Episodes

  • Should You Hire Licensed-Only Agents for Your Insurance Agency?

    Should You Hire Licensed-Only Agents for Your Insurance Agency?
    Jun 6 2026
    Licensed-Only Agents (LOAs) can help scale your insurance agency growth. But are they right for your insurance business? Listen to find out! Read the text version Get Connected: 🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! 📧Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Agency Team! 💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail. Resources: 6 Steps to Scale Your Insurance Business to an Agency Before You Recruit: Setting Up Your Agency for Success Developing an Agency — Your Guide to Getting Started How Much Can Insurance Agents Make Selling Medicare? How to Recruit Insurance Agents to Your Downline Ritter Insurance Marketing Summits The Advantages of Being a Field vs. Call Center Insurance Agent References: “Blueprint for Hiring Licensed-Only Agents.” Psmbrokerage.com, PSM Brokerage, https://www.psmbrokerage.com/hubfs/Blueprint%20for%20Hiring%20Licensed-Only%20Agents.pdf, Accessed 3 May 2026. “How Much does An Accounting Software Cost?” Jaz.ai, Jaz, https://www.jaz.ai/post/accounting-software-cost, Accessed 3 May 2026. “State Noncompete Law Tracker.” Eig.org, Economic Innovation Group, https://eig.org/state-noncompete-map/, Accessed 3 May 2026. Follow Us on Social! Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
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    15 mins
  • 2027 MA and Part D Max Commissions

    2027 MA and Part D Max Commissions
    Jun 5 2026
    The Friday Five for June 5, 2026: Certification ReminderPod Rec: Before BreakfastTRICARE Resources for AgentsClover Health Star Ratings2027 MA and Part D Max Commissions Get Connected: 🤝 Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! 📧 Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You! 💌 Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail. Pod(cast) Rec(commendation): Before Breakfast: Before Breakfast Podcast Before Breakfast: Track your media TRICARE Resources for Agents: “TRICARE Plan Comparison Tool.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://www.tricare.mil/compareplans, Accessed 3 June 2026. “TRICARE Dental Options Fact Sheet.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://tricare.mil/Publications/Fact-Sheets/dental_options, Accessed 3 June 2026. “TRICARE Pharmacy Program Overview Fact Sheet.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://tricare.mil/Publications/Fact-Sheets/pharmacy_overview, Accessed 3 June 2026. “TRICARE Plans Overview Fact Sheet.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://tricare.mil/Publications/Fact-Sheets/plans, Accessed 3 June 2026. “TRICARE Qualifying Life Events Fact Sheet.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://tricare.mil/Publications/Fact-Sheets/qle, Accessed 3 June 2026. “TRICARE Young Adult Program Fact Sheet.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://tricare.mil/Publications/Fact-Sheets/young_adult, Accessed 3 June 2026. Clover Health Star Ratings: Casolo, Elizabeth. “Clover beats CMS in Medicare Advantage star ratings lawsuit.” Beckerspayer.com, Becker’s Payer Issues, 29 May 2026, https://www.beckerspayer.com/legal/clover-beats-cms-in-medicare-advantage-star-ratings-lawsuit/. “Court tells CMS to redo Clover’s Star Rating. Here’s why it should be on your radar.” Risehealth.org, Rise Health, 29 May 2026, https://www.risehealth.org/insights-articles/article/court-tells-cms-to-redo-clovers-star-rating-heres-why-it-should-be-on-your-radar/. “Clover Insurance v. HHS: S.D. of Georgia Holds 20 Star Ratings Measures Unlawful.” Crowell.com, Crowell, 29 May 2026, https://www.crowell.com/en/insights/client-alerts/clover-insurance-v-hhs-sd-of-georgia-holds-20-star-ratings-measures-unlawful. WEBINAR: The Star Ratings Shakeup: Court Challenges CMS Measure Authority 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Maximum Commissions: 2027 Maximum Broker Commissions for Medicare Advantage & Medicare Part D Mulcahy, Gerard. “Contract Year 2027 Agent and Broker Compensation Rates, Referral/Finder’s Fees, Submissions, and Training and Testing Requirements.” cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 1 June 2026, https://www.ritterim.com/documents/cms-memos/memo-agent-broker-compensation-and-training-and-testing-requirements-cy2027.pdf. Resources: 5 Takeaways from the 2027 CMS Marketplace Final Rule for Insurance Agents CMS Update on BALANCE Model & Medicare GLP-1 Bridge Introducing the Integrity Health Plan Follow Us on Social! Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
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    12 mins
  • What is AHIP Certification and How Do I Get It?

    What is AHIP Certification and How Do I Get It?
    Jun 2 2026
    Learn more about AHIP requirements, how certification works for insurance agents, and more! Don't stress - we've got plenty of tips to help you survive certification and the start of AEP prep season.

    Read the text version

    Get Connected:

    🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!

    📧Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!

    💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.

    Resources:

    AHIP Test Tips and Tricks for Medicare Certification

    5 Things About the CMS 2027 MA and Part D Final Rule

    Ritter Insurance Marketing Certification Center

    References:

    "AHIP Medicare + Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Training." ahip.org, AHIP, https://www.ahip.org/courses/medicare-fraud-waste-and-abuse-training, Accessed 5 May 2026.

    "Corporate Partnerships." ahip.org, AHIP, https://www.ahip.org/corporate-partnerships, Accessed 5 May 2026.

    "Issues AHIP Monitors." ahip.org, AHIP, https://www.ahip.org/issues, Accessed 5 May 2026.

    "Online Course Catalogue." ahip.org, AHIP, https://www.ahip.org/courses, Accessed 5 May 2026.

    "Our Member Organizations." ahip.org, AHIP, https://www.ahip.org/members, Accessed 5 May 2026.

    Follow Us on Social!

    Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance

    Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social

    Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
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    9 mins
  • 6 Steps to Scale Your Insurance Business to an Agency

    6 Steps to Scale Your Insurance Business to an Agency
    Jun 1 2026
    Ready to grow your insurance business? Great! Not sure where to start? Listen for our road map! We outline 6 steps to take when you want to make the jump from agent to agency. Read the text version Get Connected: 🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! 📧Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You! 💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail. Resources: 17 Ways to Generate Medicare Leads (That You Probably Haven't Tried Yet!) Community-Based Marketing for Insurance Agents Developing an Agency — Your Guide to Getting Started How To Better Market Your Insurance Business How to Grow Your Insurance Business by 45% Learn More About IntegrityCONNECT Insurance Agents Can Generate More Leads with a Referral Marketing Strategy IntegrityCONNECT & PlanEnroll FAQs IntegrityCONNECT Leads FAQs References: "28 Best Insurance KPIs and Metrics Examples for 2025 Reporting." insightsoftware.com, Insight Software, https://insightsoftware.com/blog/best-insurance-kpis-and-metrics/, Accessed 4 May 2026. Twin, Alexandra. “How to Create a Compelling Value Proposition, With Examples.” Edited by Jefreda R. Brown and Timothy Li, Investopedia.Com, Investopedia, 28 Apr. 2026, www.investopedia.com/terms/v/valueproposition.asp. Follow Us on Social! Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
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    19 mins
  • 5 Takeaways from the 2027 CMS Marketplace Final Rule for Insurance Agents

    5 Takeaways from the 2027 CMS Marketplace Final Rule for Insurance Agents
    May 29 2026
    The 2027 Marketplace Final Rule from CMS is here! Join Sarah as she pulls out takeaways for insurance agents selling ACA plans. Get Connected: 🤝 Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! 📧 Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You! 💌 Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail. Resources: 2027 ACA Final Rule Makes Strides to Reduce Premiums Drug Story Podcast with Thomas Goetz Drug Story: Ivermectin on 99% Invisible How to Grow Your Insurance Business by 45% Introducing the Integrity Health Plan Mounjaro means something? Ffrom TBOY he Best One Yet On ivermectin and parasites (and other things) on Drug Story The Complete Guide on How to Sell Prescription Drug Plans References: “CMS Final Rules Lowers Costs, Cracks Down on Fraud, and Expands State Control.” Cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 15 May 2026, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-final-rule-lowers-costs-cracks-down-fraud-expands-state-control. Minemyer, Paige. “CMS pulls back limits on non-standard ACA plans in final rule.” Fiercehealthcare.com, Fierce Healthcare, 15 May 2026, https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/regulatory/cms-pulls-back-limits-non-standard-aca-plans-final-rule. “HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027 Final Rule.” Cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 15 May 2026, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/hhs-notice-benefit-payment-parameters-2027-final-rule. “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; and Basic Health Program.” Federalregister.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 20 May 2026, www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/05/20/2026-10050/patient-protection-and-affordable-care-act-hhs-notice-of-benefit-and-payment-parameters-for-2027-and. Accessed 26 May 2026. Follow Us on Social! Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
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    14 mins
  • 3 Additional Effective Techniques for Closing Insurance Sales

    3 Additional Effective Techniques for Closing Insurance Sales
    May 27 2026
    Ready to close sales with confidence? Sharpen your sales skills with three more closing techniques for insurance agents.

    Read the text version

    Get Connected:

    🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!

    📧Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!

    💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.

    Resources:

    4 Effective Techniques for Closing Insurance Sales

    4 Tips for Making a Better Insurance Sales Pitch

    How Insurance Agents Can Avoid Isolation & Build Stronger Connections ft. Dawn Myers

    Follow Us on Social!

    Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance

    Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social

    Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
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    12 mins
  • 4 Effective Techniques for Closing Insurance Sales

    4 Effective Techniques for Closing Insurance Sales
    May 26 2026
    In this episode of the Agent Survival Guide, we’ll walk through four effective strategies that you can use to help close an insurance sale. We’ll teach you which technique is most effective in certain scenarios and the traits you should strive for to make any close more successful. Read the text version Get Connected: 🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! 📧Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You! 💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail. Resources: 10 Essential Tools for Beginner Insurance Agents Getting Started Selling Medicare Supplements Empower Your Prospects to Act Before Turning 65 Medicare Advantage Trial Rights Explained for Agents References: Abbott, Tom. “The Assumptive Close: A Powerful Tool for Increasing Sales.” SOCO Sales Training, 15 Apr. 2026, www.socoselling.com/the-assumptive-close/. Copley Ph.D., Laura “How to (Re-)Build Trust in a Relationship.” PositivePsychology.Com, 8 Nov. 2025, positivepsychology.com/build-trust/. “How to Be Confident.” Tony Robbins.com, www.tonyrobbins.com/building-confidence/how-to-be-confident. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026. How to Understand Body Language and Facial Expressions, www.verywellmind.com/understand-body-language-and-facial-expressions-4147228. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026. “Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment.” Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment, www.ncoa.org/article/whats-the-difference-between-medicares-open-enrollment-period-and-medicare-advantage-open-enrollment/. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026. “Researcher Investigates How Our Snap Judgments Affect Society.” FABBS, 25 Jan. 2024, fabbs.org/news/2023/09/researcher-investigates-how-our-snap-judgments-affect-society/. “What Is the Puppy Dog Close?” HubSpot Blog, blog.hubspot.com/sales/puppy-dog-close. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026. Follow Us on Social! Ritter on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X, and YouTube Sarah on LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
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    18 mins
  • Introducing the Integrity Health Plan

    Introducing the Integrity Health Plan
    May 15 2026
    The Friday Five for May 15, 2026: Field Notes: Camp RitterThe “Spotify 20: Your Party of the Year(s)”TRICARE Transition from DS Logon to myAuthScammers Using Meta to Target SeniorsIntroducing the Integrity Health Plan Get Connected: 🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! 📧Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You! 💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail. The “Spotify 20: Your Party of the Year(s)”: “20 Days, 20 Data Drops.” Newsroom.spotify.com, Spotify, https://newsroom.spotify.com/spotify20/, Accessed 12 May 2026. “It’s Your Party of the Year(s): A Look Back at Your Entire Music History on Spotify.” Newsroom.spotify.com, Spotify, 12 May 2026, https://newsroom.spotify.com/2026-05-12/spotify-20-personal-music-retrospective/. Weatherbed, Jess. “Spotify’s latest ‘Wrapped’ covers your entire music history.” Theverge.com, The Verge, 12 May 2026, https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/928395/spotify-20th-anniversary-wrapped-recap. “What 20 Years of Spotify Data Reveals About Our Listeners.” Newsroom.spotify.com, Spotify, 23 Apr. 2026, https://newsroom.spotify.com/2026-04-23/spotify-20-data-listening-trends/. TRICARE Transition from DS Logon to myAuth: “TRICARE logins transitioning to myAuth in 2026.” Newsroom.tricare.mil, TRICARE, 5 May 2026, https://newsroom.tricare.mil/News/TRICARE-News/Article/4477500/tricare-logins-transitioning-to-myauth-in-2026-what-you-need-to-know. Obis, Anastasia. “TRICARE systems to transition to myAuth by the end of 2026.” Federalnewsnetwork.com, Federal News Network, 6 May 2026, https://federalnewsnetwork.com/technology-main/2026/05/tricare-systems-to-transition-to-myauth-by-the-end-of-2026/. Scammers Using Meta to Target Seniors: Ingram, David. “Facebook allows repeat scam artists to send ads to seniors, researchers say.” Nbcnews.com, NBC News, 11 May 2026, https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/meta-allows-repeat-scam-artists-target-seniors-report-says-rcna344068. “How Meta Helps Medicare scammers target seniors.” Counterhate.com, Center for Countering Digital Hate, https://counterhate.com/research/scambook/, Accessed 12 May 2026. Integrity Health Plan: IntegrityCONNECT Integrity Health Plan Learn More About Integrity Benefits The Exclusive Benefits Available By Joining Integrity through Ritter Resources: 5 Things About the CMS 2027 MA and Part D Final Rule Cigna's ACA Exit, Certification Dates, Sleep Audio Content Corner: Fundamentals of Senior Finance FMO vs. IMO vs. NMO vs. MGA vs. GA: What’s the Difference? How to Grow Your Insurance Business by 45% Ready-Made Marketing for Insurance Agents: Inside the Content Library Follow Us on Social! Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
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    15 mins