Complete Guide to Becoming a Medicare Insurance Agent

These results indicate that much of the online information available to beneficiaries is owned by organizations with commercial interests. This raises important questions about the extent to which consumers are aware of the sources, potential medicare agent limitations in the information, and any potential conflicts or biases that may be inherent in the source. Preferred doctorsMedicare Advantage plans have networks of preferred doctors, hospitals and other health care providers.

In an HMO, you usually must get all your care from the providers that are part of the plan and you need a referral from a primary care physician to go to specialists. An agent is a licensed professional who helps you select and enroll in a health plan. To sell a Medicare insurance plan, a Medicare agent must have a valid Insurance license in the state they are selling in.

One of the benefits of working with an independent Medicare broker or agent is that they represent many health insurance companies. They can present you with plan options from different carriers, increasing your chances of finding the right fit. If you want to buy a Medicare Supplement Insurance policy after your open enrollment period, insurance companies may use medical underwriting and set the premium based on your current health condition. They may also refuse to sell you the policy based on any health issues you have. A Medicare agent or broker can help you figure out if you’ll meet the underwriting requirements for the plan you want. Agents’ compensation for Medicare Advantage , Medicare Part D, and Medigap is tied to enrollment and retention of beneficiaries and is paid by insurers.

The agent–plan model can limit plan choice in ways that are not obvious to beneficiaries. Medicareagenttraining.com needs to review the security of your connection before proceeding. Independent AgentsIndependent agents’ income is primarily from commissions — which may be up to 50% higher than those paid to captive agents. RetireGuide’s mission is to provide seniors with resources that will help them reach important financial decisions that affect their retirement. Our goal is to arm our readers with knowledge that will lead to a healthy and financially sound retirement. Terry Turner has more than 30 years of journalism experience, including covering benefits, spending and congressional action on federal programs such as Social Security and Medicare.

That number may be higher in urban areas and lower in rural areas. There are also wide selections of Medigap and Medicare Part D drug plans available. Prices and coverage can vary widely, and not all plans are available everywhere. BrokersOnce a broker hands off a client to an insurance company, the company pays the broker a commission. A commission varies based on each state’s insurance regulations, but it may be as high as 8% of the cost of the premiums.

Many carriers will host a product rollout event either in person or via a webinar before they ship out enrollment kits. You'll receive helpful information about what might be new or different this year. You'll want to have plenty of enrollment kits available by the time open enrollment starts — usually on October 15. Consumer-facing materials for the coming year typically become available on October 1, when most carriers start shipping kits and supplies. Before you offer a plan, identify its premium and how that compares to your clients' price points.

For 2022, these commissions are capped at $87 for first-time enrollment and $44 for each renewal. Once you're licensed, you'll need to contract with Medicare carriers to sell their products. To sell Medicare Advantage plans, you'll have to complete the America's Health Insurance Plans certification in addition to each carrier's compliance and product certifications. These certifications exist to help protect seniors and reward agents who do things the right way. If you've never trained to sell Medicare before, set aside two to three weeks to complete all of the requirements. The best time to get started is ASAP, even if the next open enrollment period is months away.

So, there’s no reason you need to travel anywhere to see an agent; they would not need to come to your house to help you with your coverage. Enrolling over the phone or online is easier, faster, and more convenient for all involved. Using a licensed Medicare agent should always be of no charge to you. You want to avoid working with an agent who requires payment or adds an additional fee to your monthly premium. Licensed Medicare agents receive payments directly from the carrier once they submit an application.

Pick an agent or broker with excellent customer service by asking for references from previous clients. You can also contact an agent or broker to help you change plans if the one you’re enrolled in changes coverage or doesn’t meet your needs. If a Medicare policy is right for you, our team will suggest it, regardless of which company offers it. Plus, when you use our services, you’ll always have support from our agents and our Client Care Team year round.