Getting started
About SparkOnboard to our platformLa Plataforma en EspañolSpark Support TeamsThe Spark platform
Platform FeaturesQuote & EnrollMarketingClient ServicesClient RetentionRecord Your CallsPlatform ChangelogBack office
Finance & CommissionsContractingComplianceAgent Support RequestsTraining
Agent TrainingLive trainingsAdvanced
Special ProgramsSpark Client Services
Let Spark’s team of healthcare experts help resolve many of your clients’ issues on your behalf.
Think of our Client Services team as an extension of your support team that helps your clients navigate their coverage. We'll handle all of your client requests – quickly, thoroughly, and always on behalf of your agency. We will help you get more referrals, retain clients, and give you peace of mind.
Team members of the Client Services team are referred to as “Navigators.”
How to contact the Client Services Team
If you want to reach out to Client Services as the agent, please submit a support ticket for your active client.
Agents should always communicate with the Client Services team members via Support Request. (Video Demonstration listed below)
Who we help: Active Clients vs Prospects
Who we help
Any Active Clients
- Billing issues - your client receives a bill from their provider visit and believes it should be covered
- Finding providers - a client needs to find a new PCPs that are in-network for their plan
- Appointment Scheduling - your client needs assistance to see a provider
- Policy Coverage Research - a beneficiary needs clarification on what their policy covers
- Getting help covering drug costs - a beneficiary needs support in applying for additional support beyond their Medicare coverage
Outside of Scope
Any prospects you are working on enrolling
- Assisting agents with prospects
- Pre-Enrollment questions, including lookups on the MARx system
- Platform Support
- Inbound phone/email inquiries from agents
- Creating Support Requests on behalf of agents from emails
How to Submit a Support Request:
Next Steps for Clients
Agents can inform their clients the following:
- Agent’s clients will receive correspondence from the following places:
- (855) 949-2097
- help@sparkadvisors.com
- Agents should tell their clients they will receive follow-up within 1 to 2 business days
- Agents can monitor and communicate with the client services team on the Support request ticket that has been created in their account.
- Your active clients can reach out to Clients Services Team via phone at (855) 949-2097 or email help@sparkadvisors.com.
- Here’s an informative Client Services micro-site for you and your clients: https://www.tryspark.com/
Hello (client name),
I submitted a request with client support with with Spark Advisors, who are experts in submitting Medicare beneficiaries in navigating their health coverage. A navigator from the Spark team will be helping you resolve (issue) as we discussed. They will be reaching out to you in 1 to 2 business days and will contact you via phone from (855) 949-2097 or view email from help@sparkadvisors.com.
The Spark Advisor Client Services Team provides you with support regarding any issue you may have with your medicare coverage. The navigators are supportive and will make sure your issue gets resolved.
Please let me know if you need additional support.
Best,
Service Limits
- We operate this service at no cost — and agents love it! To ensure that we’re able to serve all agents, we have a maximum annual limit of 50 free support requests (we start counting on Jan 1).
- You will be notified by Spark upon reaching 45 support requests. You will have the option to add another batch of 10 support requests for $300. You cannot buy partial support requests, such as purchasing 5 for $150, but you may purchase in increments of 10 (e.g. 50 for $1,500).
- Note: if a client calls Spark and the issue cannot be resolved on the phone and requires a follow up, we will create a support request that counts towards your 50 limit balance.
- If the issue can be resolved on the phone, we do not count the support request regardless of how long the call takes.
About Our Team
- All Navigators are U.S.-based with prior experience in customer service and/or related healthcare roles
- Training is 3 weeks, followed by an introductory period of 2 weeks during which a new Navigator is partnered with a tenured one. Detailed team training points can be found below.
- We have a rigorous QA process, randomly selecting calls and scoring them on a rubric that considers information accuracy, attitude & tone, and client satisfaction.
- Our U.S.-based Navigators receive 3 weeks of partnered hands-on training which includes :
- Training on customer service (best practices, handling complaints, intro/close of calls, managing difficult ethical questions, etc.)
- Training on Medicare (HIPAA, Medicare101, Low-income subsidies, Evidence of Coverages, Enrollment periods, etc.)
- Shadowing with a tenured Navigator calls/emails
- Reverse shadowing for hands on experience week
- Detailed quality assurance review of calls in week 3
HIPAA verification
Client Services is required to verify three pieces of identifying information from clients on inbound and outbound call interactions. This includes, but is not limited to name, address, DOB, phone number, email, member id, Medicare ID, etc.
Third-party/point of contact verification
Client Services is required to obtain verbal authorization from clients whenever a third party calls in to discuss their account, or when asked to reach out to a third party. This step can be bypassed by adding a copy of any Appointment of Representative forms or legal documents rendering that responsibility to the third party to the client’s profile.
- Client Services can email AOR forms to clients and third parties upon request.
- Client Services will only bypass this step if there is an imminent safety threat or in instances where clients are incapacitated.
Third-party/carrier/ provider conference calls
There will be times when Client Services needs to liaise with providers, insurance carriers, and third parties to resolve certain client issues. To expedite the handling of support requests, Client Services will make an initial attempt to do so without members if they’re unavailable or listed as DNC (Do Not Contact).
- If we are unable to do so without a member due to HIPAA compliance, we will make the necessary amount of attempts to reach the client to conduct a conference call.
- If clients are unreachable, listed as DNC, or do not have active contact information, Client Services will respond to the requests, either requesting updated contact information when available or in an effort to coordinate the next steps with the agent of record.
Support request assignment & first response
Client Services will review and assign support requests daily, marking them as in progress, or responding to them with a comment within 1 business day.
- When able, they will also work to resolve the most straightforward requests within 3 business days. Note: we anticipate some requests will require longer handle times during AEP.
- To expedite the handling of support requests, timely agent responses are essential and appreciated when requested by Client Services, especially during AEP.
Resolving support requests
Client Services will take the necessary steps to close out each request efficiently and promptly. Once a support request is submitted, we’ll take the following steps before marking the support request as “Resolved.”
If a support request requires follow-up (with a member or third party), Client Services will make the following attempts:
- Navigator will make 3 outbound call attempts (always updating the support request with attempt details) before marking the support request as complete.
- Navigators will send follow up emails after the second and third calls attempts if there is no contact and the member has an email address on file.
- If members have an email address on file, Navigators should make 2 outbound call attempts and leave an email with resolution before resolving the request
- If 3 attempts have been made to contact the member with no response we resolve the support request. If the agent would need to create a new support request and provide alternate means of communication.
- If the member is unresponsive after the second consecutive support request, subsequent support requests will be resolved upon receipt.
- If a Navigator calls member to close out a support request and reaches the members voicemail, the Navigator can leave all pertinent information on the recording and then complete the support request
- Navigators will update the support request after each attempt to reach the member and after every interaction with the member.
Client Services Protocols and Practices
HIPAA verification
Client Services is required to verify three pieces of identifying information from clients on inbound and outbound call interactions. This includes, but is not limited to name, address, DOB, phone number, email, member id, Medicare ID, etc.
Third-party/point of contact verification
Client Services is required to obtain verbal authorization from clients whenever a third party calls in to discuss their account, or when asked to reach out to a third party. This step can be bypassed by adding a copy of any Appointment of Representative forms or legal documents rendering that responsibility to the third party to the client’s profile.
- Client Services can email AOR forms to clients and third parties upon request.
- Client Services will only bypass this step if there is an imminent safety threat or in instances where clients are incapacitated.
Third-party/carrier/ provider conference calls
There will be times when Client Services needs to liaise with providers, insurance carriers, and third parties to resolve certain client issues. To expedite the handling of support requests, Client Services will make an initial attempt to do so without members if they’re unavailable or listed as DNC (Do Not Contact).
- If we are unable to do so without a member due to HIPAA compliance, we will make the necessary amount of attempts to reach the client to conduct a conference call.
- If clients are unreachable, listed as DNC, or do not have active contact information, Client Services will respond to the requests, either requesting updated contact information when available or in an effort to coordinate the next steps with the agent of record.
Support request assignment & first response
Client Services will review and assign support requests daily, marking them as in progress, or responding to them with a comment within 1 business day.
- When able, they will also work to resolve the most straightforward requests within 3 business days. Note: we anticipate some requests will require longer handle times during AEP.
- To expedite the handling of support requests, timely agent responses are essential and appreciated when requested by Client Services, especially during AEP.
Resolving support requests
Client Services will take the necessary steps to close out each request efficiently and promptly. Once a support request is submitted, we’ll take the following steps before marking the support request as “Resolved.”
If a support request requires follow-up (with a member or third party), Client Services will make the following attempts:
- Navigator will make 3 outbound call attempts (always updating the support request with attempt details) before marking the support request as complete.
- Navigators will send follow up emails after the second and third calls attempts if there is no contact and the member has an email address on file.
- If members have an email address on file, Navigators should make 2 outbound call attempts and leave an email with resolution before resolving the request
- If 3 attempts have been made to contact the member with no response we resolve the support request. If the agent would need to create a new support request and provide alternate means of communication.
- If the member is unresponsive after the second consecutive support request, subsequent support requests will be resolved upon receipt.
- If a Navigator calls member to close out a support request and reaches the members voicemail, the Navigator can leave all pertinent information on the recording and then complete the support request
- Navigators will update the support request after each attempt to reach the member and after every interaction with the member.
Guide to Client Services Training Session
FAQ
Here are the most common cases that our Navigators resolve:
- Finding an in-network specialist
- Explaining benefits or claims information
- Explaining and helping with a medical bill
- Assistance finding lower-cost drug options
- Understanding dental benefit options
I will be out of the office from [dates] and will be away from my [type of communication]. If you need assistance please reach out to my team at Spark by calling or texting 855-949-2097. They can help you assist you with any questions or concerns that you may have.
Or for AEP
Hello, you have reached [your name].
I may not be as available as I usually am since the Annual Enrollment Period has started and it runs from October 15th- December 7th.
If you need assistance please reach out to my back office team by calling or texting 855-949-2097. They can help assist you with any questions or concerns that you may have.
Please allow 24 hours for me to return your phone call [or email].
Our Client Services Team will send any initial outreach on Support Requests within 1 business day. Our team has a target resolution time of 3 business days on Support Requests.
Our Client Services Team works M-F from 9 AM - 9 PM ET. The team does not work or contact clients on weekends or national holidays.
Our Client Services team is currently able to support beneficiaries in both English and Spanish.
- Client Services does not provide plan research
- Navigators will review SEP requirements with members to determine if applicable.
- Yes. Navigators will assist by explaining the process and advocating for the member when necessary.
Here are the most common cases that our Navigators resolve:
- Finding an in-network specialist
- Explaining benefits or claims information
- Explaining and helping with a medical bill
- Assistance finding lower-cost drug options
- Understanding dental benefit options
I will be out of the office from [dates] and will be away from my [type of communication]. If you need assistance please reach out to my team at Spark by calling or texting 855-949-2097. They can help you assist you with any questions or concerns that you may have.
Or for AEP
Hello, you have reached [your name].
I may not be as available as I usually am since the Annual Enrollment Period has started and it runs from October 15th- December 7th.
If you need assistance please reach out to my back office team by calling or texting 855-949-2097. They can help assist you with any questions or concerns that you may have.
Please allow 24 hours for me to return your phone call [or email].
Process and Procedures
- First Responses to Support Requests must be made within 24 hours of the request being opened (This excludes Fridays, weekends, and holidays)
- Navigators aim to complete a support request within 24-72 hours of assignment
- The agent would have 3 days or the life of the support request to provide updates or make changes to the initial request. Once a support request has been resolved we will not reopen under any circumstances except internal error
- Attempts:
- If a support request requires follow up (with a member or third party), Navigator will make 3 outbound call attempts (always updating the support request with attempt details) before marking the support request as complete.
- Navigators will send follow up emails after the second and third calls attempts if there is no contact and the member has an email address on file.
- If members have an email address on file, Navigators should make 2 outbound call attempts and leave an email with resolution before resolving the request
- If 3 attempts have been made to contact the member with no response we resolve the support request. If the agent would need to create a new support xrequest and provide alternate means of communication.
- If the member is unresponsive after the second consecutive support request, subsequent support requests will be resolved upon receipt.
- If a Navigator calls member to close out a support request and reaches the members voicemail, the Navigator can leave all pertinent information on the recording and then complete the support request
- Navigators will update the support request after each attempt to reach the member and after every interaction with the member.
Our Client Services Team will send any initial outreach on Support Requests within 1 business day. Our team has a target resolution time of 3 business days on Support Requests.
- Yes
← Previous
Next →