AEP has begun! The actions you take – or fail to take – this week will help determine how successful you are this AEP. Below are 12 steps to keep in mind.
Note: Login to the Medicare Engine Agent Portal to view links below.
1. Read the WAP AEP Marketing Guide. This is your last chance to make sure that all your boxes are checked and ducks in a row. Write down your monthly, weekly and daily goals. Good planning now will result in better execution as things ramp up.
2. Login to your WAP Agent Portal – Medicare Engine. This one-stop platform gives you access to proprietary technology including searching product plan details, create and save comparisons, monitor contracting status, Carrier rolodex, cert central, supplies central, marketing & more!
3 .Confirm that you are ready to sell with all your carriers. You don’t want to be blindsided by a certification issue during AEP. Double check everything now. Certification Central is a great resource for this.
4. Practice running comparisons in the Medicare Enrollment Express. This is a powerful new tool, but only if you know how to use it. Take time to practice queries and answer what-if scenarios. Make sure know how to use the tool to answer frequently asked questions, such as:
- What are my out of pocket expenses?
- Is my doctor in network?
- How does the prescription coverage work?
5. If you haven’t already done so, send out your retention letter. This step is crucial. If you’ve already sent your initial retention letter, that’s great, but you may want to send a reminder to any clients or prospects who have not yet scheduled an appointment with you.
6. Review 2021 Carrier Plans keeping customer needs in mind. There may be new benefits this year, so read over everything carefully. Jot down notes about the features your clients will care most about and consider which plans to compare for each client.
7. Know Medicare.gov inside and out. Encourage your clients to utilize these helpful resources. Be sure to share information about the new Medicare “Blue Button”. Access your personal health information in one place. This secure platform also allows you to share your Part A, B and D claim information with authorized applications and services.
8. Shore up any training gaps in The Medicare Library. This is where you can find video content on our WAP trainings from previous months including Skillbuilders, Talk-O Tuesdays, The Medicare Engine and some carrier training sessions. Check back. This is being updated regularly.
9. Take stock of your marketing supplies and order with Supplies Central. You want to have everything ready to go when AEP starts. If you’re missing anything you might need, order it now.
10. Stay active on social media to maintain top-of-mind awareness with your clients. Maintaining an active social feed is a great way to keep in touch with current and prospective clients and to establish yourself as an authority. WAP’s social guide will help you make it happen.
11. Get tech-ready. Host a remote meeting with a friend or relative so you can practice using your remote meeting technology. Practice the proper webcam position and talking into the camera. Make sure your sound is good and your background is professional.
12. Get your clients tech-ready. Plan to engage your clients remotely in a friendly, non-threatening way. Some of your clients may not be familiar with the type of tech you’ll be using, so provide clear, step-by-step instructions. You may want to send a tutorial to your clients and offer to take them through it. Remember to be patient and compassionate. If a client insists on meeting in person, suggest an outdoor location if possible and think through your social distancing strategy.
CMS expects more than 26 million Medicare beneficiaries to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan for 2021. This is a great time to sell Medicare plans, but you’re also competing against many other agents. Make sure you’re ready to make this your best AEP ever.