Sarah Hinson
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2027 MA & Part D Proposal: The Policy Shifts That Could Reshape Agent and Beneficiary Experiences

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the Proposed Rule for Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D…
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How to Help Your Clients Stop Unwanted Medicare Calls During AEP
How to Help Your Clients Stop Unwanted Medicare Calls During AEPMedicare

How to Help Your Clients Stop Unwanted Medicare Calls During AEP

Every year during the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), Medicare beneficiaries are bombarded with telemarketing calls. Some are legitimate outreach from agents or plan carriers, but many are illegal solicitations or Medicare scams that confuse and frustrate your clients. As an insurance agent, you can play a crucial role in helping your clients reduce unwanted Medicare calls and protect themselves from scams—all while reinforcing your value as a trusted advisor. One of the most effective ways to do this is by guiding them through registering on the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry. Here’s a step-by-step strategy you can follow and…
November 25, 2025 Read More
Medicare Costs In 2026: Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles
Medicare Costs In 2026: Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and DeductiblesMedicare

Medicare Costs In 2026: Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles

The 2026 Medicare premiums, deductibles, and copays for Medicare Parts A and B were recently announced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on November 14th. Here's everything you and your clients need to know. Medicare Part A For most Americans, the premium for Medicare Part A is free. Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and some home healthcare services. Enrollees usually don’t pay a monthly premium for Medicare Part A coverage if they or their spouse paid Medicare taxes for a certain amount of time while working. If your client doesn’t qualify for premium-free…
November 17, 2025 Read More
What Not to Say at a Medicare Event: CMS Compliance Tips for Agents
What Not to Say at a Medicare Event: CMS Compliance Tips for AgentsMedicare

What Not to Say at a Medicare Event: CMS Compliance Tips for Agents

Hosting Medicare events is one of the best ways to build your brand, generate leads, and serve your community. But in today’s regulatory environment, one slip-up can cost far more than just credibility. At Carolina Senior Marketing, we believe in doing things right, which means staying fully compliant with CMS rules while still delivering real value. We’ll walk through the language traps and “danger phrases” you must avoid, for both educational events and sales (marketing) events. We’ll also highlight key CMS rules you need to keep front-of-mind. If you want a handy checklist, just ask! We’re happy to share one.…
October 17, 2025 Read More
AEP 2026: Your Roadmap to Success
AEP 2026: Your Roadmap to SuccessMedicare

AEP 2026: Your Roadmap to Success

The 2026 Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is now just weeks away! To help you prepare, we’ve compiled important information, tools, and our most helpful tips and tricks into a roadmap, all leading you to a successful enrollment season. If you find yourself considering what to do next, start here! General AEP Overview: Every year, Medicare's open enrollment period runs from October 15 to December 7. During this time, Medicare health and drug plans can make changes that may affect costs, coverage, and the network of providers and pharmacies. AEP allows all individuals with Medicare to change their health plans and…
September 25, 2025 Read More
Medicare Advantage & PDP Commissions for 2026
Maximum Broker Commissions 2026
Medicare Advantage & PDP Commissions for 2026Medicare

Medicare Advantage & PDP Commissions for 2026

CMS has officially released the maximum allowable commissions for Medicare Advantage (MA) and Prescription Drug Plans (PDP) for 2026. Each year, carriers are permitted to pay agents up to this CMS-set limit, but it’s important to note that they aren’t required to do so. That said, most carriers historically pay at the maximum rate. In fact, several have recently increased renewal commissions to the full allowable amount, both for new business and, in many cases, for existing renewals as well. Click here to see the full announcement document from CMS. Explaining the Rate Categories The Medicare Advantage and PDP commissions…
June 19, 2025 Read More
Medicare Costs In 2025: Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles
Older asian woman wearing a tan coat and laughing with an african- american man in a brown coat holding coffee in a park
Medicare Costs In 2025: Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and DeductiblesMedicare

Medicare Costs In 2025: Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles

The 2025 Medicare premiums, deductibles, and copays for Medicare Parts A and B were recently announced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on November 8th. Here's everything you and your clients need to know. Medicare Part A For most Americans, the premium for Medicare Part A is free. Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and some home healthcare services. Enrollees usually don’t pay a monthly premium for Medicare Part A coverage if they or their spouse paid Medicare taxes for a certain amount of time while working. If your client doesn’t qualify for premium-free…
November 11, 2024 Read More
Data Breach Alert: What Medicare Agents Need to Know About the CMS-WPS Security Incident
2023 CMS data breach
Data Breach Alert: What Medicare Agents Need to Know About the CMS-WPS Security IncidentMedicare

Data Breach Alert: What Medicare Agents Need to Know About the CMS-WPS Security Incident

As an agency committed to transparency and security, we want to update you on recent news from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) about a data breach potentially impacting Medicare beneficiaries. Knowing the details about the 2023 CMS data breach will help you advise and reassure clients effectively. Summary of the Incident CMS recently announced a data security incident involving its contractor, Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (WPS). WPS, a third-party contractor supporting CMS in Medicare enrollments and claims processing, detected unauthorized access to its systems. During a routine security check, CMS was notified that WPS’s systems had…
October 31, 2024 Read More
Medicare’s New Drug Price Negotiations to Save Billions
Prescription bottle and pills laying over cash with a calculator next to it.
Medicare’s New Drug Price Negotiations to Save BillionsMedicare

Medicare’s New Drug Price Negotiations to Save Billions

Medicare drug price negotiations for 2026 address the issue that Americans have long paid more for prescription drugs than other developed nations. Due to the Inflation Reduction Act, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can negotiate drug prices for the first time. This historic change is projected to save American taxpayers $6 billion and Medicare beneficiaries $1.5 billion in 2026 alone. Negotiated Prices for Medicare Drugs in 2026 The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has finalized agreements on lower prices for the first 10 drugs selected for negotiation, reducing their list prices by 38-79%. These…
September 9, 2024 Read More
2025 Medicare Part D Benefit Redesign: How to Share this News with Members
2025 Part D Benefit Redesign
2025 Medicare Part D Benefit Redesign: How to Share this News with MembersMedicare

2025 Medicare Part D Benefit Redesign: How to Share this News with Members

2025 Medicare Part D enrollees will no longer owe a 5% coinsurance on prescriptions after meeting the catastrophic coverage threshold Annual maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) expenses for Part D will be capped at $2,000 Maximum out-of-pocket cost-sharing for Part D-covered insulin products will be capped at $35 per month Currently, after reaching $8,000 to qualify for catastrophic coverage, beneficiaries still face some drug coinsurance costs, with no limit on the total out-of-pocket drug expenses they could incur. Eliminating the 5% coinsurance could benefit up to 1.3 million Part D enrollees while capping maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) costs is expected to assist an…
August 6, 2024 Read More
Quick Tips for a Successful AEP 2025
AEP 2025
Quick Tips for a Successful AEP 2025Medicare

Quick Tips for a Successful AEP 2025

As we approach this year’s Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), we want to ensure you are fully prepared to help you serve your clients effectively and grow your business. Thanks to our partnership with Integrity, we are able to keep you informed with the latest news and updates. We will relay pertinent information to you prior to and throughout the AEP, so be on the lookout for our emails!

Here are some key areas to focus on as you prepare for AEP 2025: Automations & Efficiencies Integrity Technology Suite – Leverage the full capabilities of our technology suite to streamline your…
July 15, 2024 Read More
Significant Changes to Medicare Advantage and PDP Commissions for Agents and Brokers in 2025
Significant Changes to Medicare Advantage and PDP Commissions for Agents and Brokers in 2025Medicare

Significant Changes to Medicare Advantage and PDP Commissions for Agents and Brokers in 2025

Revised July 25, 2024: Due to recent legal challenges concerning the 2025 Medicare Final Rule, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released updated figures for Medicare Advantage and Part D broker commissions on July 18, 2024. These new figures override those published in the original memo from June 28, 2024, regarding Contract Year 2025 Agent and Broker Compensation Rates, Submissions, and Training and Testing Requirements. 2025 Medicare Broker Commissions Overview Broker commissions are set to increase for the tenth year in a row. However, the 2025 increase will not include a fixed administrative fee. Moreover, CMS will reinstate…
July 2, 2024 Read More
Understanding Reduced Coinsurance for Certain Part B Rebatable Drugs Under the Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program
Male doctor or pharmacist holding jar or bottle of pills in hand on a background of dollars banknotes and writing prescription on a special form.
Understanding Reduced Coinsurance for Certain Part B Rebatable Drugs Under the Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate ProgramMedicare

Understanding Reduced Coinsurance for Certain Part B Rebatable Drugs Under the Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program

The Inflation Reduction Act mandates drug companies to pay rebates to Medicare when prescription drug prices escalate faster than the inflation rate for certain drugs provided to Medicare beneficiaries. This new inflation rebate applies explicitly to Medicare Part B rebatable drugs, encompassing single-source drugs and biological products, including specific biosimilar biological products, effective January 1, 2023. The federal government aims to bill drug manufacturers for 2023 and 2024 Part B inflation rebates no later than the fall of 2025, with the rebates directed into the Medicare Trust Fund. As of April 1, 2023, individuals enrolled in Medicare may observe reduced…
April 22, 2024 Read More