“We’re going to be going over a lot of things, because there is a lot going on in the industry right now.”
– Ronnie James, July 2nd Office Hours
Ronnie shared a lot of important tips, statistics, and information during July’s Office Hours call. Today, we’ll recap what he covered!
If you’re an insurance agent committed to staying up to date on industry trends and providing top-notch service to your clients, our office hours are just for you. Continue reading to stay informed and ahead.
Main Points Covered
The main topics Ronnie covered during July’s call include:
- All Things Medicare
- Annuities
- Life Insurance
- AEP Reminders & Trainings
Refer to this as your “table of contents” for the recap!
All Things Medicare
Ronnie shared a lot of information regarding the Medicare space, including positives, changes, and updates regarding Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement.
Medicare Advantage Positives:
- MA plans outperform original fee-for-service (FFS) plans
- During the first two years of being on an MA plan, a member saves an average of 11% per month and close to $100 on medical costs
- There is no favorable selection in MA plans
- MA plans tend to serve more vulnerable populations rather than healthier, more advantaged groups, as some people believe
- There will be a pay raise on Medicare Advantage sales in 2026
What’s Changed:
INA (Insurance Company of North America) is now live! It has been released in 26 states and supplies are available to order. If you reside in a state where the INA product is active, it has replaced the ACE product in that state.
For more information about this product, give us a call!
Medicare Supplement
What’s going on in the Med Supp space?
On June 23, over 40 carriers announced to streamline prior authorizations. This will help accelerate response times and simplify the online processes for doctors and providers.
In other news:
- Plan G is the most quoted Med Supp plan but Plan N could be a safer and cheaper option based on industry trends
- We are seeing large rate increases to Plan G, largely due to utilization and higher medical costs
If you have healthy clients who have had no medical issues over the past 2-3 years, it may be the time to explore other supplemental plans to save them money without costing them any benefits.
Annuities
You may recall from last month, annuity sales are booming!
This month, Ronnie again emphasized the value these products could hold for your clients and why now is the perfect time to obtain a fixed annuity.
Studies show that the federal government is expecting to lower interest rates in mid-to-late July. Why is this important? As interest rates go down, a clients fixed rate of return decreases!
In May, we wrapped up our Life and Annuity (LARC) Platform Training Series. Tap here for everything you need to know about LARC.
Life Insurance
Life insurance premiums were up 8% over the first quarter of 2025. This is a positive sign because it means people are comfortable spending dollars on life insurance.
The number of Americans 65+ is expected to be over 80 million by 2050 – many of whom will need daily assistance. Most people cannot afford high cost healthcare, so we need to find them affordable solutions. The solutions are already in your portfolio…CSG can help uncover them!
CSG, the largest quoting tool, will allow you to quote Term Life and IUL’s on the life products. Reach out to us for access to CSG.
AEP Reminders & Trainings
Ronnie was very excited to announce our pre-AEP in person training dates are here!
These seminars are necessary to help you strategize and prepare for a successful AEP.
North Carolina AEP Training Dates:
- August 28th – Asheville, NC
- September 3rd – Kannapolis, NC
- September 4th – Durham, NC
More information regarding these events will be released very soon!
Reminders for the Upcoming AEP season
- Agents need to get to people as quickly as possible this year because there are going to be changes in the market coming
- Agents need to help seniors understand their benefits ASAP during AEP – don’t allow them to realize those benefits after January 1st
- OEP switching has been increasing and we are expecting to see a lot more of that in 2026
- OEP switching happens based on what we tell or don’t tell clients during AEP
Other Updates from Ronnie
- Experts are expecting to see ACA premiums soar this year
- We need to be aware things are shifting and that could lead to more out-of-pocket costs for clients
- FFM Training will be released on July 11th at 6pm
- One certification covers every carrier
- This only qualifies you to offer 2026 plans, not PY 2025 – so if you need to be certified for 2025, you need to do so before July 11th
Looking Ahead
There will be a lot to unpack related to the healthcare sector on next month’s call due to “the big beautiful bill”, as Ronnie put it. We could see a lot of changes to the Medicare scene and impacts on the 2026 market as a result.
Stay tuned for our August Office Hours release date and registration link. We hope you’ll join us for the call to stay ahead, informed, and knowledgeable about the latest industry trends and updates.
