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MA-OEP is back!

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Medicare cost-sharing

Charlie Ferrell, National Sales Manager

About the Author: Charlie started his senior insurance career after a brief 30-year stint in the restaurant industry. In the 12 years since then, he has been blazing trails and setting standards for excellence all over! A native of Utah, he has been a state manager for RBI as well as an MGA for UHC, Coventry, Molina and other carriers! Charlie came to RBI as the National Sales Manager in 2015, and has been dubbed the “Medicare Encyclopedia” our staff and agents alike. Charlie specializes in the Dual-Eligible market and is leading the charge behind many of RBI’s new training initiatives!

MA-OEP is Back!

Beginning this year the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have given Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries an additional enrollment period called the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA-OEP.)

What this means for Beneficiaries

Each year, starting on January 1st, Medicare Advantage members will be able to make a one time plan change through March 31st of each year.

Agents that have been around for a while remember that the Open Enrollment Period (OEP) was critical for people who failed to change plans during the Annual Election Period or those who made the wrong choice and only realized it when they tried to use their plan in January. This new enrollment period helps protect beneficiaries who may only look at how their co-insurance and co-pays are changing, but may not realize that their doctor will no longer be accepting the Insurance/Plan they haveIt also gives us another three months of selling to increase our customer base.

It’s in your and your Client’s best interest

For new agents who have yet to experience an OEP, you might be scared that all your your new clients could leave and all of your commissions would be charged back and … you would be right! This puts more burden on you the agent to put them in the correct plan in the first place, which is a good thing if you ask me! Make sure you call your clients the first week in January and find out if their plan is working correctly for them. OEP gives you a chance to correct plans if you find out that your client’s doctors are no longer in network after the first of the year. It also allows YOU to market yourself and gain new clients from those agents that are not returning phone calls or following up on their clients needs.

How does OEP protect your business?

It never fails that I have someone call me after December 7th saying they want to sign up for the plan now and I have to tell them “It’s too late, you are locked into your current plan until the end of next year unless you move out of the county.” Even worse is the client that calls me in January looking for my help and another agent put them on a different plan just to make a commission. I have had it happen. An agent “stopped by” just to go over her Medicare even though she told them she had an agent and was already signed up. Next thing you know they are on a different plan and I can’t help them. OEP gives you the chance to keep that business and allows you inoculate your clients from agents that want to poach your business. It forces you to do your job… or someone else will do it for you!

21st Century Cures Act

The 21st Century Cures Act allows all Medicare beneficiaries one change during OEP. The law also prohibits carriers from advertising to consumers to utilize the OEP to change plans. It’s up to us to educate our clients and potential clients of the upcoming changes. If you have a penchant for reading ridiculously long and boring Congressional Statutes, then you can read about this new law in its entirety right here!

Keep up to date with the latest in Medicare news by subscribing to our blog on the right hand side of your screen! 



S.S.D.Y. – Same Stuff Different Year – Here’s Your 2019 AEP Checklist

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S.S.D.Y. – Same Stuff Different Year

Getting Ready for 2019 AEP & OEP – Agent Success Checklist


RBI Senior Sales Coordinator/Independent Agent: James Gramp

With his signature common sense, quiet good humor, and brilliant customer service, Jim is the other half of the RBI phone answering dynamic duo! An Arizona native, Jim manages agent relationships for the East Coast and specializes in the RBI agent tools, especially the Agent Market Edge. Jim has been a licensed health insurance agent for over a year, and has worked at RBI for 3 years. An accomplished bassoonist, he is known around the office for his amazing musical skills. In addition to keeping busy around the office, Jim frequently contributes to our blog, bringing a new agent’s perspective to the RBI online presence.

Hooray, it’s that time of year again where agents spend hours blankly staring at their computers – Medicare Certification Season! Cue the collective groan from agents across the US. That’s why I’m here, to give you a handy 2019 AEP Checklist to get you ready for a successful Annual Enrollment Period!

It’s very important that you get your ducks in a row EARLY! Waiting until September to complete your AHIP and product certifications is a sure-fire way to increase stress levels this fall. The closer it gets to AEP, the more bogged down carriers get with processing new contracts, background checks, and product certifications.

Speaking from personal experience, I’ve seen it take as long as 4 weeks for agents to receive their “Ready to Sell” status after completing their product certifications. There’s nothing more frustrating than losing a sale just because you were still waiting to show up as “Ready to Sell.”

Without Further Ado, Here is Your 2019 AEP Checklist!

AHIP

That dirty four-letter word that spikes agent’s blood pressure far and wide. Unfortunately, it’s a necessary evil in our industry and is required to sell Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans. If you’re an agent that doesn’t sell MA, then I have news for you – You’re Leaving Money on The Table! Read my Blog Post from last year to learn why you should consider adding MA plans to your portfolio. Quick update, there are now over 21 million Medicare Advantage members compared to roughly 14 million Medicare supplement members nationwide.

Haven’t taken your AHIP yet? Follow this AHIP link to receive your $50 discount… But wait, there’s more!

Picking up Additional Products

Now is the time carriers are releasing first-look benefit information for the 2019 plan year. Head on over to our Events Calendar to register for our upcoming webinars. Curious to find out how these carriers stack up in your market? I’m just one phone call away!

Carrier Certifications

2019 Medicare AEP Certifications RBI

More online testing and certifications! Are you excited yet? No? Not sure when each of the carriers are launching their certifications, head on over to our 2019 Carrier Certification page. You’ll be able to see when all the 2019 Medicare Advantage Certifications are released.

Certainly don’t wait until the last week in September to do these! If you’re not marked as “Ready-to-Sell,” you will not be able to pick up any sales kits or marketing materials for the upcoming Annual Enrollment Period.

Evaluate your FMO Relationship

evaluate you FMO Medicare Advantage

If your FMO isn’t holding up their end of the bargain by providing you the support you need to grow your Medicare book of business, then now is the perfect time to re-evaluate that relationship. If your Field Marketing Organization doesn’t provide anything in the way of marketing support, they’re really just a Field Organization. The bottom line is, your FMO should work for You! These are things you should consider when choosing who to work with.

  • Sales training + coaching
  • Marketing support
  • Compliance support
  • Accessibility

“If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.”

The most successful agents don’t go into AEP flying by the seat of their pants. At RBI, we develop marketing plans with our agents the M.A.P.S. way. Your marketing plan should be Measurable, Actionable, Profitable, and Scalable. Check out my blog post that I linked to above to learn more about the M.A.P.S. method for success.

A lot of agents I speak with only look for referrals from their existing book of business but are totally ignoring a HUGE opportunity, getting referrals within your community.  The easiest place you can start is your very own doctor’s office.  If you’ve ever wondered how an agent is able to be successful in this industry without breaking the bank by purchasing leads, here’s your answer: Community Marketing.  Not sure how, or where to start?  Check out my blog post, “Building Your Referral Network” and download the free white paper where I demonstrate how to get started!

AEP + OEP

With our selling season lasting almost three times as long than in previous years – OEP lasts from January 1st through March 31st, now is the time to start planning! You’re probably thinking, “wow, that’s a lot to think about.” That’s because it IS a lot to think about. But, if you really want to be successful in this business, then don’t let another Annual Enrollment Period pass you by without doing everything in your power to make it happen!

RB Insurance Group has the tools, marketing support, and most importantly, the expertise to turn you into a Medicare selling machine.

Give me a call today to learn all about how we do things differently than our competitors! (800)-997-3107 .



Agent's Advantage Blog

How to build a compliant Medicare marketing website that works (Part 1)

RBI trophies at Southwest Double Gun Expo

How to read The Agent’s Advantage blog

MA-OEP is back!

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Medicare cost-sharing

Charlie Ferrell, National Sales Manager

About the Author: Charlie started his senior insurance career after a brief 30-year stint in the restaurant industry. In the 12 years since then, he has been blazing trails and setting standards for excellence all over! A native of Utah, he has been a state manager for RBI as well as an MGA for UHC, Coventry, Molina and other carriers! Charlie came to RBI as the National Sales Manager in 2015, and has been dubbed the “Medicare Encyclopedia” our staff and agents alike. Charlie specializes in the Dual-Eligible market and is leading the charge behind many of RBI’s new training initiatives!

MA-OEP is Back!

Beginning this year the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have given Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries an additional enrollment period called the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA-OEP.)

What this means for Beneficiaries

Each year, starting on January 1st, Medicare Advantage members will be able to make a one time plan change through March 31st of each year.

Agents that have been around for a while remember that the Open Enrollment Period (OEP) was critical for people who failed to change plans during the Annual Election Period or those who made the wrong choice and only realized it when they tried to use their plan in January. This new enrollment period helps protect beneficiaries who may only look at how their co-insurance and co-pays are changing, but may not realize that their doctor will no longer be accepting the Insurance/Plan they haveIt also gives us another three months of selling to increase our customer base.

It’s in your and your Client’s best interest

For new agents who have yet to experience an OEP, you might be scared that all your your new clients could leave and all of your commissions would be charged back and … you would be right! This puts more burden on you the agent to put them in the correct plan in the first place, which is a good thing if you ask me! Make sure you call your clients the first week in January and find out if their plan is working correctly for them. OEP gives you a chance to correct plans if you find out that your client’s doctors are no longer in network after the first of the year. It also allows YOU to market yourself and gain new clients from those agents that are not returning phone calls or following up on their clients needs.

How does OEP protect your business?

It never fails that I have someone call me after December 7th saying they want to sign up for the plan now and I have to tell them “It’s too late, you are locked into your current plan until the end of next year unless you move out of the county.” Even worse is the client that calls me in January looking for my help and another agent put them on a different plan just to make a commission. I have had it happen. An agent “stopped by” just to go over her Medicare even though she told them she had an agent and was already signed up. Next thing you know they are on a different plan and I can’t help them. OEP gives you the chance to keep that business and allows you inoculate your clients from agents that want to poach your business. It forces you to do your job… or someone else will do it for you!

21st Century Cures Act

The 21st Century Cures Act allows all Medicare beneficiaries one change during OEP. The law also prohibits carriers from advertising to consumers to utilize the OEP to change plans. It’s up to us to educate our clients and potential clients of the upcoming changes. If you have a penchant for reading ridiculously long and boring Congressional Statutes, then you can read about this new law in its entirety right here!

Keep up to date with the latest in Medicare news by subscribing to our blog on the right hand side of your screen! 



S.S.D.Y. – Same Stuff Different Year – Here’s Your 2019 AEP Checklist

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S.S.D.Y. – Same Stuff Different Year

Getting Ready for 2019 AEP & OEP – Agent Success Checklist


RBI Senior Sales Coordinator/Independent Agent: James Gramp

With his signature common sense, quiet good humor, and brilliant customer service, Jim is the other half of the RBI phone answering dynamic duo! An Arizona native, Jim manages agent relationships for the East Coast and specializes in the RBI agent tools, especially the Agent Market Edge. Jim has been a licensed health insurance agent for over a year, and has worked at RBI for 3 years. An accomplished bassoonist, he is known around the office for his amazing musical skills. In addition to keeping busy around the office, Jim frequently contributes to our blog, bringing a new agent’s perspective to the RBI online presence.

Hooray, it’s that time of year again where agents spend hours blankly staring at their computers – Medicare Certification Season! Cue the collective groan from agents across the US. That’s why I’m here, to give you a handy 2019 AEP Checklist to get you ready for a successful Annual Enrollment Period!

It’s very important that you get your ducks in a row EARLY! Waiting until September to complete your AHIP and product certifications is a sure-fire way to increase stress levels this fall. The closer it gets to AEP, the more bogged down carriers get with processing new contracts, background checks, and product certifications.

Speaking from personal experience, I’ve seen it take as long as 4 weeks for agents to receive their “Ready to Sell” status after completing their product certifications. There’s nothing more frustrating than losing a sale just because you were still waiting to show up as “Ready to Sell.”

Without Further Ado, Here is Your 2019 AEP Checklist!

AHIP

That dirty four-letter word that spikes agent’s blood pressure far and wide. Unfortunately, it’s a necessary evil in our industry and is required to sell Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans. If you’re an agent that doesn’t sell MA, then I have news for you – You’re Leaving Money on The Table! Read my Blog Post from last year to learn why you should consider adding MA plans to your portfolio. Quick update, there are now over 21 million Medicare Advantage members compared to roughly 14 million Medicare supplement members nationwide.

Haven’t taken your AHIP yet? Follow this AHIP link to receive your $50 discount… But wait, there’s more!

Picking up Additional Products

Now is the time carriers are releasing first-look benefit information for the 2019 plan year. Head on over to our Events Calendar to register for our upcoming webinars. Curious to find out how these carriers stack up in your market? I’m just one phone call away!

Carrier Certifications

2019 Medicare AEP Certifications RBI

More online testing and certifications! Are you excited yet? No? Not sure when each of the carriers are launching their certifications, head on over to our 2019 Carrier Certification page. You’ll be able to see when all the 2019 Medicare Advantage Certifications are released.

Certainly don’t wait until the last week in September to do these! If you’re not marked as “Ready-to-Sell,” you will not be able to pick up any sales kits or marketing materials for the upcoming Annual Enrollment Period.

Evaluate your FMO Relationship

evaluate you FMO Medicare Advantage

If your FMO isn’t holding up their end of the bargain by providing you the support you need to grow your Medicare book of business, then now is the perfect time to re-evaluate that relationship. If your Field Marketing Organization doesn’t provide anything in the way of marketing support, they’re really just a Field Organization. The bottom line is, your FMO should work for You! These are things you should consider when choosing who to work with.

  • Sales training + coaching
  • Marketing support
  • Compliance support
  • Accessibility

“If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.”

The most successful agents don’t go into AEP flying by the seat of their pants. At RBI, we develop marketing plans with our agents the M.A.P.S. way. Your marketing plan should be Measurable, Actionable, Profitable, and Scalable. Check out my blog post that I linked to above to learn more about the M.A.P.S. method for success.

A lot of agents I speak with only look for referrals from their existing book of business but are totally ignoring a HUGE opportunity, getting referrals within your community.  The easiest place you can start is your very own doctor’s office.  If you’ve ever wondered how an agent is able to be successful in this industry without breaking the bank by purchasing leads, here’s your answer: Community Marketing.  Not sure how, or where to start?  Check out my blog post, “Building Your Referral Network” and download the free white paper where I demonstrate how to get started!

AEP + OEP

With our selling season lasting almost three times as long than in previous years – OEP lasts from January 1st through March 31st, now is the time to start planning! You’re probably thinking, “wow, that’s a lot to think about.” That’s because it IS a lot to think about. But, if you really want to be successful in this business, then don’t let another Annual Enrollment Period pass you by without doing everything in your power to make it happen!

RB Insurance Group has the tools, marketing support, and most importantly, the expertise to turn you into a Medicare selling machine.

Give me a call today to learn all about how we do things differently than our competitors! (800)-997-3107 .



Agent's Advantage Blog

How to build a compliant Medicare marketing website that works (Part 1)

RBI trophies at Southwest Double Gun Expo

How to read The Agent’s Advantage blog

Don’t Plan to Fail this AEP

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Medicare SEP

About the Author: With his signature common sense, quiet good humor, and brilliant customer service, Jim is an integral part of the RBI team — we’d go so far as to say we’d be lost without him! An Arizona native, Jim manages agent relationships for the East Coast and specializes in the RBI agent tools, especially the Agent Market Edge. Jim has been a licensed health insurance agent for 2 years, and has worked at RBI for almost 3 years. An accomplished bassoonist, he is known around the office for his amazing musical skills. In addition to keeping busy around the office, Jim frequently contributes to our blog, bringing a new agent’s perspective to the RBI online presence.

Don’t plan to Fail this AEP

You may have heard the phrase, “If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.” And you’ve also probably heard that “with great power comes great responsibility.” But I bet you haven’t heard the phrase, “with great planning and hard work comes great success.” That’s because I just made it up and it doesn’t flow as nicely. You can’t just expect to have a successful AEP without putting an ounce of thought into how you’re going to make that happen (much like the phrase I just came up with). Being a Medicare broker that offers a complete portfolio of products means having to comply with many regulations, including the Medicare Marketing Guidelines. Being in violation of these guidelines could cost you your Health Insurance License so it’s crucial that while you start putting together a plan, you remain compliant in marketing for Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans.

AEPBuild your Portfolio

Unless you are a super hero and always happen to luck your way into a successful Annual Enrollment Period, we mere mortals will have to stick to smart planning and hard work. This means having the products you’ll need in your portfolio that allows you to sell to at least 80% of the prospects you meet. Justin Bever, RBI Director of Marketing, gave a great workshop earlier in the year about the “Power of the Portfolio”. I would HIGHLY recommend giving it a look, especially if you intend to make a career in the Medicare market. Click here to watch the recording!

Medicare Advantage

As far as Medicare Advantage is concerned you want to make sure you have different carriers and plan types to offer beneficiaries. I always like to have a few competitive HMO’s, a good PPO option, a DSNP, plus any CSNP’s that are available. It’s your job to research the plans available in your market and determine which ones are likely to be competitive. Four things about all MA plans to consider are Network, Formulary, MOOP and cost sharing. If you need help deciding which carriers you need in your market, ask us, WE CAN HELP! Typically carriers will start to release ‘sneak peeks’ of their plan offerings for the new year towards the end of summer (July/August-ish).

Medicare Supplements

It seems like there’s as many Medicare Supplement carriers as there are stars in the sky. When looking at which Medicare Supplement carriers to add to your portfolio, rates aren’t the only thing you should be looking at. You’ll want to see what their outlook as a company is by using the market analytics in our quoting tool. You will want to look for companies that have been more stable with their rates and have a substantial number of lives insured in case the carrier has a bad year in claims. Click here to watch a demo of what RBI’s quoting software can do! 

Discounted AHIP and Carrier Certification

You will also need to take and pass the AHIP certification or an equivalent test. Just like the past two years RB Insurance will be offering all agents a $50 discount off your AHIP exam, all you need to do is subscribe to our blog and register for the AHIP with using the RBI link. Additionally, all RBI agents had the opportunity to be completely reimbursed. The AHIP exam is usually released the third week in June, so be sure to keep your eyes on the look out for our discount to be released in the coming weeks. Shortly after AHIP is released, carriers generally release their roll out schedule and let us know when we can begin the carrier certification process as well.

Goals – the Start of any Serious Plan

Like I said earlier, you can’t expect to have a great AEP without a plan in place. At RBI we develop marketing plans with our agents the M.A.P.S. way. Your plan should be Measurable, Actionable, Profitable, and Scalable. I’ll be doing a more in-depth article strictly about developing a marketing plan, but the basics of building a good plan starts with a goal. Long-term goals like, “I want to buy a Mercedes” are great, but I’m talking short term. Specifically, how many sales or how much money do you want to get out of the upcoming AEP. Who knows, maybe you’ll hit your long-term goal sooner than expected.

Brainstorming with agents on how they can grow their Medicare business is part of my job, so if you have any questions about how RBI can help you get started or grow your book of business, then give me a call directly at 1-800-997-3107!

M.A.P.S. Method for Success: AEP Planning

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RBI’s Senior Sales Coordinator: James Gramp

About the Author: With his signature common sense, quiet good humor, and brilliant customer service, Jim is an integral part of the RBI team — we’d go so far as to say we’d be lost without him! An Arizona native, Jim manages agent relationships for the East Coast and specializes in the RBI agent tools, especially the Agent Market Edge. Jim has been a licensed health insurance agent for 2 years, and has worked at RBI for almost 3 years. An accomplished bassoonist, he is known around the office for his amazing musical skills. In addition to keeping busy around the office, Jim frequently contributes to our blog, bringing a new agent’s perspective to the RBI online presence.

M.A.P.S. Method for Success: AEP Planning

You’ve probably heard us folks at RBI talk about M.A.P.S before and are probably wondering what a map has to do with Medicare.  Look no further!  When we talk about M.A.P.S, we’re referring to how we build our agents marketing plans, particularly for AEP.  What does M.A.P.S. stand for you ask?  At RBI, we believe your marketing plan should be:

AEP

M – measurable

A – actionable

P – profitable

S – scalable

This is by no means a one size fits all approach.  We will sit down with you, analyze your business and what your goals are in regards to your Medicare business and will tailor it to your specific needs and goals.

But wait, there’s more!

Every 5 Sales Drive

In addition to helping you develop a successful marketing plan, RB Insurance Group will actually make your marketing dollars stretch further with our Every 5 Sales Drive.  Here’s how it works:

  • Must be contracted with at least 2 Medicare Advantage carriers with RBI to participate
  • Earn $125 marketing credit for every 5 MA sales you submit with RBI as your upline
  • Credits roll over from month to month and across calendar years; you will never lose your credits!
  • Program available for direct contracted agents only
  • Similar programs available for agencies.  Credit amounts will differ

You can keep track of your credits through the Agent Market Edge portal, which is RBI’s own marketing portal where agents keep track of their marketing credits and can purchase marketing collateral.  We produce all of our marketing collateral through our partner, Touchstone Marketing, and are able to offer these services at steep discounts and wholesale pricing to our agents!

Watch our “Medicare Marketing Madness” webinar where RBI Director of Marketing, Justin Bever, shows you exactly what a successful marketing campaign looks like.  Simply click the link above, register for the webinar, and the recording will start playing automatically!

Now is the time to develop your plan of attack for the upcoming Annual Enrollment Period!  Don’t get caught off guard, give us a call to ensure that you have the most competitive products in your senior portfolio! 1-800-997-3107



The Latest: 2019 Medicare Advantage Certifications

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 2022 Medicare Advantage Certifications

It’s that time of year again, folks! Time to dust off the keyboard, brew a strong pot of coffee, and plow through the annual Medicare Advantage Certification training! As dull and monotonous as it can be, certifications are critical part of keeping up to speed on the most recent plan and policy changes. (Also, you won’t get paid if you don’t complete them!)

Every MA carrier likes to do things a little bit differently, so in an effort to make your life a little easier, we’ve rounded up the most current information available to us. Check back frequently, we will continue to update as more plans release their 2022 certifications!

Medicare Advantage Certifications by Plan

Click on a Carrier or Scroll Down

Aetna  | AllWell | Amerigroup | Anthem | Bright Health |  Cigna Healthspring  |  Gateway  |  Humana | SilverScript | United Healthcare  |  WellCare

2022 Aetna Certification

Product Training: Released June 29th, 2021

 Click Here for Aetna’s Certification site

Compliance Training:

Click here to register and save $50 on your AHIP

Carrier Support:

1-866-714-9301

2022 AllWell Certification

Product Training: Available July 7th, 2021

Click here to access AllWell’s Certification portal

2022 Amerigroup Certification

Available in: NJ, NM, TN, TX, WA

Product Training: Released June 30th, 2021

Click Here to access Amerigroup’s certification portal

Compliance Training:

Click here to register and save $50 on your AHIP

Carrier Support:

1-800-633-4368

2022 Anthem Certification

Avialable in: CA, CO. CT, GA, IN, KY, ME, MO, NV, NH, NY, OH, VA, WI

Product Training: Released June 30th, 2021

Click Here to access Anthem’s certification portal

Click here to register and save $50 on your AHIP

Carrier Support:

1-800-633-4368

2021 Bright Health Certification

Product Training:

Click here for certification login

Compliance Training: 

Click here to register and save $50 on your AHIP

Carrier Support: 

1-888-325-1747

2022 Cigna HealthSpring Certification

Cigna HealthSpring Medicare Advantage Certifications

Product Training: 2022 certification TBA

Cigna’s training site

Compliance Training:

Click here to register and save $50 on your AHIP

Carrier Support:

1-800-973-9183 opt 2

2022 Gateway Certification

Product Training:

TBD

You should receive instructions from Gateway.

We will update all agents as soon as we receive the new contracting and certification information from Gateway.

Target Certification Release Date is August.

If you receive an error or do not receive the email, please contact agent support

Click here for instructions

Compliance Training:

Click here to register and save $50 on your AHIP

Carrier Support:

1-888-871-0417

2022 Humana Certification

Product Training: Released June 29th, 2021

 Humana Broker Portal

Compliance Training:

Click here to register and save $50 on your AHIP

Carrier Support:

1-800-309-3163

2022 United Certification

Product Training: Released June 28th, 2021

 United Health Producer Portal

Compliance Training:

Click here to register and save $50 on your AHIP

Carrier Support:

Producer Help Desk: 1-888–381–8581

2022 WellCare Certification

Product Training: Available July 7th, 2021

All agents should have received an email with Username and password

Compliance Training:

 WellCare Certification Portal

Click here to register and save $50 on your AHIP

Carrier Support:

Wellcare Producer Contacts

Certifications and Planning your AEP

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RBI Senior Sales Coordinator/Independent Agent: James Gramp

With his signature common sense, quiet good humor, and brilliant customer service, Jim is the other half of the RBI phone answering dynamic duo! An Arizona native, Jim manages agent relationships for the East Coast and specializes in the RBI agent tools, especially the Agent Market Edge. Jim has been a licensed health insurance agent for over a year, and has worked at RBI for 2 years. An accomplished bassoonist, he is known around the office for his amazing musical skills. In addition to keeping busy around the office, Jim frequently contributes to our blog, bringing a new agent’s perspective to the RBI online presence.

Certifications and Planning your AEP

RBI Senior Sales Coordinator/Independent Agent: James Gramp


It’s that dreadful time of year again when millions of insurance agents across the US lament the very idea of certifications.  I know that I’m certainly not looking forward to taking the AHIP yet again and all of my carrier certifications.  At RB Insurance, we make certification season as painless as possible for agents.  We’re continuing our $50 AHIP discount this year for ANY and ALL agents that use our link.  If you were with us last year you already know that RBI agents also get the rest of their AHIP cost reimbursed by making only 5 sales during AEP. But wait, there’s more!

Don’t wait for September for carrier certifications

I like to get my certifications done and out of the way as soon as possible for a couple reasons.  The first being, if you wait until September or October, it can sometimes take up to a month before some carriers will process your certification results.  I can’t tell you how many agents I talk to that tell me, “Oh I wait until September to start my certifications” and then October rolls around and they want to pick up sales materials but they can’t because they’re still not showing as “Ready to Sell” due to the carrier still processing background checks.  I then have to politely remind them that September and October are the slowest months for processing certification because it’s when the majority of agents finally get it around to doing it and that they will have to wait to pick up materials until after they’re showing as “Ready to Sell.”

Get Ready for AEP!

The second reason is with my certifications all done I can start planning out my AEP.  My AEP planning involves developing a marketing strategy, and sending out Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) letters to my current clients.  I also begin lining up locations for any sales events that I want to do.  Remember, these must be submitted at least 14 days before the event.

Develop your Marketing Plan

Don’t have a marketing plan? Making sure RBI agents have a clear plan of where they’re going to get their next sales is a top priority for us.  We take the time to sit down with each of our agents who want to develop a custom marketing plan.  This is by no means a one-size-fits-all program, we take the time to learn about your current business and tailor it to your specific needs, and we will craft your plan so that your goals are Measurable, Actionable, Profitable, and Scalable.  We call it the MAPS method.

Finalize AEP Events

Want guidance on how to put on a successful sales event?  Our team of experts will make sure you have everything you need to have a successful event. Through our relationship with our print and fulfillment partner, Touchstone Marketing, we’re able to advertise your events to make sure you have a packed event at a discounted cost. Make sure you have all of your events submitted at least 14 days before the scheduled time.

Send ANOC Letters

The purpose of sending out ANOC letters is to let your clients know whether or not their plan is changing.  If they’re on a plan that is changing I will advise them that starting on October 1st, I will be able to discuss the benefits for the 2018 calendar year and whether or not they should consider switching plans.  These letters are especially helpful to agents that have a larger book of business, and are designed to not only keep your face fresh in your client’s mind but also to cut down on some of your outbound calls you will have to make to your clients.

Whether it’s giving you discounts and reimbursements on AHIP, providing you with the knowledge needed to pass, or giving you wholesale pricing on print and fulfillment services, RBI has the tools and expertise to make this your most successful AEP yet.  Click here to hear from RBI Director of Marketing, Justin Bever, on the unique benefits of partnering with RB Insurance Group.

Don’t Forget!

We will be airing our “Ace the AHIP” webinar on May 31st at 9:00am MST (Arizona Time), click here to register.  We’ll teach you every trick in the (open) book to help you pass your AHIP.  We also record each webinar that we host, so that you can watch it when it’s convenient for you.  However, if you have questions, I would encourage you to attend the live webinar because we do open up our webinars for a live Q&A at the end.

Don’t let the Medicare certification season get you down.  RBI is here to take all the hassle and anxiety out of your certification process, click here or give us a call today to join the RBI team and see how we can help take your Medicare business to the next level! 1-800-997-3107



5 Quick Opportunities Now to Unlock Your Best AEP

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RBI Sales Coordinator, West Region: Rebecca Howard

If you’ve ever called RBI’s 800 number, chances are good that you’ve spoken to Rebecca! With a background in health care and customer service, Rebecca’s journey to Medicare insurance is a relentless pursuit of the human story. Fascinated by interpersonal relationships, and passionate about treating everyone right, it’s no surprise that Rebecca joins us from the South. A transplant to Arizona from Georgia, Rebecca is a customer service expert and sales coordinator extraordinaire! Rebecca manages agent relationships for the West Coast, and loves training her agents in all the tools and services that RBI offers. In addition to her regular duties, Rebecca is a bit of a word nerd, and serves as RBI’s content editor for the Agent’s Advantage Blog and RBI Classroom.

5 Quick Opportunities Now

to Unlock Your Best AEP Later

RBI Sales Coordinator, West Region: Rebecca Howard


I know, I know. It’s only the first week of May — AEP seems so far away! But the truth is if you haven’t already planned out your marketing leading up to AEP, now is definitely the time to start. AEP is the busiest time of the year in our industry and a great way to avoid that last-minute rush and make sure you have a plan in place is to decide your goals now. Figure out how many sales you want to make first and then decide on a marketing plan. RBI has the tools to help! In fact, here’s 5 quick opportunities to take advantage of now and unlock your best AEP yet.

Number 5: Organize your existing businessUnlock Your Best AEP Yet

If you haven’t reached out to all the old leads in your books, now is also a good time to touch base with a final phone call and personalized letter. It’s also time to make sure that each of your clients’ needs are being met. Pick up the phone and call your clients, or consider sending out a postcard. Make sure that you are asking for your clients to think of you for any referrals. Not sure what to say? Click here and read some advice from the RBI team. Make sure you’re going through your records and reconciling any commissions at the end of the month or interactions inside the Medicare Sales Engine!

Number 4: Learn about additional products

If you’ve had a laser focus on one type of product, it might be time to diversify. One of the best ways to make sure you’re able to serve your clients’ is to be able to address multiple concerns they might have. Have you talked to your members about Hospital Indemnity? What about Final Expense? Does your member qualify for extra help or LIS? Learn about the portfolio approach and then get the product training you need. Check out our calendar to sign up for informative webinars or go back and watch one of our recorded sessions!

Number 3: Pick up additional contracts

Now that you’ve learned about the additional products that will help you better serve your clients, it’s time to pick up contracts! Processing contracts can take the carriers from just a couple of days to several weeks, so it’s important to get started on this in advance. Carriers tend to get backed up with contracting requests right before AEP as well. Don’t get caught in that mess, get contracted now and miss the rush! Click here to see a list of carriers, or request information here.

Number 2: Prepare for the AHIP

It’s that time of year again – AHIP comes out at the end of next month. Get a jump on studying for the AHIP now and be ready to take the exam right away!  Click here to sign up for our 2018 Ace the AHIP webinar and be sure to use our link and get $50 off the price of the AHIP course!

Number 1: Plan your marketing now

AEP is short. What’s the best way to make sure you are able to complete the maximum appointments? Get a steady flow of leads and line up your appointments in advance. RBI’s team loves to help plan this out for our agents. If you don’t know the best way to get that steady flow of leads, watch this recording. Consider hiring a part time assistant to help you set appointments. The better organized you are on the front end, the smoother your AEP will be in the long run.

If you aren’t ready to sell with the most popular plans in your area, let us help you get started! Call our team at 1-800-997-3107 or click here to start the contracting process! It’s time to unlock your best AEP.



Road Warrior: my first AEP

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Road Warrior: My First AEP


James Gramp

Road Warrior

Some of you may recognize my name, probably from when I bugged you to finish your contracting/certifications before October (you know who you are!) or reminded you to update leads in your Medicare Sales Engine account. What a lot of you may not know is that this was my first year selling out in the field.  So, about 1,500 miles and two months later, I’m here to share my experiences as a Road Warrior with you all.

Learning to balance commitments

Besides working full time at RBI, I also go to school as well.  Add in my first AEP, trying to run appointments, and you’ll get the idea.  Balancing these many commitments quickly became a challenge.  Let’s just say fighting rush hour going into central Phoenix trying to make a 9 AM weekday appointment was not the best use of my time. I can’t tell you enough how important it is to schedule your appointments wisely.  I don’t just mean scheduling all your leads in Phoenix or Glendale for the same day. To really get the most out of your time you should be thinking of which way rush hour is headed and where your appointment is. You can save 1-2 hours just in driving time alone which ultimately means more appointments and more sales.

Perfecting my follow-up

Another important lesson I learned is that you have to follow-up with your leads, especially the people that pull a “no-show.” Two of my leads bailed on appointments that I scheduled with them.  There’s nothing like driving 45 minutes only to realize that you have been stood up (I never did get a hold of one person to set another appointment despite calling 6 more times).  As for the other person that stood me up, I called her 4 times before she finally got back to me. When I did reach her, I learned she works 30 hours/week, is going to school full time to finish her degree, and babysits her grandchildren on the weekends.  To say she was swamped is an understatement.  I ended up enrolling her and she was extremely thankful that I followed up regularly. So instead of acting like you got stood up for a date and never contacting those leads again, pick up the phone and reach out, you never know what it may lead to!

The art of the close

My last takeaway is don’t be intimidated by the idea of selling. I’m what you would call an introvert, not very outspoken, need time to myself to recharge, mind-my-own-business kind of guy.  In fact, the only sales experience I had before this job was waiting tables at an Italian restaurant in Scottsdale.  This AEP has been a great learning experience for me.  I now plan my routes and most importantly ask for the sale.  So if an introverted college student can get out there and make 24 sales, then so can you!

Tips & Tricks

Always keep spare oil and coolant in your car during AEP – My car didn’t break down during AEP, but it did end up overheating the day after AEP. Luckily it was a cheap fix, just had to replace a stuck thermostat.

Make sure your spare tire is inflated properly

Bring an extra pair of pants and a shirt in case of car trouble

Check google maps for backed up traffic/accidents to avoid being late – I ended up being an hour late to an appointment thanks to an accident that caused both directions on the I-10 to come to a stop.

Always let the person know if you are going to be late – I was late for a few appointments this AEP, but I called them when I was on my way and everyone thanked me for calling

Ask for the sale – after presenting plans you think would fit your client’s needs, you should be asking for the sale.  I assume you do not want to call back a couple days later to answer a very simple question/objection and then have to drive back out to get the application, or worse, lose the sale.  If you ask for the sale right then and there they will most likely tell you any objections they have right up front. I personally lost 3 because I did not ask for the sale.

For more tips see our very own Bob Bever’s post about being prepared!

–from the desk of James Gramp

Upcoming events:

Medigap 102: Revisited for 2017

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Part 1 of our series went over what the different Medicare Supplements (Medigap plans) cover and how they work with Original Medicare.

In Part 2 of our series we are going to discuss the different enrollment periods for Medicare supplements as well as some of the underwriting criteria major carriers use in pricing their plans. Remember, in order to enroll into a Medicare Supplement policy, beneficiaries must have Medicare Parts A and B.medigapxplanxcoveragexpicturexa-n

Open enrollment for Medicare Supplements is the 6 months following a beneficiaries Part B effective date and they are 65 or older. No health questions asked. Full commission paid according to contracted rates.

Underwritten policies can be issued at any time after the open enrollment period and beneficiaries are able to pass underwriting questions. Some policies have relaxed underwriting for a higher premium. Full commissions paid according to contracted rates.

Underwriting guidelines vary from carrier to carrier. Some carriers allow diabetics with no issues and other carriers will not issue policies at all for diabetics. Almost all Medicare Supplement carriers have a “prohibited prescriptions” list that tells you the application will be declined if a member takes the medication on the list for a specific condition. Some carriers include this list in every kit they send out.

Guaranteed issue. According to federal guidelines, carriers must issue a Medigap Plan A, B, C, F, K, or L that’s sold by any insurance company in the state under the following conditions;

  • A beneficiaries’ current Medicare Advantage plan is leaving the area either due to financial reasons or is no longer going to offer that plan.
  • During a Medicare Advantage members 12-month trial period
  • Beneficiaries’ employer group plan that pays after Medicare is ending. This includes retiree and COBRA coverage
  • Beneficiaries leave a Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan because the company hasn’t followed the rules
  • Most states allow new move-ins a guarantee issue period for the first 63 days they are in a new service area.

Remember that some carriers will pay reduced or no commission on Guarantee issue business. Always do the right thing for your client but do it knowingly. Sometimes a client can still pass underwriting which allows you to get paid your full commission. Also, remember the plan letters listed above have Guarantee issue according to Federal guidelines (A, B, C, F, K and L). United Health Care also has guaranteed issue into the Plan N in many states. (At a reduced commission of course)

Medicare Supplements for Beneficiaries under age 65. Not all states require Medigap plans to cover beneficiaries under age 65. In some cases states may only require carriers to offer certain plans for those under age 65 or cover certain conditions such as ESRD. In all cases, under 65 policies are more expensive than a regular Medigap policy since carriers know the beneficiaries will be using more benefits than those over 65 on original Medicare.

Contact us today to get contracted with the highest rated carriers in your area. Many plans are only competitive in certain zip codes so don’t be fooled by all their hype. Let us help you with all of your Medicare Supplement contracting needs.

Stand apart from the competition this AEP — be yourself!

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How has AEP 2016 treated you so far?

We’re rapidly closing in the the halfway point of AEP. Besides dealing with the challenge of having so many people to see in so little time, one of the recurring frustrations I hear from agents this time of year is “Everyone is after the same people.”

This definitely stands to reason. Large carriers have commercials and infomercials on 24/7 directing them to call or go online, mail is getting delivered to eligible beneficiaries in high volume and agents probably just left the house you are walking into, while another one follows behind you.

Within the sales process, there are three things you can do to save yourself from the clutter and competitive chaos that makes AEP what it is.  If you can do these three things, you will be the sales person of choice for more clients, even if they have seen other sales people. Thankfully, they’re simple. However, my observation has been that the vast majority of sales people do not do them, which means they do not stand out.

1. Prepare. When you do prepare for your 1 p.m. sales call?  I hope you didn’t say when you’re in the driveway! The best time time to prepare for your day is early in the morning or better yet, the night before. In-depth review of your client’s situation will provide you with a higher level of confidence that you have the right product and approach to meet their needs.  Nothing says professionalism like preparation.
On the other hand, nothing turns clients off faster than a sales person who seems discombobulated.  It makes them feel as though they weren’t important enough for you to spend time getting ready for them.
2. Be meticulous with detail.  The first place to impress the client is at the door to their home. Be on time, dress appropriately and be in control (Read No. 1 again if you have to). Using and remembering names is critical.  If kids are present, include them in elements of the discussion — it will reflect positively on you.  As you conduct your demonstration and ask questions, take notes. What your clients say is worth taking down because it’s important to your book of business, and the gesture also shows your client that their voice matters to you.  Reflect active listening skills by restating what you have heard.  Show them you are focused on their needs.
If follow-up activity is necessary, create timetables of deliverables or dates and times you will call back with the additional information. Just make sure that you actually do it!  Just in the last month, I have had three service people neglect the promises they made to follow-up. It has become so acceptable to provide slack service, that if you simply do what you say, you will set yourself apart from the majority.
3. Dare to be different and memorable.  I am not asking you to be “salesy” or over the top, but you do have to do something that cuts you out from the clutter.  It could be a business card with your photo as a magnet for the refrigerator. It could be a monthly newsletter that includes inspirational articles, especially if you’re like me and enjoy writing. You could use a CRM tool that provides you with special reminders. Get an interesting company or agency name or logo. Simply staying in contact with sincere, personalized messages will give you a recognizable brand!
Doing these three things as an ongoing part of your sales process will allow you to stand out from the competition this AEP. You’re one of a kind, so leverage it!