Medicare Blog

how far out can you sell medicare supplements

by Lynn Bayer Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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For folks who were first eligible for Medicare prior to January 1, 2020, they have a window where they can buy plans A, B, C*, D*, F*, G*, K, or L without having to pass any health questions. That window is 60-63 days depending on which state you're in.Nov 18, 2018

Full Answer

Can you sell Medicare supplements from home?

If you lose their trust, you lose the sale. When you sell Medicare supplements from home, you need to offer a variety of products to meet each beneficiary’s needs. This includes supplement products, prescription drug coverage, Medicare Advantage products, and ancillary products.

How many people are eligible to sell Medicare insurance?

What this means when it comes to Medicare insurance sales is that one in every seven people, the equivalent of 15.2% of the population, meets Medicare age qualifications. To have a lucrative business, you need two things:

Do you have a book of business selling Medicare supplement?

If you already have a book of business, you're primed for Medicare Supplement sales. People already want and need supplemental insurance, and they're going to go somewhere to get it – they might as well get it from you. For a quick overview of what we'll cover today, view this slideshow:

How many supplement carriers do I need to sell my products?

Now that you understand how the process works from start to finish, you have to be contracted with supplement carriers in order to sell their products. We recommend starting with 2-3 carriers. You can see a list of the carriers we represent here.

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Can you sell Medicare supplements year round?

If you'd prefer to avoid CMS red tape, then Medicare Supplements are the products to sell. Plus, there's no annual enrollment so you can sell them year-round!

How do you make money selling Medicare supplements?

Generally, insurance agents often earn two types of commissions when selling Medicare plans: A dollar amount per application (Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans) or a percentage of the premium sold (Medicare Supplements).

Can you change your Medicare Supplement anytime of the year?

As a Medicare beneficiary, you can change supplements at any time. As a result, there's no guarantee an application will be accepted if switched outside the designated Open Enrollment Period. An application may be “medically underwritten”.

How long do I have to pick a Medicare Supplement?

The best time to buy a Medigap policy is the 6-month period that starts the first day of the month you're 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. For example, if you turn 65 and are enrolled in Part B in June, the best time for you to buy a Medigap policy is from June to November.

Is being a Medicare agent worth it?

Is Selling Medicare Lucrative? In short, yes. The average Medicare Advantage policy pays around $287 a year in commission if the purchase replaces an existing plan. However, you can get approximately double that — $573— if you write up a new Medicare Advantage plan for someone who hasn't had one before.

Is it worth it to sell Medicare?

When you consider that approximately 10,000 people will turn 65 every day for the next 13 years, one thing becomes clear: it's definitely worth your time to sell to the senior market. If you're a health insurance agent who's not selling Medicare products, you should consider doing so.

How often can you change your Medicare Supplement?

Is there a time limit or deadline for changing Medicare supplement plans? No there is not. Once your six-month open enrollment period has expired, you can change anytime. However, there's generally no reason to change unless you've had a rate increase and are shopping for a lower rate.

Can I switch from plan F to plan G?

If you enrolled in Plan F before 2020, you can continue your plan or switch to another Medigap plan, such as Plan G, if you prefer. You may want to make the change to reduce the price of your health insurance. However, every state has different rules worth considering before making the switch.

Why do doctors not like Medicare Advantage plans?

If they don't say under budget, they end up losing money. Meaning, you may not receive the full extent of care. Thus, many doctors will likely tell you they do not like Medicare Advantage plans because private insurance companies make it difficult for them to get paid for their services.

Is plan G guaranteed issue in 2021?

First of all, Plan G is not offered as a “guaranteed issue” (no health questions) option in situations where someone is losing group coverage or Medicare Advantage plan coverage.

Can you have two Medicare Supplement plans?

Retirees can't have more than one Medicare supplement plan or one at the same time as a Medicare Advantage plan. To cut costs on health care, start by calculating whether a supplement or an Advantage plan will save you the most money.

Can I switch from Medicare Advantage to Medicare Supplement?

Once you've left your Medicare Advantage plan and enrolled in Original Medicare, you are generally eligible to apply for a Medicare Supplement insurance plan. Note, however, that in most cases, when you switch from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare, you lose your “guaranteed-issue” rights for Medigap.

Overview of Medicare Supplements (Medigap)

Medicare is the public health insurance program created in 1965 allowing retirees to have health insurance even after leaving their employer’s group plan. Anyone aged 65 and older, people diagnosed with ALS or ESRD, and people who’ve received SSDI benefits for at least 25 months are eligible to enroll in Medicare coverage.

Is Selling Medicare Lucrative?

Selling Medicare supplements is a great opportunity to serve the underserved senior population and to make money. The Medigap market is two-thirds bigger than the Medicare Advantage market, and the plans are best-suited for people who travel and are financially stable.

The Best Way to Sell Medicare Supplements

Just like with selling any health insurance, Medicare comes with rules and regulations. The first step to selling Medicare supplements is obtaining a license to sell Medicare in your state. The second step is to get AHIP certification. While you don’t need AHIP certification to sell Medigap plans, it’s a great idea to obtain certification.

Medicare Basics

In order to effectively sell Medicare supplements, you should understand how the plans tie into Medicare as a whole. Here’s a general breakdown of Medicare:

Medicare Supplements Leads for Agents

Use more than one approach to reach potential leads. Email and social media are effective ways to reach your audience if you use the right tactics. Direct mail is still a great way to raise awareness even with the senior population using smartphones now more than ever before.

Start Making Money Selling Medicare Supplements

At Senior Market Advisors, our mission is to serve the underserved. The baby boomer market is all-too-often overlooked, and we want to help seniors live their best lives. When you partner with Senior Market Advisors, not only do you get to make a difference, you get an experienced marketing team, a sales support team and a free CRM to track sales.

Start Earning 6-Figures

Connect with a dedicated specialist in your market to learn how you can become a TRUE Senior Market Advisor.

How much does Medicare Part A cost?

Medicare Part A is earned, but it can also be bought for those who need it. In 2019, it cost up to $413 a month to buy Medicare Part A. Gaps in Medicare Part A can easily cost thousands of dollars. Included in Medicare Part A: home health services, hospice care, inpatient hospital care, nursing facility care and more.

How much is the Medicare Part B deductible?

This penalty can be waived if your client has coverage with an employer. The Medicare Part B deductible was $183 in 2017. Your client will pay that much out-of-pocket before Medicare begins to cover services. After coverage beings, the client is responsible for 20% of doctor visits and other approved Medicare services.

What is the difference between Medicare Part D and Medicare Part B?

Medicare Part D. Medicare Part D covers prescription drugs and has a monthly premium. Like Medicare Part B, there is a penalty for late enrollment unless your client has an existing health insurance plan. Your client may have several Part D plans offered.

What is Medicare Part B?

2. Medicare Part B. Medicare Part B covers some of the most essential types of medical expenses. A client begins the initial enrollment period 3 months before the month in which they turn 65 and ends 3 months after the birthday.

Why do you want to have your client insured during the open enrollment period?

You’ll want your client insured during the open enrollment period because this is the only time they don’t have to worry about pre-existing conditions. Underwriting is much simpler. It’s only if your client misses this open enrollment period that they will have to pass health questions. 12.

How to determine if Medicare is my primary coverage?

To determine if Medicare can be your client’s primary coverage, it’s important for you to ask your client about their age. Also, ask if they are working or retired. If they are still working, ask how many employees the company employs. 6.

Can a 65 year old use Medicare?

If the client is 65 and older and is still working and on a group health plan with fewer than 20 employees, they are eligible for Medicare. Also, if your client is disabled, under the age of 65 and on an employer-funded health plan with fewer than 100 employees, he/she may use Medicare as the primary coverage.

How much can you make Selling Medicare?

Selling Medicare is part of the financial services industry, which has a track record of generating more millionaires than any other industry.

Get Licensed to Sell Medicare

In order to sell Medicare, you must become a licensed life and health insurance agent in your state (or any state that you plan on selling in).

Partner with a Medicare FMO

A Field Marketing Organization (FMO) is the link between Medicare insurance carriers and independent Medicare sales agents.

Complete AHIP & Carrier Certifications

AHIP (America’s Health Insurance Plans) is an industry-recognized certification test. If you want to sell Medicare Advantage products, then you must become AHIP certified for most carriers.

Prepare for Success

Now that you are licensed, contracted, and certified, it’s time to create your Medicare Business Plan. This includes setting your production goals, developing a lead generation and client retention strategy, and leveraging the support available through your Medicare FMO.

Getting Started Selling Medicare Supplements Is Easier Than Ever Before!

If you want to sell Medicare Supplements, you don’t need to spend hours scouring the internet for the basics, like what license is needed to sell Medicare Supplements (just your health insurance license!), how to get licensed and contracted, the best Medigap plans, or sales tips.

Discover Fresh Ways to Market & Sell Medicare Supplement Plans

Have some experience with selling Medigap plans? How’s your closing rate? Inside the guide, we share multiple tried and true strategies for targeting ideal Medicare Supplement clients, marketing your services online and offline, narrowing down the right plan, pitching it, and more.

Unlock Higher Commissions Without Paying for Them Another Way

How much do agents make selling Medicare Supplements? With the right training, tips, and effort, it’s reasonable to say that you could be making a six-figure annual salary from Medicare Supplement sales alone after just a few years! Our guide covers the sales tools that can help you work efficiently (free access links included!), expand your client base, and turn a bigger profit.

Enjoy the Free, Complete Training & Sales Support You Desire & Deserve!

At Ritter Insurance Marketing, our primary goal is to help agents grow their businesses quickly, efficiently, and compliantly.

Why is Medicare a slam dunk?

It's just a slam dunk because someone has told them to reach out to me for their Medicare needs.

Is it hard to sell Medicare Supplements?

No, it's not hard to sell Medicare Supplements. When you're first starting, it should be easy, because everyone on Medicare needs one. It's just an insurance product. You're not a member – you're a policyholder, and that means a lot to people. You have to know what your client's expectations are.

Is Medicare an overwhelming subject?

Medicare is an overwhelming subject. There are Plans A-N, and all of them are different. There is just so much confusion and questions that come with this... the agent really has to have a strategic approach to rolling out the communication and education to the client.

How to sell Medicare Supplements?

Here’s what makes selling Medicare Supplements so great: 1 Most don’t require annual certifications. 2 You can use them to connect with people in Original Medicare and make sales during lock-in. 3 You can still enjoy the perks of selling Med Supps during the Annual Enrollment Period. 4 e-Applications are available from most carriers, so you can sell over the phone. 5 Med Supp production often qualifies for bonuses like Ritter’s Quest for Cash. 6 Approximately four million people will age into Medicare each year over the next 10 years!

What percentage of Medicare beneficiaries are in MA?

But consider this: just 34 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are in an MA plan. The remaining 66 percent in Original Medicare could benefit from the extra coverage of Med Supps. Here’s what makes selling Medicare Supplements so great: Most don’t require annual certifications.

Is Med Supp standardized?

All Med Supp plans (A through N) are standardized. This means plans with the same letter offer the same benefits from carrier to carrier and in almost all states. (In Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, standardized plans can be changed without federal approval.) Conversely, plans with different letters offer different benefits.

Do you need annual certifications for Medicare?

Most don’t require annual certifications. You can use them to connect with people in Original Medicare and make sales during lock-in. You can still enjoy the perks of selling Med Supps during the Annual Enrollment Period. e-Applications are available from most carriers, so you can sell over the phone.

Does Med Supp cover foreign travel?

And while all plans give beneficiaries the flexibility to visit any Medicare provider in the U.S., only certain ones include a foreign travel emergency benefit.

What to do when selling Medicare supplements?

When you sell Medicare supplements from home, you need to offer a variety of products to meet each beneficiary’s needs. This includes supplement products, prescription drug coverage, Medicare Advantage products, and ancillary products. Ensure the products you are offering benefit the client, not a push for your pocketbook.

How to remain independent with Medicare?

To remain independent, you will likely need to obtain your insurance company contracts through a Medicare Insurance FMO. An FMO will work to obtain the best contracts for you to sell clients. Their support in finding you the best product to offer frees your time to meet clients and close sales.

How many clients does Medicare have?

Your income is only limited by the time you put into working. On average, a Medicare insurance agent in business for five (5) years has around 400-500 clients.

What is Medicare Advantage?

One of the benefits is the sale of Medicare Advantage or a Medicare supplement that provides you with a residual income for years. This is a passive income you enjoy the benefit of from every sale. Working as an independent agent means the commissions pay directly to you.

How many people will be on Medicare in 2060?

Projections are that by 2060 there will be 98 million people in that age range. The estimation is 21.1 million over age 85 in 2030. What this means when it comes to Medicare insurance sales is that one in every seven people, the equivalent of 15.2% of the population, meets Medicare age qualifications.

How many Americans have Medicare Advantage?

Ambition to put forth the effort to make sales. About 1/3 of Americans obtain their Medicare through Medicare Advantage Plans. The other 2/3 of the eligible persons have original Medicare, and about 81% of those enroll in supplement coverage.

Can you refer Medicare insurance to a client?

If you personally deliver the Medicare insurance policy to your clients, you have the opportunity to go over again the benefits of the plan they purchased. This is also the perfect time to request a referral. By building a trusting relationship, you may be able to sell them additional products later.

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