Welcome to another edition of Agility – Word on the Street, our weekly(ish) newsletter designed specifically for you, our Key Partners. As we progress through the selling season, we’ll continue to share vital insights and trends each week. In this edition, our things to look out for crosses multiple product lines! We’ll review upcoming training sessions, some interesting information coming out to market and of course, riches in the niches with 2 niches to help you win with Washington National.
1. UHOne is launching their new HospitalWise plans on 12/13/2024
It’s time to get familiar with your ancillary options! UHOne’s Hospital wise plans are guaranteed issue under 65. There are 3 plan options and are available in the states listed below. You can learn more here. State availability – AK, AL, AR, AZ, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NV, OH, OK, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, WI, WV, WY
2. MA SEPs are still available!
AEP may be over, but there are still SEPs to monopolize on! Here are a few:
Plans that aren’t renewing in their county (SEP: NON/MYT)
Any market with a FEMA Disaster (SEP: DST) See here for list from Anthem.
If you have clients in an area with a 5 Star plan (SEP: 5ST)
Are you clients moving to Houston because the Rockets are crushing it this year?! They could take advantage of Move SEP! (SEP: MOV)
3. Take Action on Extended Subsidies
There’s currently a proposal on the floor to extend the ACA subsidies as part of the spending bill for the Federal budget. If you sell ACA plans, you have a vested interest in these subsidies to be extended. We’re currently making a push in DC. We ask that you join the fight and reach out to your reps as well! You can check out Becker’s note here. Squeaky wheels get the oil, let’s get loud!
4. OEP National Snapshot
CMS has released their National Snapshot last week and reported 988K new members to the exchange thus far in OE. You can check out the fact sheet here. When they released this same report last year around this time, that number was 1.6 Million. You can see that number here. This has certainly been a different OE.
5. Physicians Mutual T65 Opportunity
Trainings:https://www.enrollinsurance.com/events
Are you interested in hosting our corporate trainer to train your team? Please reach out to Carolina directly at training@enrollinsurance.com or connect with your Sales Director. Carolina can train ACA, MA, Life and Ancillary products in both English and Spanish. She can also coordinate with carriers directly to help fill knowledge gaps. Make sure you take advantage of the opportunity to work with her before her calendar fills up in 2025!
Are you selling in LA, NC, SC or TN?:
Ambetter is currently marketing a HealthSherpa exclusive bonus in these markets. The campaign we were made aware of is bonusing agents $50 per member. This is in addition to the already attractive bonus that Ambetter has for agents, which you can find here.
More Bonus Updates:
Molina is reminding agents that they’re bonusing agents on renewals this year as well as new business. Check out their bonus here. It’s nice that a carrier is recognizing the work to keep members too! Also, UHC increased their bonus to $75 PM recently. They’re also bonusing retention! You can check that bonus out here.
Carrier Hot Spot Videos Dropping:
Agility recently hosted a series of discussions with Oscar, Ambetter, UHC and Elevance in regards to their hotspots. They let us know where they’re selling (Geographic hot spots), what they believe their value props are in these markets and how they believe agents can sell more in these areas. Keep your eyes on Training Central over these next few days as all of these videos will be dropped by week’s end!
Don’t forget your SSNs and Certifications:
Agility has been doing our best to keep agents aware when we get notices from carriers in regards to agents at risk for not receiving renewals or not being able to write in 2025 due to not getting certified. We’re also working diligently to get out notices with regards to members missing their SSNs on their ACA apps. Make sure you always get the SSN and always re-certify! You don’t want to miss sales or $$$!
ICHRA Updates:
This article is from September, but what I like about it is that we can see how the outside of the healthcare world is talking about ICHRA. This article is from a combination of Kaiser Family and NPR – Check it out here.
As an insurance agent, one of the most powerful tools you can add to your portfolio is life insurance with living benefits. These innovative policies, offered by leaders like National Life Group and Ameritas Life, provide your clients with access to their death benefit while they’re still alive. In basic terms, they can pay while you’re still alive. Here’s what’s in it for you!
1. A Competitive Edge in the Market
Adding living benefits to your life insurance offerings differentiates you in a crowded market. When clients learn they can access their policy to cover medical expenses, replace lost income, or handle unexpected bills due to illness, their objection—”Why do I want this if I can’t use it while I’m alive?”—disappears. Living benefits transform life insurance from a distant safety net into an immediate, versatile financial solution.
2. Higher Sales Potential
Living benefits policies often lead to higher coverage amounts and more robust discussions around client needs. Whether it’s protecting against critical, chronic, or terminal illnesses, you’ll find clients more willing to invest in these comprehensive products. More coverage equals more commission—and happier clients.
3. Stronger Referrals
When clients experience the benefits firsthand, they’re more likely to share their positive experiences with friends and family. Stories of living benefits in action resonate powerfully, driving referrals and expanding your client base with minimal effort.
Living Benefits in Action: Unique Selling Points
Here’s why National Life Group and Ameritas Life stand out in the world of living benefits:
National Life Group: Offers terminal, chronic, and critical illness riders at no additional cost on many policies, including Indexed Universal Life (IUL) and Whole Life options. These benefits provide clients with immediate financial security, making your value proposition irresistible.
Ameritas Life: Their Accelerated Death Benefit riders are customizable, allowing clients to tailor their policies to their needs. These riders are available on Term Life and Universal Life policies, ensuring you can meet diverse client profiles with ease.
Why This Matters for Your Business
By offering life insurance with living benefits, you’re not just selling policies—you’re addressing real client needs, growing your book of business, and positioning yourself as a trusted financial resource. These policies don’t just build value for clients—they build lasting success for you.
Are you ready to stand out and thrive in this niche? Reach out to [email protected] or your sales director today to get contracted.
That’s it for this week! We hope this information helps grow your business and provide value to your partnerships. Look out for even more updates in next week’s newsletter.
