Complete Guide to Becoming a Medicare Insurance Agent

To find the best health plan for your individual needs, you might have to check with multiple insurance companies. 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. Because of the complexity of the plan selection process, many beneficiaries rely on independent insurance agents to help them identify the coverage and benefits options that may best meet their needs. Enrolling in a Medicare Advantage, Medigap or Medicare Part D prescription drug plan does not increase your premium or other costs for coverage.

Independent agents represent several competing insurance companies. They may work in a way similar to brokers — in that they can compare Medicare plans from different companies — but they still represent the companies whose plans they offer. Healthcare.com’s platforms do not include all health insurance companies or all available insurance products on its platform. A medicare agent or broker can help you narrow down your options and pick the best one. To do this, they’ll learn about your health goals and budget.

Jagger Esch is the Medicare expert for MedicareFAQ and the founder, president, and CEO of Elite Insurance Partners and MedicareFAQ.com. Since the inception of his first company in 2012, he has been dedicated to helping those eligible for Medicare by providing them with resources to educate themselves on all their Medicare options. He is featured in many publications as well as writes regularly for other expert columns regarding Medicare.

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When you work together, you can use this information and their expertise to pick the best combination of coverage for you. Medicare is full of jargon, similar-sounding plans, deadlines, and hidden costs. If you never dealt with that before, you have a steep learning curve ahead of you.

Medicare insurance agents can provide information about all your Medicare options near you. What most new beneficiaries don’t realize is working with an agent is free, so it can save you money, time, and frustration. An agent knows different carrier guidelines, rate increases, and limitations that you won’t easily find online. To help you provide the best possible service to your customers, UnitedHealthcare offers contracted agents access to online sales, marketing, training and enrollment tools. 1 While the analysis shows lower average commission rates for traditional Medicare compared to MA plans, it’s important to note that actual compensation received by an agent may vary based on a variety of factors.

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.

Each of the organizations we represent has a Medicare contract. The plans we represent do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion. Our local, licensed Medicare insurance agents are here to help you find the right insurance plan that meets your needs and budget. A licensed agent can quickly and efficiently search dozens of plans from different insurers, saving you time.

It will list everything you need to know about your partnership with the carrier, including product requirements and how you'll receive payment for your sales and renewals. Once you submit contracting paperwork with a carrier, expect processing and background checks to take about seven to 10 business days. Keep in mind that turnaround time can take anywhere from four to six weeks if open enrollment is approaching. As with carrier contracting, you can gain a competitive advantage by completing your AHIP and FWA training early. This way, you won't have to spend time working through these courses as the open enrollment period approaches. Assume for now that you primarily sell replacement policies and average $300 commission per policy.