"K.E.E." to a Successful AEP

Fellow MA/ Med Supp/ PDP Professionals of Excellence,

As the Annual Election Period (AEP) draws near, it's time to gear up and embrace the opportunity to enhance your expertise. Knowledge is your secret weapon, and it's time to wield it like a pro! This only happens by mastering the fundamentals of our industry. So, during your AHIP or carrier MA/PDP annual training, don't skip over the stuff you think you may already know. How long after skipping over some of the basics year after year could you begin to forget some essential facts about our industry? How long before that lackadaisical attitude infects other areas of your professional career?

We have a responsibility to our clients to provide them with accurate and complete information. This can only be accomplished by doing our due diligence as insurance agents and being at the top of our knowledge game through endless study and learning. Not only what we are required to know, but everything we could possibly know. Be proficient in all things Medicare, CMS rules and regulations, and carrier product information.

Mastering the fundamentals is fundamental to the success of professionals in any profession. Take professional sports, for instance. Athletes like Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, Kobe Bryant, Tom Brady, and other greats have acknowledged it was their incessant practicing of the fundamentals that set them apart from their peers. In our industry, mastering the fundamentals is key to your AEP success!

CMS, like the ever-changing seasons, can introduce new rules and guidelines that impact your marketing strategies. Staying ahead of the curve is vital! Take some time to familiarize yourself with recent changes. Brush up on what's acceptable and what's not when it comes to marketing Medicare plans. By staying compliant and informed, you build trust with your clients and avoid any compliance pitfalls.

Embrace the richness of carrier product information. Think of yourself as an adventurer on a quest for the hidden treasures of carrier product information! Each carrier offers unique Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans, and your job is to be an expert on their offerings. Study their plans inside out – know the coverage details, provider networks, and prescription drug formularies. Armed with this knowledge, you'll be the hero who matches beneficiaries with plans tailored to their needs.

In conclusion, my fellow professionals, this time of year is no time for complacency. It's the perfect moment to level up your knowledge and skills. Master the basics of Medicare, keep up with CMS' rules, and dive into carrier product information using AHIP training, Carrier MA/PDP annual training, and CMS educational material. With your profound knowledge, you'll stride into the AEP with confidence, ready to conquer any challenge and provide your clients with top-notch service.

If you are a Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement / PDP agent that holds yourself to higher standards, always striving for excellence in what you do… we want you to join us!

We are Certified Medicare Insurance Planner™, DBA. Home of the CMIP® professional designation, a community of insurance professionals possessing our core "K.E.E." standards of knowledge, experience, and ethics, enabling them to be the best they can be in their field. Go to www.certifiedmedicareinsuranceplanner.org for more information. And, if you qualify, join our family of professionals today.

To all our CMIR™, CMIS™, and CMIP® designation holders… thank you for your commitment to excellence.

Kevin Firth, President, Certified Medicare Insurance Planner™, DBA

We shall always remember and honor the heroes and their sacrifices!

This Memorial Day, Certified Medicare Insurance Planner™, DBA, wants to remember, honor, and thank all Military personnel, Police, Firefighters, other First Responders, Missionaries, Non-profit personnel, NGO personnel, and others who have made the ultimate sacrifice in trying to protect our lives, freedoms, democracy, and in trying to make this world a better place for all.

We also want to thank the families of these heroes for their sacrifices as well.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you for strength and peace that passes all understanding.

May God Bless You!

Experience Does Matter

Experience is often overlooked and disregarded in most Western cultures of today, especially in the business arena.

Who brings more value to a company, the more experienced tenured employee or, the more educated new employee? Over the decades, this has been debated in many corporate boardrooms and HR departments. We frequently hear of younger, highly educated employees replacing older and much more experienced managers or executives. To make matters worse, often, the company expects the manager or executive to train their replacement in a few short weeks or months before being replaced!

Experience, though, can never be taught. As most experienced professionals can tell you, there are nuances, scenarios, situations, particular skill sets, etc., pertinent to any industry that cannot be taught; they are gleaned over the years from experience only.

So, why are there so many well-known and respected professional designation organizations that require from no years to only a couple of years of professional experience to qualify for their designations? Their emphasis lies mainly on passing their exams while charging thousands of dollars. It's not based on experience.

Which physician would you pick to perform surgery on yourself or your loved ones, the newly graduated, highly educated surgeon with a couple of surgeries under their belt, or the surgeon that has successfully completed thousands of surgeries over the years?

Our designations require seven years of experience for our coveted CMIP® designation, five years of experience for our CMIS™ designation, and three years for our CMIR™ designation.

Join Us! Come see how our emphasis on our core “K.E.E.” fundamental values of knowledge, experience, and ethics can make an impact on your career and the confidence that your clients have in you.

To our CMIP®, CMIS™, and CMIR™ Family, thank you for your commitment to excellence.

Thank you for all that you do!

Kevin Firth, President