The Importance Of Selling Medicare

Why do you sell Medicare and why should anybody else? While the profits are nice, there’s so much more to providing the Medicare eligible and senior population with insurance for quality care. We interviewed a few of our agents this week to gain some insight on what their days are actually like and their thoughts on the importance of selling Medicare.

“Medicare is a complicated animal,” says agent Chris Goodrich, “[most] people that I consult are either confused or completely uneducated about Medicare.” That’s why health insurance agents matter. Millions of Americans pay too much or too little for their health care and don’t get the coverage they need. Some genuinely don’t know about the various rules and regulations that affect their coverage, and others would rather pick any plan quickly than sit and figure out which is best for them. Your work can literally save lives by giving people the coverage that they need. Your job matters.

Q: What is it like to be a Medicare agent?

Chris Goodrich tells us that he doesn’t feel like a salesman when he’s selling Medicare. He says, “it’s an opportunity to help people save money, reduce their risk, [and] get extra benefits that they otherwise wouldn’t have realized.” If you’re going into meetings with the attitude that you’re going to help someone, you just might enjoy it. Goodrich is inspired by the opportunity in that there are “few true experts out there that genuinely help people.”

Another agent, who preferred to remain anonymous, tells us that it doesn’t feel like a sales job because he writes so many low-cost policies; he’s practically giving clients money for health care. The same agent states that “90% [of clients] have very little knowledge of Medicare” and “They generally know their budget more so than what they want.” The people you’re selling to as an agent generally are more concerned about what they’re spending than what coverage they’re getting.

Q: What were your first months like?

Starting a new job is stressful for anyone in any field. Goodrich shares that he completed his licensing and contracting in the Month of July, did “ride-a-longs” with other agents for the following months, and was successfully selling on his own by October. When asked about having an FMO like Senior Market Advisors behind him, Goodrich admits “It’s nice having someone [in] your corner especially when you’re new in the business.” An anonymous agent adds, “I wouldn’t have the amount of clients I have now without their help.”

Q: In your opinion, what is the importance of selling Medicare?

We’ve heard several touching stories over the years from agents who have felt that they truly changed a life by providing someone with the health care coverage they needed. One of our anonymous agents states, “Every agent will significantly change their client’s lives by providing them access to better insurance and financial-mental stability to handle their everyday health needs.”

The number of people eligible for Medicare is steadily growing. By helping seniors and Medicare eligibles find the right plan with the right coverage, you could save lives!

Q: How do you cope with low sales?

One of the hardest things to adjust to, as all of our agents agree, is learning to cope with a “no-sales” day. Goodrich advises new agents, “In this business, you quickly realize that no-sales days are going to happen. I try to use any down time to call my existing book of business and network to set my own appointments.”

One of our anonymous agents points out that you have to handle a no-sales day the same way you handle a big sales day. He says, “It happens, I don’t handle it any differently. It is the law of large numbers and with hard work the sales will come.”

Staying level-headed will prevent you from losing confidence when you are less successful than you would like to be.

Q: Any other words of advice?

Chris Goodrich – “Medicare is different than selling other forms of insurance. It’s a different game and as such requires a different way of thinking as an agent. Forget what you think you know and commit early on to studying every nuance of how Medicare and each of your products work.”

Anonymous – “Keep your head up and your morals towards the goal of changing people’s lives with better insurance and a wonderful career is available to you.”

Q: What do you wish you knew before you started?”

Chris Goodrich – “The restrictions relative to election periods and such.”

Anonymous – “I wish that I had started earlier in life. It is a wonderful opportunity to earn money and help people along the way.”

Our agents spend every day serving the underserved. We ensure that those who are eligible for Medicare have the coverage they need to receive quality care. Our agents explain policies to those who don’t understand the literature or don’t have access to it. They help clients in a time of rising consumer costs, and they ask the right questions and provide the right answers.

Are you currently selling or interested in selling Medicare products? Join our difference-making agents and become a part of our new FMO model today.