The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period kicks off in two months, beginning October 15th. And let's face it, we've come a long way from submitting paper applications, using spreadsheets and running newspaper ads to manage and scale our insurance businesses. Social media is more than mainstream and insurance agents from coast to coast are marketing heavily on all platforms. And now, more than ever, consumers are researching their Medicare options online. They want to be able to shop and enroll without sitting in front of an insurance agent with mounds of paper. So how do you find these online consumers, help them, AND get a commission? Become a PlanEnroll agent. 

What is a PlanEnroll agent?

PlanEnroll.com is a website that educates consumers about Medicare (and Final Expense) and also allows them to reach out to a local Medicare agent to get assistance if they have questions and/or need help enrolling. When you're a PlanEnroll agent you have the ability to tap into these online consumers and assist them with their Medicare Advantage and/or Prescription Drug plan needs. And if you happen to sell Final Expense insurance, you can tap into those consumers as well.

Becoming a PlanEnroll agent is free to our contracted agents. There's a little online training that needs to be completed and then you'll have access to your free PlanEnroll agent website. You can then share your website link in your marketing materials, email signature and with your clients and connections however you choose. 

Additionally, you can differentiate yourself by customizing your PlanEnroll website with a personalized URL, uploading a professional photo and completing all of your profile information. And if you want to create a QR code for your URL, you can add that to your marketing materials to make it even easier for your clients and prospects to find your PlanEnroll website.

If a consumer reaches out to you they have the option to set up a PlanEnroll profile on PlanEnroll.com or through your Personal Agent Website link (found in your account profile in Medicare​CENTER​ - another free tool we offer). They'll be prompted to provide important health information including: prescriptions, doctors and preferred pharmacy locations. You or your client can update the information as details change - and it all syncs seamlessly with Client Sync. If a consumer decides to enroll themself in a Medicare Advantage plan or Prescription Drug plan using your personal agent website link, you get credit for the sale. ​

Taking the initiative to become a PlanEnroll agent will help you gain more clients this fall and year-round. It will also allow you to market yourself more effectively, especially if you don't have a website. 

But wait, there's more...

Medicare​CENTER, LifeCENTER and LeadCENTER all work seamlessly and allow you to manage your clients and their policies in our free CRM, quoting and enrollment platform. Integration with LeadCENTER allows you to run direct mail and even realtime campaigns, or purchase compliant internet or direct mail leads with just a few clicks. And best of all? These leads get funneled to you into Medicare​CENTER which allows you to easily turn them into clients. ​

​Compliantly record and store phone calls for 10 years within Medicare​CENTER. Quote and enroll clients in Medicare Supplement plans through the integrated CSG App. Download the mobile app, Integrity for Agents, available in the App Store and the Google Play store to take your business on the go. 

LifeCENTER is also integrated into the platform and allows you to quote and enroll your clients in Final Expense products. The entire Integrity Suite of Technology is complimentary when you contract with our carriers. ​If you want to take the steps to become a PlanEnroll agent and get access to Medicare​CENTER, LifeCENTER and LeadCENTER, get contracted today by visiting our Contracting Tools page and watch your business grow with our an entire suite of technology.

Questions? Reach out to us and we'll help you every step of the way!

By Carolyn Portanova

If you're not discussing Plan N with your clients, it's time to start. Why? It has very similar coverage to Plan G, which is clearly one of the most popular Med Supp plans out there, next to the Plan F. If your clients are unable to purchase a Plan F due to MACRA, then you may tend to encourage them to purchase a Plan G. And that's always been a smart move. However, the differences between Plan G and Plan N are as follows:

• Plan N requires policy holders to pay the Part B deductible ($240 in 2024)
• Plan N requires policy holders to cover the cost of any copays (up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for ER visits)
• Plan N requires policy holders to pay any Part B excess charges (15% more than what Medicare covers).

Here's where it gets really interesting though. The vast majority of Plan N policy holders never end up paying the Part B excess charges because nearly every doctor in the U.S. (96%) who accepts Medicare, only charges the amount Medicare has approved for their services. So what does that mean? It means that your Plan N clients will likely only pay the cost-share copays and the Part B deductible.

Let's dig a little more into the Plan G vs. Plan N discussion. 
If your clients purchase a Plan N:

• they will have nearly identical coverage to Plan G
• their premiums will definitely be lower
• they will likely not experience rate increases as quickly as those with Plan G
• their out-of-pocket costs will be the Part B deductible and any copays they may incur​

*Plan N pays 100% of the Part B coinsurance, except for a copayment of up to $20 for some office visits and up to a $50 copayment for emergency room visits that don’t result in admission.

Consider offering Plan N to your clients and carefully explain to them the cost differences, and how in the end, Plan N might be their better option, especially if they don't visit the doctor frequently. In the end, they could wind up saving more money over a Plan G and have the best coverage for their needs.​

By Carolyn Portanova

Part B giveback is another term for a Part B premium reduction or rebate. This is when a Medicare Advantage plan reduces the amount your client pays towards their Part B monthly premium. These rebates are offered by some Medicare Advantage plans and are designed to make plans more affordable. The amount of these Part B rebates can range depending upon the Medicare Advantage plan. They can be as low as $20 for some plans and yet, some plans offer more than $100 in giveback rebates. ​

​How it Works:
If a Medicare beneficiary is on Social Security, the Part B premium comes out of their monthly benefit before the funds are deposited to their bank account OR it's reflected in their monthly check. The Part B giveback reduces their Part B premium, which means more money ends up in the individual’s bank account. 

If your client pays their Part B premium directly (not by automatic Social Security check deduction), their Part B premium statement will be updated with the giveback amount credited to what they owe. The standard Part B premium for 2024 is $174.70. This amount changes yearly and is based on income. 

An Example:
​If a beneficiary's monthly Social Security check is normally $1,600 and their giveback is $100, their Social Security benefit will now be $1,700. If they pay the standard Part B premium ($174.70) the amount they will owe after receiving the giveback will be $74.70.

Part B givebacks can offer Medicare beneficiaries a way to save money by choosing a Medicare Advantage plan. ​​To be eligible for this program your client must be responsible for paying their own Part B premium, which means they are NOT eligible to receive Medicaid or participate in a Medicare Savings Plan. 

​As always, it's important to make sure a Medicare Advantage plan fits your client's needs and budget. It's also crucial to make sure it includes access to the doctors and hospitals they need, as well as making sure their prescription drugs are on the plan’s formulary.​

By Carolyn Portanova

It is with our greatest sorrow that we must share the news that our founder, and fearless leader for many years, Sam Corey, Jr. passed away peacefully on April 20, 2024.

Sam founded The Brokerage Resource in 1992 and built his Field Marketing Organization from the ground up, providing independent insurance agents with tools and resources for over 26 years, before stepping down and passing the torch to his eldest son, Sam III.
 
Sam began his career as a commissioned Life insurance agent after graduating from University of Georgia in 1965 with a BBA in Insurance, received his CLU designation from the American College of Life Underwriters in 1968 and received his MBA in 1970 from Temple University. From there he had a very impressive 46 year career in the insurance industry.
 
Sam was very involved in the insurance community and was a past President of the Triangle Association of Life Underwriters, former President of the National Brokerage Agency and former President of National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors – Triangle. He also served on the General Agency Advisory Council of American National of Texas, Mutual of Omaha and United World insurance companies.
 
Sam Jr. had a presence about him that commanded attention, but always made you feel at ease. He worked tirelessly for decades to build The Brokerage Resource to be an exemplary FMO. He always made time for his employees with his open-door policy and always welcomed calls and visits from agents. He inspired others to do their best and he made The Brokerage Resource feel like home to so many.
 
Sam will be greatly missed, not only by his family, friends and colleagues, but by his community and the insurance industry as a whole, to whom he made an indelible mark.
 
Sam is survived by his wife, Trenna, his sons: Sam III, Lee and Russell and his six grandchildren.

By Carolyn Portanova

​No one wants to think that at some point in their life they're going to need someone to take care of them. We all like to think we'll be healthy, strong and capable for years and years to come. At some point we have to face the fact that we're going to get old and with that may come challenges. Discussing Long-term Care insurance with your younger clients is something to consider doing now. And we have a way to open the door to this conversation without them shutting it down.​

Ask your client to think about their parents and/or grandparents and their health. Ask them if they have family members who are utilizing Long-term Care services (Home Health Aide, Nursing Home, Assisted Living Facility); it will help make an impact on their decision to consider purchasing Long-term Care insurance. ​

If they give you the argument that their parents/grandparents are healthy and longevity runs in their family, you can acknowledge that, but then you can also point out the facts below if the statistic above doesn't nudge them:

• Long-term Care insurance does NOT have frequent rate increases like other forms of insurance, which means they could buy a policy today and could potentially be paying the same rate a decade from now.
• Long-term Care insurance is most definitely cheaper the younger and healthier you are.
• Remind them that they don't have a crystal ball and cannot see what their health will be like when they're older.
• Long-term Care insurance is a safety net and will be there to help cover the costs of their care, should they need it...and the likelihood is that they will.

If you need help with Long-term Care products or just have questions, please reach out to us. And if you're new to selling Long-term Care insurance, request our Getting Started with Long-term Care guide.

By Carolyn Portanova