Agent Survival Guide | Empowering Insurance Agents to Survive Today and Thrive Tomorrow

Bringing insurance agents tips and strategies for making sales, staying compliant, marketing yourself, getting leads, and more! Think of the Agent Survival Guide as your go-to resource for insight, information, and the inspiration needed to take the next step on your journey. Whether you’re just getting started or a seasoned pro, the ASG Podcast has got you covered. Empowering insurance agents selling Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, ACA, Long and Short-Term Care, Life, Annuities, and Final Expense.

Episodes

The 2027 COLA Increase & How it Affects Your Clients

October 26, 2026 • 6 mins

With 2027 right around the corner, the SSA has released their new numbers on what to expect for the cost-of-living adjustment and Social Security benefit checks. Here’s what your clients can expect for 2027! Read the text version Get Connected:

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The Secret to Long-Term Success ft. Debbie Hoffman

October 24, 2026 • 49 mins

Debbie Hoffman joins Sarah to talk about her journey as an independent insurance agent. Listen to learn about Debbie’s approach to building her agency and how she defines success. Find Debbie Hoffman Online:

HIR Insurance Agency

Resources:

ACA in 2027: CMS Changes, Fraud Prevention & Identity Proofing ft. Arthur Barlow

How to Stay Top of Mind & Build Trust That Drives Growth ft. Bjorn Piltingsrud and Andrew...

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2028 MA Proposed Rule, ACA Agent Moratorium Lawsuit & Epic’s Rx Marketplace

October 23, 2026 • 16 mins

The Friday Five for October 23, 2026:

Medicare Advantage Stakeholders Survey Results
Epic Announces New Prescription Marketplace
CMS Removes Duplicate Enrollments from ACA Rolls
NABIP Files Lawsuit Over Moratorium on New ACA Agents
CMS Medicare Advantage Proposed Rule

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How a CHOICE Partnership Can Support ACA Sales

October 22, 2026 • 9 mins

Learn more about Custom Health Option and Individual Care Expense (CHOICE) Arrangements. These healthcare options (formerly known as Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements or ICHRA) can be offered by agents and are increasing in popularity. Read the text version Get Connected:

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Learning from Lost Medicare Insurance Sales

October 20, 2026 • 16 mins

Nothing hits (or hurts!) quite like a lost sale. While it’s easy to focus on the loss, we choose to focus on solutions. Find out how you can too, and make lost opportunities few and far between. Read the text version Get Connected:

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How to Prevent Insurance Agent Negligence

October 17, 2026 • 9 mins

As an insurance agent, remaining compliant is a top priority in order to prove that you’re trustworthy to your clients. Today, we’re going to be teaching you what to look out for to make sure you avoid agent negligence. Read the text version Get Connected:

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Integrity Launches ACA EDE in IntegrityCONNECT

October 16, 2026 • 16 mins

The Friday Five for October 16, 2026:

Apple “Welcome Home” Event & Rumors
CMS 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings
2027 Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA)
Integrity Launches Ask Integrity Sales Coach
Integrity Announces ACA EDE in IntegrityCONNECT Platform

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Rules for Hosting a Compliant Medicare Educational Event

October 15, 2026 • 7 mins

Are you trying to plan a Medicare educational event, but you want to make sure you stay compliant? From agent do’s and don’ts to how to set up your educational event, we teach you how to do just that! Read the text version Get Connected:

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Rules for Hosting a Compliant Medicare Sales Event

October 15, 2026 • 15 mins

Sales events are a great way to generate Medicare leads. Learn best practices and how to stay CMS compliant while hosting a Medicare sales event in this episode! Read the text version Get Connected:

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📢 Submit a shoutout to be read in a future episode

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Understanding the ACA Marketplace Metal Tiers

October 14, 2026 • 7 mins

When stepping into the ACA marketplace, you’ll obviously have a plethora of different plans to offer to your clients. What if we told you there was an easy way to break down the different types of plans you could be selling in hopes of helping your clients better understand what they’re buying into? In this episode of the Agent Survival Guide Podcast, we’ll be guiding your next sale to a podium finish by breaking ...

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Can Insurance Agents Charge Consulting Fees for Medicare Sales or Services?

October 13, 2026 • 6 mins

We all know that MA Plans are non-commissionable, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be curious about making a sale. In this episode, we’ll be diving into payments and fees that can come with selling Medicare plans. Read the text version Get Connected:

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Q4 ACA Sales Calendar

October 12, 2026 • 4 mins

Are you ready for go-time? In this episode of the Agent Survival Guide podcast, we're covering the 4th quarter and the essential details, dates, and what it means now that prep time is over. Read the text version Get Connected:

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Dental, Vision, and Hearing Insurance Sales: How, Who, and Why

October 12, 2026 • 14 mins

As we get older, we have more time to experience what life has to offer. However, with age also comes wear and tear on certain senses. In this episode, we’ll be teaching you how to identify clients who might need help taking care of these important factors of life. Read the text version Get Connected:

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Content Corner: Spooky Season and All Things Pumpkin

October 10, 2026 • 40 mins

Jeff is back for another Content Corner episode with Sarah! Hear about the newest Content Library series and shareables for the month of October. No tricks – just spooky treats to delight your clients! Get Connected:

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$90 Rebate for Qualifying Medicare Beneficiaries

October 9, 2026 • 16 mins

The Friday Five for October 9, 2026:

6 Days Until AEP 2027!
2026 Kindle Lineup & Accessories
Medicare Advantage Mapped
KFF MA Plan Options for CY 2027
$90 Rebate for Qualifying Medicare Beneficiaries

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Getting Started Selling Group Ancillary Benefits ft. Max Ravenelle

October 5, 2026 • 20 mins

Ever wonder what it would take to branch out into group benefit sales? We did too, and Max Ravenelle, Director of Group Sales at Ritter Insurance Marketing was kind enough to answer the call and Sarah’s questions.

Contact Max Ravenelle by email at M.Ravenelle@ShieldsBrokerage.com or call 603-418-0805 to learn more!

Additional Episodes Like This One:

How to Stay Top of Mind & Build Trust That Drives Growth ft. Bjorn Pilt...

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2027 Medicare Advantage & Part D Premiums, Enrollment, and Plan Trends

October 2, 2026 • 12 mins

The Friday Five for October 2, 2026: CMS announces enrollment projections for Medicare Advantage, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D costs, and the general market outlook insurance agents should know about in coverage year 2027. Listen for our takeaways and insight! Get Connected:

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Q4 Medicare Sales Planner

October 1, 2026 • 6 mins

The 4th quarter is here and AEP 2027 is just around the corner! Listen to learn about what agents should focus on in Q4, from important dates to content suggestions for the busy enrollment season. Read the text version Get Connected:

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📢 Submit a shoutout to be read in a future episode

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Beyond the Benefits: Navigating Coverage Gaps in 2027 ft. Jameson Keller

September 29, 2026 • 34 mins

Agents can’t control plan or benefit changes, but clients still look to us for help navigating their coverage. Jameson Keller, Chief Commercial Officer at NCD joins Sarah to talk about the challenges facing insurance agents this coming enrollment season. Learn how we can step up to educate ourselves and help our clients address coverage changes. Find NCD Online:

Learn More About NCD

NCD in Ritter Insurance Marketing’s ...

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The Part D Cliff & Costs for 2027

September 25, 2026 • 18 mins

The Friday Five for September 25, 2026:

CMS Rebrands ICHRA as CHOICE
SCAN Announces Co-Branded Plan Locations
CMS Temporary Moratorium on New ACA Agent/Broker Registration
The Part D Cliff & Costs for CY 2027
Ritter Summits Recap

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Agent Survival Guide | Empowering Insurance Agents to Survive Today and Thrive Tomorrow

Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}The 2027 COLA Increase & How it Affects Your Clients

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}The Secret to Long-Term Success ft. Debbie Hoffman

2028 MA Proposed Rule, ACA Agent Moratorium Lawsuit & Epic’s Rx Marketplace

How a CHOICE Partnership Can Support ACA Sales

Learning from Lost Medicare Insurance Sales

How to Prevent Insurance Agent Negligence

Integrity Launches ACA EDE in IntegrityCONNECT

Rules for Hosting a Compliant Medicare Educational Event

Rules for Hosting a Compliant Medicare Sales Event

Understanding the ACA Marketplace Metal Tiers

Can Insurance Agents Charge Consulting Fees for Medicare Sales or Services?

Q4 ACA Sales Calendar

Dental, Vision, and Hearing Insurance Sales: How, Who, and Why

Content Corner: Spooky Season and All Things Pumpkin

$90 Rebate for Qualifying Medicare Beneficiaries

Getting Started Selling Group Ancillary Benefits ft. Max Ravenelle

2027 Medicare Advantage & Part D Premiums, Enrollment, and Plan Trends

Q4 Medicare Sales Planner

Beyond the Benefits: Navigating Coverage Gaps in 2027 ft. Jameson Keller

The Part D Cliff & Costs for 2027

Popular Podcasts

The 2027 COLA Increase & How it Affects Your Clients

The Secret to Long-Term Success ft. Debbie Hoffman