office and our lobby is decorated with thank you cards. There’s nothing like receiving that kind of gratitude!

I appreciate your feedback so much Jay. After 16 years ( just celebrated our anniversary on April 1st), it’s the relationships we make and knowing that we are indeed helping nice people that keeps me motivated to continue doing this.

This is where our conversation ended, but I’d like to expound a bit further. I’m also very aware that without clients, none of what we’ve accomplished at The Health Insurance Store is possible. I’ve always told my staff that current clients are as or even more important than prospective clients. They deserve to be taken care of in any situation and we owe that to them when we accept the commission after they put their faith in us. We always need to strive to give clients the best customer service experience they’ve ever had.

I’d also like to add that I’ve always valued giving back to the community. Eight years ago, I founded a 501c3 non-profit, T.E.A.C.H., whose mission it was to help kids from disadvantaged homes and provide them choices and opportunities through education and mentorship. Approximately two years ago after a tragedy struck close to home, I took on a partner who shared my vision and the name was changed to One Voice One Community (OVOC) with a goal of expanding the number of kids we could accommodate. We now have a 5,500 square foot building that houses after school and summer programs. The success of The Health Insurance Store has allowed me to fund this project. It would not exist otherwise. We are now growing and partnering with many community businesses and programs such as PNC, WVU Medicine, the Pennsylvania State Police, 4H, Penn State, Fayette County CYS and Juvenile Probation among others. The momentum of OVOC is palatable and the ultimate goal is to have 1,000 kids participate in some fashion each year. We will need some assistance getting there, but each person who chooses to do business with The Health Insurance Store is making a small difference. Please check out our Facebook page or go to our website, OVOCpa.org., if you would like to learn more about what we’re doing and our missions.

If you’re interested in hearing about the history of The Health Insurance Store and how we grew from a single person operation to what it is today, join our Facebook Group by the same name of the columns. We’ve posted the first hour of my bi-monthly radio show on WMBS Uniontown where the station manager, Brian Mroziak and I discuss the journey. Go to our website and click on the blue banner on the home page to become a member. Thanks for reading everyone!