Overview
If your agency sells Medicare products, you must obtain a signed Scope of Appointment (SOA) at least 48 hours before any appointment that discusses Medicare plan options. In this article, you will learn how to add your signature for SOAs and generate and send SOAs to your leads, ensuring compliance and a smooth sales process.
To generate SOAs, users must belong to a Security Group with the “Visible” Sales Enablement permission.
IN THIS ARTICLE
How to activate SOAs
How to add your signature for SOAs
How to generate and send an SOA
How to text an SOA
How to check SOA status
How to view unsigned SOAs on the Dashboard
How to edit a requested or completed SOA
Common questions
How to activate SOAs
If you belong to a Security Group with the 'Manage Users' permission:
- Go to Settings.
- Find the Sales > Email, Columns, Calendar & Other Optional Features setting, and select the 'Edit' button.
- Scroll down until you see the ‘Electronic Scope of Appointments’ setting and check the ‘Enable Electronic SOA Forms’ checkbox.
- (Optional) By default, the SOA Form Signature Method will be “Typed In” but you can change it to “Signature pad”.
- (Optional) In the 'Default Plans to Represent' field, enter the various plans that you want to pre-populate in the PDF.
- Plans you add here will apply to all SOAs generated for ALL agents.
- (Optional) If you want all Coverage Types on the SOA Form to be checked by default, make sure the ‘Automatically Check All Coverage Types on SOA Form’ setting is enabled.
- Assign English and Spanish email templates.
- When generating an SOA, the form link will be sent via email. Your English and Spanish email options are configured in these settings. We provide default email templates, but you can also create, customize, and use your own. Learn how to create an email template.
Make sure the email templates contain the snippet #SOA_LINK# for the user to click on! - (Recommended) Choose English and Spanish success URLs.
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When an SOA is completed, the form can redirect to a landing page if you want to inform the respondent that their submission has been received. We provide a default landing page template, but you can also create, customize, and use your own. Learn how to create a landing page.
Alternatively, you can check the ‘Custom URL’ box and manually enter a link to your own website if you prefer.
- When ready, select the “SUBMIT SETTINGS” button to save your changes.
- Now you’ve activated and enabled the ability for Agents to send SOAs to leads.
How to add your signature for Scope of Appointments
Note: The SOA setting must be turned on before agents/users can add their signatures.
To generate a Scope of Appointment (SOA), agents must add the following information to their user account profile:
- Phone number
- NPN number
- Signature
- Sales rep ID
If you are an agent:
- Go to My Account.
- Navigate to the SOA / ACA Consent tab.
- Add your phone number and NPN number and save.
- This phone number will appear on their SOAs.
- Add and save your signature.
- You can upload a signature file or sign it on the signature pad.
- Add your Sales Rep ID.
- This ID will also show up in the SOA PDF.
How to generate and send an SOA
For a Sales Record
- Go to the Lead List and open the Sales Record of the lead you want to send an SOA to.
- Select the ‘GENERATE SOA’ button.
- Fill in your agent info and the method of contact, enter the plans you will represent during the meeting, and set the appointment date.
- When ready, select the ‘SUBMIT’ button.
- AMS+ will immediately send an email with a link to a unique Scope of Appointment Confirmation Form to the record's email address. This form includes the CMS-required listing of Medicare options and plan options that could be discussed and the definitions that are relevant to them on a standard SOA form. The lead or their authorized representative can sign and submit the form.
AMS+ emails the form link by default, but you also have the option to send it via text. To do this, go to the Files tab on the lead's Sales Record and select the 'TEXT' button next to the SOA. Please note, this option is only available to SOAs with the 'Requested' status.
For an Individual Record
- Go to the Individual List and open the Individual Record you want to send an SOA to.
- Select the ‘Sales’ link at the top of the record and choose ‘Scope of Appointment’ in the dropdown menu OR go to the Consent tab and select the ‘Create New’ button.
- Sales menu:
Consent tab: - Fill in your agent info and the method of contact, enter the plans you will represent during the meeting, and set the appointment date.
- When ready, select the ‘SUBMIT’ button.
- AMS+ will immediately send an email with a link to a unique Scope of Appointment Confirmation Form to the record's email address. This form includes the CMS-required listing of Medicare options and plan options that could be discussed and the definitions that are relevant to them on a standard SOA form. The lead or their authorized representative can sign and submit the form.
AMS+ emails the form link by default, but you also have the option to send it via text. To do this, go to the Files tab on the lead’s Sales Record and select the 'TEXT' button next to the SOA. Please note, this option is only available to SOAs with the 'Requested' status.
How to text an SOA
Scope of Appointment (SOA) forms are initially generated and sent out via email by default. If the record has a valid cell phone number, you can also deliver the form over an SMS text message.
To text an SOA form, go to the record’s Files tab and find the SOA you want to text. Unsigned SOAs will have a ‘Requested’ status. Select the ‘Text’ button to open the Send Text Message modal and start drafting the message.
Sales Record:
Individual Record:
The message will automatically populate with the necessary verbiage and a link to the SOA form. Review and edit as you see fit. When ready, select the ‘Send Message’ button to send the text.
How to check SOA status
You can view the status of a sent SOA on the Sales Record > Files tab. The status will update after the lead signs and submits the SOA form. You can also re-send the SOA form via email or text message if the lead hasn’t received the form by the time of the appointment date.
If you’re planning to meet the lead in person, you can select the ‘OPEN FOR SIGNATURE’ button to open up the PDF and allow the lead to sign it in person.
Once signed, the SOA status will change to completed and you will have the option to download the PDF.
How to view unsigned SOAs on the Dashboard
You can track all the Scope of Appointment (SOA) requests that have been generated and sent out on the Sales Dashboard.
To display unsigned SOAs on the Sales Dashboard:
- Go to Settings.
- Find the Sales > Dashboard Settings, and select the 'Edit' button.
- On the Dashboard Settings page, check the ‘Display Unsigned Scope of Appointments On Dashboard (Only display when there are any)’ checkbox and submit to save changes.
- When ready, select the ‘SUBMIT’ button.
How to edit a requested or signed SOA
Note: Edit functionality was added to SOAs on 10/10/2024. SOAs generated before 10/10/2024 can't be edited.
Once a Scope of Appointment (SOA) is signed, it is considered completed and can no longer be emailed, texted, opened for signature, or deleted.
If you are the user who generated the SOA and can access the record, you will have the ability to modify the form’s discussed plans and appointment completion date.
To get started:
- Go to the Sales Record or Individual Record with the SOA you want to edit and navigate to the Consent tab.
- This example uses an Individual Record but it’s the same process for Sales Records.
- Find the SOA you want to edit and select the ‘Edit’ button. This will open the Edit Soa modal.
- You will only see the ‘Edit’ button if you are the user who generated the SOA.
- In the modal, make your edits.
- You may edit the following fields:
- Plan(s) the Licensed Sales Representative will Represent During the Meeting
- Date Appointment will be Completed - When finished, select the 'SAVE AND REGENERATE PDF' button.
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Note: The system will regenerate the SOA PDF whenever changes are made. Downloading the PDF after each change may result in multiple versions.
Common questions
Will I be notified when the SOA is signed?
Yes. An email notification with a PDF copy is sent to the user associated with the SOA when the SOA form is signed.
Can SOAs be sent through a text?
Yes. If the record has a primary email address, AMS+ will automatically send out an email at the time the SOA is generated. Refresh the record’s Consent tab to view options to email the form link, text the form link, or open the form link for signature if you’re doing a walk-in appointment.
Can I modify the Appointment Date after the document is signed?
Yes. If you are the user who generated the SOA, you may edit the Appointment Date. Please note that this will regenerate the SOA PDF.
Is there a way to report on signed SOAs?
No, not at this time.
What languages are supported?
Only English and Spanish at this time.
Can I change the content of the form? For example, include my logo?
The format, logo, design, and form text can’t be modified. You can modify the SOA email templates to include your logos or additional text through Settings > Sales > Marketing Templates.
What is the Sales Rep ID on the SOA?
It could be the agent’s NPN, Writing #, Carrier Sales IDs, or State License IDs.