When the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period comes around, you know that commissions are about to come your way! You will be helping Medicare clients change plans, add Medicare Supplement Plans, and do everything in between. But what happens when the AEP is over? There are other ways to keep earning a commission after it is over, mainly by selling other products throughout the year (lock-in period).
Medicare Supplement Plans
Medicare Supplement Plans are great because you can sell them all year round. Thousands of people turn 65 every day, and each of them has the opportunity to look into Medicare Supplement Plans after enrolling in Medicare. But that is not the only time they can sign up for a Medicare Supplement Plan: technically a senior can apply for a plan anytime, even during the lock-in period, as long as they are enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B. Some seniors will look into changing Medicare Supplement Plans within 30 days of enrolling in a plan, also known as their “free look period.” Or some will want to change their Medicare Supplement Plans anytime during the year to find a more affordable plan. And the great thing about selling Medicare Supplement Plans? You will make residual commissions on them for years.
Dental, Vision & Hearing Plans
Original Medicare and Medicare Supplement Plans do not offer dental, vision or hearing insurance. These plans are the perfect products to cross-sell to your clients because no underwriting is necessary for them, and they are typically inexpensive. You can help your customers find a plan that offers them the extra coverage they need at a very attractive price.
Long-Term Care Insurance
Many Medicare beneficiaries are under the impression that long-term care, such as stays in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, is covered by Original Medicare. Unfortunately, this is not the case, so when selling Medicare products, it is important to note to your clients that long-term care is generally not covered. While Medicare does cover certain things that are deemed medically necessary by a doctor, for the most part, it will not cover costs for people who need custodial care (including non-medical needs such as eating and bathing). This is a great opportunity to suggest long-term care insurance, and if they will not qualify for it, suggest a short-term care insurance plan instead.
Hospital Indemnity Insurance
Hospital indemnity insurance is a supplemental insurance plan that will help pay for hospital admission costs that are not covered by other insurance. Some of these plans offer cash payments to help pay for any extra expenses accrued during hospital stays, as well as deductibles, observation stays, surgeries, medications and more. These plans are beneficial for people with Medicare Advantage Plans, which can sometimes leave beneficiaries with large bills from hospital stays.
Working with Medicare leads is a great way to make an income, but you do not have to solely rely on the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period to thrive. Some insurance agents bank on getting most of their commissions during the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, but that is only 54 days out of the year. There are so many different ways you can continue to earn commissions during the lock-in period. Seniors need coverage for dental, vision and hearing, help with some hospital costs, and coverage for long-term care if they have a chronic condition that worsens, all which Original Medicare does not cover. If you consider selling (or cross-selling) the insurance plans mentioned, then you can continue to help seniors and grow your business outside of the Medicare AEP!