Agent Survival Guide Podcast

Congrats on making it this far into AEP! Take time to access what is and isn’t working for your business and hear our tips for improvement!   Read the text version   🤝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 Tips for Making a Better Insurance Sales Pitch 5 Tips for Selling Medicare Advantage Plans 8 Powerful Practices for Selling Prescriptions Drug Plans Events & Webinars with Ritter Insurance Marketing FREE eBooks & Guides for Agents Get a FREE Portfolio Review Get Your Medicare Advantage Sales Contracts Here – Recommendations for 2026 How Ask Integrity Can Streamline Your Medicare Sales Appointments How Client Retention Boosts Insurance Sales How to Follow up with Medicare Clients Compliantly How to Survive AEP: Wellness Tips for Insurance Agents IntegrityCONNECT IntegrityCONNECT Leads Knight School Training for Agents Learn More About PlanEnroll Organization Tips & Tricks for the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period PlanEnroll Lead Program Training Registration Stress Relief Tips to Get You Through AEP When Do Med Supp Plans K, L, M, & N Make Sense? Why Being a Likable Agent Is Good for Your Business   References: Diamond, Dan. “10,000 People Are Now Enrolling in Medicare - Every Day.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 11 June 2024, www.forbes.com/sites/dandiamond/2015/07/13/aging-in-america-10000-people-enroll-in-medicare-every-day/#1ebb581f3657.   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/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/   Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

The Friday Five for November 14, 2025: iPhone Pocket Brings Back… Pockets. CMS Rural Health Transformation Program Government Shutdown Update Most-Favored Nation Drug Pricing CMS GENEROUS Model   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.   Phone Pocket Brings Back… Pockets. Articles of Interest – More Pockets Hart, Jordan. “Apple and Issey Miyake Design $230 Iphone Pocket Inspired by a ‘Piece of Cloth.’” Business Insider, Business Insider, www.businessinsider.com/apple-issey-miyake-design-iphone-pocket-2025-11. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025. “Crossbody Strap – Sienna.” Apple, www.apple.com/shop/product/mggn4ll/a/crossbody-strap-sienna. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025. Cross, Greta. “Internet Conflicted over Apple’s $230 Iphone Pocket Case. See New Product.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2025/11/11/iphone-pocket-apple-phone-case/87214270007/. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025. “Introducing Iphone Pocket: A Beautiful Way to Wear and Carry iPhone.” Apple Newsroom, 12 Nov. 2025, www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/11/introducing-iphone-pocket-a-beautiful-way-to-wear-and-carry-iphone/. Jewiss, Connor. “The Iphone Pocket Is the Apple Accessory You Never Saw Coming.” CNET, www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/the-iphone-pocket-is-the-apple-accessory-you-never-saw-coming/. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025. Rural Health Transformation Program: “All 50 States Seek to Transform Rural Health with CMS.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/all-50-states-seek-transform-rural-health-cms. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025. Muoio, Dave. “All 50 States Submit Applications for $50B Rural Health Transformation Program.” Fierce Healthcare, www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/cms-opens-state-applications-50b-rural-health-transformation-program. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.   Government Shutdown Update: Swenson, Ali. “An Emerging Shutdown Deal Doesn’t Extend Expiring Health Subsidies. Here’s What Could Happen to Them.” AP News, AP News, 10 Nov. 2025, www.apnews.com/article/shutdown-health-tax-credits-affordable-care-act-2b5ae3651ff16783a00e00dc1ce264bf. “Division A - Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026.” United States Senate Committee on Appropriations, www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/continuing_appropriations_act_2026_bill_text.pdf. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025. “Division B - Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Act, 2026.” United States Senate Committee on Appropriations, www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/agfy26conf.pdf. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025. “Division C - Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026.” United States Senate Committee on Appropriations, www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/lbfy26aconf.pdf. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025. “Division D - Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026.” United States Senate Committee on Appropriations, www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/mcvafy26conf.pdf. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025. “Federal Shutdown Deal Would Wipe out Hard-Won THC Consumables Market in Texas.” Dallas News, The Dallas Morning News, 12 Nov. 2025, www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/11/11/federal-shutdown-deal-would-wipe-out-hard-won-thc-consumables-market-in-texas/. Caballero, Martín. “Senate Advances Hemp Ban amid Growing Prohibition Fears.” Brewbound, 11 Nov. 2025, www.brewbound.com/news/senate-advances-hemp-ban-amid-growing-prohibition-fears/. Gringlas, Sam. “Senate Approves Shutdown Ending Legislation, Sending Bill to the House for a Vote.” NPR, NPR, 11 Nov. 2025, www.npr.org/2025/11/10/g-s1-97245/senate-shutdown-vote. Yarrow, Grace. “Senators Reject Paul’s Hemp Plans.” Politico, www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/11/10/congress/senators-reject-pauls-hemp-plans-00646064. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025. “Speaker Johnson Won’t Guarantee Vote in House on ACA Subsidies.” ABC7 Los Angeles, 12 Nov. 2025, www.abc7.com/live-updates/government-shutdown-updates-house-speaker-mike-johnson-commits-vote-senate-funding-deal/18139514/entry/18140103/. Usigan, Ysolt. “THC Ban Hidden in Government Spending Bill Could Shut down Delta-8 Market, so Stock up Now.” VICE, 12 Nov. 2025, www.vice.com/en/article/federal-thc-ban-on-hemp-products/. Lalljee, Jason. “The Bill to Reopen the Government Would Shut down These THC Products.” AXIOS, www.axios.com/2025/11/12/government-shutdown-bill-thc-hemp-products. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025. Tsirkin, Julie, and Frank Thorp V. “The Government Shutdown May Last Longer Because of a Fight over Hemp.” NBCNews.Com, NBCUniversal News Group, 10 Nov. 2025, www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/government-shutdown-may-last-longer-fight-hemp-rcna243075. Faguy, Ana. “Trump Signs Spending Bill to End Longest Shutdown in US History.” BBC News, BBC, 13 Nov. 2025, www.bbc.com/news/articles/c891nvwvg2zo. Stech, Katy, et al. “Trump Signs Funding Bill to End Longest US Government Shutdown.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 13 Nov. 2025, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/12/house-bill-government-shutdown-vote. Desjardins, Lisa. “What’s in the Senate Shutdown Deal.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 11 Nov. 2025, www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/whats-in-the-senate-shutdown-deal.   Most-Favored Nation Drug Pricing: Krishnan, Manisha. “A Proposed Federal THC Ban Would ‘wipe out’ Hemp Products That Get People High.” Wired, 12 Nov. 2025, www.wired.com/story/proposed-federal-thc-ban-would-wipe-out-hemp-products-that-get-people-high/. “AstraZeneca Announces Historic Agreement with US Government to Lower the Cost of Medicines for American Patients.” AstraZeneca, www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2025/astrazeneca-announces-historic-agreement-with-us-government-to-lower-the-cost-of-medicines-for-american-patients.html. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025. Sagonowsky, Eric. “AstraZeneca CEO Visits White House to Formalize MFN Agreement with Trump.” Fierce Pharma, www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/art-deal-az-visit-white-house-formalize-mfn-agreement-trump-msnbc-reports. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025. “Agent of Record.” Insuranceopedia, 14 Jan. 2025, www.insuranceopedia.com/definition/674/agent-of-record. “Delivering Most-Favored-Nation Prescription Drug Pricing to American Patients.” The White House, The United States Government, 12 May 2025, www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/05/delivering-most-favored-nation-prescription-drug-pricing-to-american-patients/. Democrats Defect on the Shutdown - The New York Times, www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/briefing/democrats-defect-on-the-shutdown.html. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025. “Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Announces Actions to Lower Costs and Expand Access to in Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and High-Quality Fertility Care.” The White House, The United States Government, 16 Oct. 2025, www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/10/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-announces-actions-to-lower-costs-and-expand-access-to-in-vitro-fertilization-ivf-and-high-quality-fertility-care/. “Pfizer Reaches Landmark Agreement with U.S. Government to Lower Drug Costs for American Patients.” Pfizer, www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-reaches-landmark-agreement-us-government-lower-drug?cid=em_PfizerNewsroomAlert&ttype=em. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025. Stiles, Matt. “How Each House Member Voted on Ending the Government Shutdown | CNN Politics.” CNN, Cable News Network, 13 Nov. 2025, www.cnn.com/2025/11/12/politics/house-vote-government-shutdown-vis. “Lilly and U.S. Government Agree to Expand Access to Obesity Medicines to Millions of Americans.” Lilly Investors, Eli Lilly and Company, 6 Nov. 2025, www.investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lilly-and-us-government-agree-expand-access-obesity-medicines. “Novo Nordisk Announces Agreement with the U.S. Administration to Bring GLP-1s to More Americans at a Lower Cost.” Novo Nordisk, www.novonordisk.com/content/nncorp/global/en/news-and-media/news-and-ir-materials/news-details.html?id=916450. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025. Kim Constantino, Annika. “Trump Announces Deals with Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk to Slash Weight Loss Drug Prices, Offer Some Medicare Coverage.” CNBC, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2025, www.cnbc.com/2025/11/06/trump-eli-lilly-novo-nordisk-deal-obesity-drug-prices.html. Kansteiner, Fraiser, and Eric Sagonowsky. “Updated: Pfizer Offers Price Concessions, $70b US Outlay in Trump’s ‘Most Favored Nation’ Push.” Fierce Pharma, www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/pfizer-plans-offer-price-concessions-trumps-most-favored-nation-push-reports. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.   CMS Generating Cost Reductions for U.S. Medicaid (GENEROUS) Model: “CMS Announces New Drug Payment Model to Strengthen Medicaid and Better Serve Vulnerable Americans.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 6 Nov. 2025, www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-announces-new-drug-payment-model-strengthen-medicaid-better-serve-vulnerable-americans. “Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Announces Second Deal to Bring Most-Favored-Nation Pricing to American Patients.” Whitehouse.Gov, The United States Government, 10 Oct. 2025, www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/10/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-announces-second-deal-to-bring-most-favored-nation-pricing-to-american-patients/. “GENEROUS (GENErating Cost Reductions fOr U.S. Medicaid) Model.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7 Nov. 2025, www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/generous. “Generous Model Request for Applications from Applicable Manufacturers.” Cms.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 10 Nov. 2025, www.cms.gov/files/document/generous-rfa.pdf. “Lilly and U.S. Government Agree to Expand Access to Obesity Medicines to Millions of Americans.” Investor.Lilly.Com, Eli Lilly and Company, 6 Nov. 2025, investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lilly-and-us-government-agree-expand-access-obesity-medicines. “Novo Nordisk Announces Agreement with the U.S. Administration to Bring GLP-1s to More Americans at a Lower Cost.” Novonordisk.Com, Novo Nordisk, 6 Nov. 2025, www.novonordisk.com/content/nncorp/global/en/news-and-media/news-and-ir-materials/news-details.html?id=916450. Dunleavy, Kevin. “Pharma Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk Strike Deals with White House to Cut Prices of Weight Loss Drugs.” Fiercepharma.Com, Fierce Pharma, 6 Nov. 2025, www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/eli-lilly-novo-nordisk-strike-deal-white-house-cut-price-weight-loss-drugs.   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/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/ Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.   Episode Transcript: You are listening to the Friday Five here on the Agent Survival Guide Podcast. I’m your host, Sarah Rueppel and this is our weekly recap of five headlines that you should know about. Today is November 14th. We’ll start out this week where we normally do at Number Five. Last week, the internet absolutely lost its mind over the Starbucks Bearista Bear mug, which was available in very limited quantities. Naturally that led to disappointments, fights between customers, and a whole bunch of hilarious social media posts mocking the whole thing. And then this week, Apple announced an accessory that made more than a few people scratch their heads. Because really no one asked for it, but the iPhone Pocket is a thing you can order for either one-hundred fifty dollars or two-hundred thirty dollars. Unlike the iPhone cross-body strap, which to be honest, is actually useful, the iPhone Pocket is literally just that. It’s a sock-like sling for your iPhone that the company claims can also be used to hold AirPods and other small items that you’d likely stick in your pocket. Personally, I don’t see that turning out too well, but maybe my mind would change if I saw one in person. The company also showed the short pocket version looped around a bag handle, similar to a clip-on lip gloss or hand sanitizer. The pockets are described as a quote, “3D-knitted construction” and come from iconic design house Issey Miyake. Same designer as the Bao Bao bags, those duochrome handbags made of little triangles. I do have to say, I get the fact that this will be instantly recognizable for those carrying it or attaching it to their bag. And bag charms are super trendy right now. But as far as functional? Eh, I’m just not sold. It’s not like the phone is out and accessible, it’s in a little pouch, or I guess I should call it what it is, a little pocket, seemingly worn just as much for show as it is for function. It reminds me of the vintage tie-on pockets that women used to hide in their dresses back in the day, which I learned about in an episode of Articles of Interest that we’ll be linking to in the episode notes. Because the history of pockets is actually fascinating, believe it or not. The iPhone Pocket is available for purchase beginning today at a very small list of 10 stores or online at Apple dot com. Number Four, super short mention here, but if you’ve got a rural health area in your market, this is important news. This Wednesday was the deadline for states to submit their applications to the Rural Health Transformation Program, and all 50 states filed bids. The program is set to distribute ten billion dollars between 2026 and 2030. Five billion dollars will be dispersed evenly between approved states. The other five billion will be awarded according to how each of those approved states meets the goals outlined in their bid pitches. Approvals will be announced by December 31st of this year.  Coming in at Number Three, we’ve got an update on the government shutdown. On Sunday night, the Senate held a vote to reopen the government and got there with a 60-40 split. And then late Wednesday night, the House voted 222 to 209 to approve the Senate version of the funding bill and reopen the federal government. President Trump signed the deal into law not long after the House vote. The deal to reopen the government comes with four separate appropriations acts that we’ll be linking to in the episode notes. There’s the general Continuing Appropriations Act of 2026, and then the more specific Agriculture, Rural Development, and FDA Appropriations Act, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, and the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, all for 2026. The Continuing Appropriations Act of 2026 included funding for most government agencies, with time frames running from the end of January 2026 up to three years, depending on the agency. SNAP benefits would be fully funded through September 30, 2026. For states that paid out any federal expense benefits during the shutdown, they would be reimbursed for those monies, including if they paid out SNAP benefits to their constituents. One thing missing from all four of those legislative documents? Any update on ACA subsidies, so those are still set to expire at the end of December. A lot of different ideas have been floated around about how to deal with those expiring subsidies, from the proposal I mentioned in last week’s episode, to many others, including one that would circumnavigate the government and send the money straight to those purchasing plans on the marketplace.  And then a last-minute inclusion that I’ve been reading quite a bit about, reversing the Farm Bill provision of 2018 that loosened federal restrictions on hemp. In the new Federal funding bill, hemp products cannot contain more than point three percent total THC or more than point four milligrams combined total per container of THC. And this ban covers both naturally and synthetically derived THC. THC products that are considered “intoxicating” like delta-8 and delta-9 variants seem to be the target here. And then there’s the fact that the industry is unregulated, meaning that variants available from non-reputable sources get lumped in with those who are following the rules and being transparent about sourcing and dosage. The new ban on hemp products goes into effect one year from signing on November 13th, 2026. As far as the ACA subsidies, that’s likely to come down to a separate proposal, requiring its own vote in both houses of Congress.  So for now, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history ends We’ll be keeping an eye on this story as it continues to unfold. As far as the ACA subsidies, that’s likely to come down to a separate proposal, requiring its own vote in both houses of Congress.  We’ll be keeping an eye on this story as it continues to unfold. Number Two. Last week, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk joined the list of other American pharmaceutical companies who have joined the Trump Administration’s “Most Favored Nation” drug pricing campaign. We haven’t talked much about this on the podcast as of yet, so consider this a recap. At the end of September, Pfizer was the first company to agree to the administration’s call to adjust pricing on existing drugs to that of comparable developed countries, and for pricing on new drugs to also be set at a similar price points as other developed markets. According to Pfizer’s press release, they plan to offer quote, “the large majority of the company’s primary care treatments and some select specialty brands will be offered at savings that will range as high as eighty-five percent and on average, fifty percent,” end quote. In order to obtain the savings, consumers will have to use the new direct-to-consumer drug platform, TrumpRx dot gov, which is rumored to launch in 2026. Later in October 2025, AstraZeneca shored up their deal with the Trump administration. They plan to offer direct-to-consumer sales savings for quote, “eligible patients with prescriptions for chronic diseases at a discount of up to 80% off list prices,” end quote. They committed to participation in Trump Rx dot gov as well, to quote, “allow patients to purchase medicines at a reduced cash price from AstraZeneca,” end quote. In mid-October, EDM Serono, the US subsidiary of Merck announced that they would offer their IVF treatments through the TrumpRx dot gov direct to consumer platform. EDM Serono named three of their IVF treatments that eligible patients with prescriptions could take advantage of quote, “significantly reduced prices,” end quote. And to get super specific, for patients with prescriptions to all three therapies, quote, “patients will access an 84% discount off list prices,” end quote. Also answering the call from the Trump administration’s Most Favored Nation drug pricing campaign, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk both made announcements about their respective deals last week. But to keep things spicy, their deals fall under both the broader umbrella of the Most Favored Nation drug pricing campaign and one of its implementation methods – the Generous model, which we’ll get to in a moment. Eli Lilly announced that, upon FDA approval, they hoped to offer Zepbound and its soon to be released Orforglipron, a GLP-1 in pill form through LillyDirect, their own DTC drug platform. Lilly quoted quite a few prices in their release for self-pay patients. The Zepbound multi-dose pen in the lowest dose will start at two hundred ninety-nine dollars, and additional doses will cost up to four-hundred forty-nine dollars. Multi-dose pen prescriptions will refill at a cost of no more than four-hundred forty-nine dollars. Orforglipron will be priced at one-hundred forty-nine dollars for the lowest dose. Additional doses will run un to three-hundred ninety-nine dollars. Also coming to LillyDirect as part of the MFN campaign, Emgality, Trulicity, and Mounjaro will also be available for self-pay patients at fifty to sixty percent off current list prices. Self-pay patients is the operative word there. Self-paying for prescriptions while holding insurance unfortunately doesn’t contribute to your deductible. Depending on the person, that may or may not be a good deal. Also included in the Lilly release, a reminder that insulin will remain available at the thirty-five dollar per month price point regardless of whether a consumer has insurance or not. Novo Nordisk agreed to cut prices on their semaglutide medicines, Wegovy and Ozempic on their own DTC – NovoCare. Unlike Eli Lilly, they did not reveal pricing details in their official release.  All five pharmaceutical companies announced participating price reductions in their drugs via their own DTC platforms as well as TrumpRx dot gov, when it launches next year. I know that we mentioned this previously, but I want to mention it again. These savings that we mentioned may or may not be picked up by insurance companies. All of them mentioned savings associated with self-pay patients, purchase on DTC platforms, or purchase on Trump Rx dot gov. So just something to keep in mind if your clients have questions. Depending on the diagnoses your client has or doesn’t have to go along with their GLP-1 prescription, that’s going to determine what’s the best course of action for them. Currently, many insurers will not cover GLP-1s for weight loss unless they have also been diagnosed with obesity or overweight with one condition. The main label use for the medication is for those with Diabetes. And then the last thing to mention, all five pharmaceutical companies were granted a three-year period of relief from tariffs in exchange for participation in the MFN. Now, let’s move on to Number One, which is the other half of the Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk MFN campaign announcement. Simultaneously, CMS announced a new drug payment model for Medicaid – the Generating Cost Reductions for U.S. Medicaid or Generous Model. And yes, we like to get very creative when we’re coming up with these model names. This model is how CMS plans to implement the new drug pricing for those on Medicare and Medicaid. According to CMS, the Generous model will allow the agency to quote, “negotiate with participating manufacturers for lower prices, while states adopting the model will implement uniform, transparent coverage criteria. These consistent standards will give patients and providers predictable access across participating states,” end quote. Participating states is a key word there as the model is voluntary for both states and drug manufacturers. According to CMS, drug spending in the Medicaid program is quote, “significant and increasing, with net spending of sixty billion dollars in 2024, an increase of ten billion dollars from 2022,” end quote. The model aims to keep prescription drugs accessible for those who need them, lowering the price for both patients and the government, with the hopes that medication use will in turn cause better patient outcomes.  Under the Generous model, Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound GLP-1 medications by Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk would be available to a select group of Medicare beneficiaries. And as mentioned earlier, should Orforglipron, Eli Lilly’s oral GLP-1 follow the projected path to FDA approval, it would also be available. Now, let’s talk about that select group of Medicare beneficiaries, because there’s a reason for wording it that way. Savings won’t be available on all GLP-1s for all Medicare beneficiaries, though. Prior to the Generous model, only those with type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease could receive coverage for their GLP-1 medications. When implemented, the Generous model will extend coverage to Medicare beneficiaries with obesity. Beneficiaries with Part D benefits will be phased into model participation through three stages. Phase 1 will include overweight individuals with a body mass index or BMI or more than 27, prediabetic indvidiuals, or those diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. Phase 2 incorporates overweight individuals with a BMI greater than 30, individuals with uncontrolled hypertension, kidney disease, or heart failure. And then Phase 3 will include overweight individuals with a BMI greater than 35. CMS will launch the Generous Model in January 2026, letting it run for five years. No word yet on the exact timing of those phases, but I’m sure we’ll be hearing from CMS on that front. As far as Medicaid beneficiaries go, coverage depends on if their state opts in to the Generous Model. CMS is seeking letters of intent from State Medicaid agencies interested in participating. And last but not least, let’s talk cost. For Wegovy and Zepbound, starting doses will begin the model priced at three-hundred fifty dollars per month for those in Medicare or on Medicaid. That cost will decrease over two years, no word yet on how much. Starter doses of Ozempic and Mounjaro will run two-hundred forty-five dollars per month and also decrease over a period of two years. And then the last pricing detail we have right now, a Medicare beneficiary who qualifies for coverage under either the expanded criteria or Part D Phase-ins outlines by the Generous Model - they will pay just fifty dollars per month for their GLP-1 medication. Just a reminder that we are still in very early stages of the MFN campaign, Trump Rx dot gov, and the Generous Model. We’ll likely be circling back to this story to update it in future Friday Five episodes, so be sure to follow along with our show so you don’t miss out on any of that information. And then be sure to visit the episode notes, too. We’ve got links to all the resources we mentioned today, so you’ll find links to all the press releases from CMS, the pharmaceutical companies we talked about, the proposed legislation to get the government up and running again, and even more info on the iPhone Pocket. Thanks so much for listening to our show this week, little bit of a long one today! That being said, I hope you have a great weekend. Stay healthy and stay safe out there, and we will see you next week.  

Jump in the time machine with us as we travel back circa 2005 for the first Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, the debut of Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, two new Med Supp plans, and more!   Read the text version   Contact the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! Email us ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.   Resources: 4 Ways PlanEnroll Will Make This Your Best AEP Yet 4 Reasons Why Ritter Insurance Marketing Should Be Your FMO Insurance Agency 5 Medicare Myths Your Clients May Believe 10 Tips to Submitting an Error-Free Medicare Enrollment Application 2026 Medicare Part D Bid Info Likely Means Higher Premiums & Plan Disruption — Here's Why A Review of Integrity's Top Medicare Quoting Tools How Insurance Agents Can Use AI Tools How Storytelling Helps Agents Quickly Connect with Clients ft. Don Connelly IntegrityCONNECT & PlanEnroll FAQs Register with RitterIM.com Risk Adjustment & Finding Value Beyond Coding Changes ft. Dr. Shannon Decker The Future of Medicare Part D: The Push Toward MAPD The Ultimate Agent Resource List Pt. 3: Staying Organized   References: “2005 CMS Statistics.” Cms.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/research-statistics-data-and-systems/statistics-trends-and-reports/medicaremedicaidstatsupp/downloads/2005_cms_statisticspdf. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. “2025 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 8 Nov. 2024, www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2025-medicare-parts-b-premiums-and-deductibles. McManus, Melanie Radzicki. “A Short History of How Netflix Won World Domination in Streaming.” Entertainment.Howstuffworks.Com, HowStuffWorks, 21 Dec. 2018, entertainment.howstuffworks.com/short-history-netflix-world-domination-streaming.htm. “Beneficiaries with Special Needs Can Get Help from Medicare Managed Care Plans.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/beneficiaries-special-needs-can-get-help-medicare-managed-care-plans. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. Laschober, Mary. “Estimating Medicare Advantage Lock-In Provisions Impact on Vulnerable Medicare Beneficiaries.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/files/document/05springpg63pdf. “IPod Shuffle (1st Generation).” Apple.Fandom.Com, Apple Wiki, apple.fandom.com/wiki/IPod_shuffle_(1st_generation). Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. “K & L Out-of-Pocket Limits Announcements.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/medicare/health-drug-plans/medigap/k-l-out-of-pocket-limits-announcements. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. “Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Programs to Remain Stable as CMS Implements Improvements to the Programs in 2025.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 27 Sept. 2024, www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/medicare-advantage-and-medicare-prescription-drug-programs-remain-stable-cms-implements-improvements. Freed, Meredith, et al.  “Medicare Advantage 2025 Spotlight: A First Look at Plan Offerings.” KFF.Org, KFF, 9 Aug. 2025, www.kff.org/medicare/medicare-advantage-2025-spotlight-a-first-look-at-plan-offerings/. Freed, Meredith, Jeannie Fugleston Biniek, et al. “Medicare Advantage 2025 Spotlight: A First Look at Plan Premiums and Benefits.” KFF.Org, KFF, 9 Aug. 2025, www.kff.org/medicare/medicare-advantage-2025-spotlight-a-first-look-at-plan-premiums-and-benefits/. “Medicare Part B Immunosuppressive Drug Benefit.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/partbid-provider. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. “Medicare Demonstration to Transition Enrollment of Low Income Subsidy Beneficiaries .” Cms.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 8 June 2006, www.cms.gov/Medicare/Prescription-Drug-Coverage/PrescriptionDrugCovContra/Downloads/MemoLTCContracting_060806.pdf. “Medicare Part B Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount.” Federalregister.Gov, Federal Register, www.federalregister.gov/documents/2006/10/27/E6-17690/medicare-part-b-income-related-monthly-adjustment-amount. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. Cubanski, Juliette, and Anthony Damico. “Medicare Part D in 2025: A First Look at Prescription Drug Plan Availability, Premiums, and Cost Sharing.” KFF.Org, KFF, 9 Aug. 2025, www.kff.org/medicare/medicare-part-d-in-2025-a-first-look-at-prescription-drug-plan-availability-premiums-and-cost-sharing/. “Medicare Program Description and Legislative History.” Ssa.Gov, Social Security Administration, www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/supplement/2006/medicare.html. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. “Medicare Program; Establishment of the Medicare Advantage Program.” Federalregister.Gov, Federal Register, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2005/01/28/05-1322/medicare-program-establishment-of-the-medicare-advantage-program. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. “Part D / Prescription Drug Benefits.” Medicareadvocacy.Org, Center for Medicare Advocacy, 30 May 2025, medicareadvocacy.org/medicare-info/medicare-part-d/. “Pop Culture in Review for the Year 2005.” Mrpopculture.Com, Mr. Pop Culture , 29 Nov. 2023, mrpopculture.com/pop-culture-in-review-for-the-year-2005/. "The Medicare Advantage program: Availability, benefits, and special needs plans - Chapter 9." Medpac.Gov, Medpac.gov, www.medpac.gov/wp-content/uploads/import_data/scrape_files/docs/default-source/reports/Jun06_Ch09.pdf. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. Gold, Marsha. “The Landscape of Private Firms Offering Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage in 2006.” Modern.Kff.Org, The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, www.kff.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/7474.pdf. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. “The next Generation of Medicare Beneficiaries - Chapter 2.” Medpac.Gov, Medpac.gov, www.medpac.gov/wp-content/uploads/import_data/scrape_files/docs/default-source/reports/chapter-2-the-next-generation-of-medicare-beneficiaries-june-2015-report-.pdf. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. Crowder, Courtney. “Throwback: Pop Culture Trends of 2005.” Usatoday.Com, USA Today, 30 July 2015, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/2015/07/30/pop-culture-trends/30739417/. “Update to Medicare Deductible, Coinsurance and Premium Rates for 2006.” Cms.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Transmittals/downloads/R31GI.pdf. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. “Variation and Trends in Medigap Premiums.” Aspe.Hhs.Gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/migrated_legacy_files/43721/index.pdf. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. Hosch, William L. “YouTube.” Britannica.Com, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 19 Oct. 2025, www.britannica.com/topic/YouTube.   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/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel   Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/   Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

Want to improve your selling skills? Learn how to make a better insurance sales pitch! We outline four game-changing sales presentation tips for insurance agents.   Read the text version   🤝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 Tips to Submitting an Error-Free Medicare Enrollment Application 16 Ways to Generate Medicare Leads (That You Probably Haven’t Tried Yet!) Friday Five Archive – Agent Survival Guide Podcast How Storytelling Helps Agents Quickly Connect with Clients ft. Don Connelly How to Stay Compliant During All Medicare Sales What Agents Forget to Do When Preparing for Appointments Ritter Insurance Marketing Blog   References: Stemler, Sam. “9 Things Customers Want in 2025, According to Research.” Webascender.Com, Web Ascender, 10 Dec. 2024, www.webascender.com/blog/9-things-customers-want-in-2025-according-to-research-2/. Goman, Carol Kinsey. “10 Powerful Body Language Tips.” Amanet.Org, American Management Association, www.amanet.org/articles/10-powerful-body-language-tips/. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025. “Active Listening Techniques: Best Practices for Leaders.” Ccl.Org, Center for Creative Leadership, 14 Oct. 2025, www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/coaching-others-use-active-listening-skills/. Tanner, Jeff, and Mary Anne Raymond. “Chapter 3 Consumer Behavior: How People Make Buying Decisions.” Https://2012books.Lardbucket.Org/Books/Marketing-Principles-v1.0/S06-Consumer-Behavior-How-People-m.Html, Flatworld. Bronten, George. “How to Sabotage Your Sales with Bad Assumptions.” Membrain.Com, Membrain, www.membrain.com/blog/how-to-sabotage-your-sales-with-bad-assumptions. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025. “Why Your Pace of Speech Matters in Public Speaking.” Teleprompter.Com, Teleprompter, www.teleprompter.com/blog/why-your-pace-of-speech-matters. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.   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/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel   Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/ Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

Feeling frustrated this enrollment season? This episode is for you! We’ve got some ideas to help you take a break, take care, and make it through AEP and OEP.   Get Connected: 🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! 💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.   Turn Self-Care Into a Game with the Finch App: “Finch: Self-Care Pet - Apps on Google Play.” Google, www.play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.finch.finch. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025. “Finch: Self-Care Pet App.” App Store, 7 Dec. 2024, www.apps.apple.com/us/app/finch-self-care-pet/id1528595748. “Your New Self-Care Best Friend.” Finch, www.finchcare.com/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.     ‘Tis the Season for Holiday Flavors at Dunkin’ & Starbucks: “Celebrate the season: Starbucks Holiday Menu Returns Nov. 6 with Festive Drinks, Cups and Treats.” About Starbucks, www.about.starbucks.com/stories/2025/celebrate-the-season-starbucks-holiday-menu-returns-nov-6-with-festive-drinks-cups-and-treats/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025. “Dunkin’® Unwraps the Holidays with New Cookie Butter Cloud Latte, Berry Sangria Refresher and Bacon Jam Creations.” Dunkin’, 5 Nov. 2025, www.news.dunkindonuts.com/news/holiday-menu-2025. “Dutch Bros® Cranks up the Cheer with 2025 Holiday Menu.” Dutch Bros® Cranks Up the Cheer with 2025 Holiday Menu | Dutch Bros, www.dutchbros.com/news-events/holiday-2025-drink-menu/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025. “Starbucks Holiday Menu Returns Nov. 6.” About Starbucks, www.about.starbucks.com/stories/2025/starbucks-holiday-menu-returns-nov-6/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025. “Starbucks Unveils Joyful Holiday Beverages: Starbucks Stories Asia.” About Starbucks, www.stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2025/starbucks-unveils-joyful-holiday-beverages/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.   Dictation Goes Modern with Sandbar’s Stream Ring: Evans, Courtney. “Ex-Meta Founders Launch Smart Ring for Music & Notes.” CEO Today, 5 Nov. 2025, www.ceotodaymagazine.com/2025/11/ex-meta-smart-ring-music-voice-notes/. Werth, Timothy Beck. “Former Meta Employees Launch Sandbar, a New Smart Ring Brand.” Mashable, Mashable, 5 Nov. 2025, www.mashable.com/article/meta-employees-launch-smart-ring-sandbar. Mehta, Ivan. “Former Meta Employees Launch Stream, a Smart Ring That Takes Voice Notes and Controls Music.” TechCrunch, 5 Nov. 2025, www.techcrunch.com/2025/11/05/former-meta-employees-launch-stream-a-smart-ring-that-takes-voice-notes-and-controls-music/. “Stream Ring: A Voice-First Ring for Capturing Thoughts and Building Ideas.” Sandbar, www.sandbar.com/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025. Chokkattu, Julian. “Whisper into This AI-Powered Smart Ring to Organize Your Thoughts.” Wired, Conde Nast, 5 Nov. 2025, www.wired.com/story/sandbar-stream-smart-ring/.   Google Maps Adds Landmarks & More AI Capabilities: Mehta, Ivan. “Google Maps Bakes in Gemini to Improve Navigation and Hands-Free Use.” TechCrunch, 5 Nov. 2025, www.techcrunch.com/2025/11/05/google-maps-bakes-in-gemini-to-improve-navigation-and-hands-free-use/. Moore, Amanda Leicht. “Google Maps Navigation Gets a Powerful Boost with Gemini.” Google, Google, 5 Nov. 2025, www.blog.google/products/maps/gemini-navigation-features-landmark-lens/. “Google Maps Is Getting More Hands-Free for When You’re Driving.” CNET, www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/google-maps-is-getting-more-hands-free-for-when-youre-driving/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.   Field Notes on the Longest Government Shutdown Ever: Solendar, Andrew, and Kate Santaliz. “A Group of House Democrats and Republicans Is Floating a Plan to End the Shutdown.” AXIOS, www.axios.com/2025/11/03/shutdown-aca-tax-credits-democrats-republicans. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025. “Bacon, Suozzi, Hurd, Gottheimer Release Bipartisan Principles to Temporarily Extend and Reform Affordable Care Act Enhanced Premium Tax Credits.” U.S. Congressman Don Bacon, 3 Nov. 2025, www.bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2805. Gringlas, Sam. “How an Enduring Debate over Healthcare Sparked a Now Record-Long Shutdown.” NPR, 5 Nov. 2025, www.npr.org/2025/11/05/nx-s1-5596472/government-shutdown-record-health-care-subsidies. Beavins, Emma, et al. “How the Shutdown Impacts Healthcare: Legislators Float Bipartisan Plan to Extend, Reform Aca Tax Credits.” Fierce Healthcare, www.fiercehealthcare.com/regulatory/shutdown-tracker-cms-issues-billing-guidance-hhs-furloughs-32000-employees. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.   Recently Published Episodes: 5 Real-Life Medicare Sales Scenarios & How to Handle Them Content Library: Cooking for Beginners ft. Jeff Snyder How Insurance Agents Can Use AI Tools How Storytelling Helps Agents Quickly Connect with Clients ft. Don Connelly Stress Relief Tips to Get You Through AEP   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/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/ Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.   Episode Transcript: Welcome to the Agent Survival Guide Podcast Friday Five, which is either our weekly recap of what happened this week that agents should know about. Or in the case of this week, 5 items focusing on a particular theme. I’m your host, Sarah Rueppel, and this week, we are talking about dealing with burnout, getting off the struggle bus, or to put it more eloquently, 5 ways to survive AEP 2026 even when everything feels like a dumpster on fire floating down the river with a smile on our face to mask the reality. It’s been a rough enrollment season so far with all the changes and disruption going on. I know that it can feel like a lot, I certainly don’t want to sugarcoat that. What I do want to do, is talk about some solutions to help you take a break from the burnout, refresh, and make sure you’re taking care of yourself amidst all the commotion. So let’s start with that last one, making sure you take care of yourself, and in true ASG Podcast fashion, we’re going to turn to an app, because we love technology. But we also love gamifying tasks because it adds a layer of fun and rewards you for doing things that you know you should be doing anyway, but sometimes we don’t do them because we’re too busy. That’s where the Finch Self-Care Pet app can help. The app is designed to gamify self-care and getting stuff done, across a range of categories, like self-kindness, calm, gratitude, productivity, and more. Every user gets a little animal called a birb to take care of. It looks like a little bird. As you cross things off your to-do lists and keep checking back in, your birb grows and learns. It hatches micropets of its own. And you earn in-game currency called rainbow stones to purchase clothing for your birb, furniture for your birb’s room, and tickets to travel to new locations. You decide what you want to achieve in a day, and you can place items in categories, or keep them uncategorized. As more time goes on, you’ll be able to gain insight from your habits, identifying which ones you’re really good at accomplishing, and which others need more work, and might need to be prioritized a little bit more. And one thing in particular I love, is that you can add friends on the app. Almost immediately after downloading Finch and trying it out, I thought it could be a great way to help my daughter establish daily routines and reward her for completing tasks. We’ve been using it together for almost a month, and so far, we still both really like it. She has other friends from school that use it, and I’ve mentioned it to the team here, with some coworkers also downloading it and giving it a try. We’ll be linking to the learn more about Finch page in the episode notes, so if you’re looking for a way to accomplish your to-dos while also taking care of yourself, or you’re trying to teach your child how to do that, I can’t recommend this app enough.  Number Four. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t be able to function without caffeine, and sometimes, stopping for a treat from either Starbucks or Dunkin’ is necessary. Or maybe you just need to switch up your order with a new seasonal, limited-edition flavor. You are in luck because pumpkin spice has officially taken a backseat to peppermint mocha and its holiday friends! Wednesday marked the beginning of the holiday menu’s return to Dunkin, and Starbucks hauled out the holly yesterday. While I definitely identify as a Starbucks fan, I have to say that the Dunkin’ holiday cups feature super cute graphics that are very much channeling schoolhouse rock. Peppermint Mocha everything and the Toasted White Chocolate Signature Latte are back for the season. New offerings include the Berry Sangria refresher the Cookie Butter Cloud Latte. Dunkin Refreshers can be mixed with either green tea, black tea, lemonade, or sparkling water, the latter of which is always my go-to. And then the Cookie Butter Cloud Latte pairs the creamy sweetness of a latte topped with Cookie Butter cold foam and cookie crumbles. I think I’d enjoy the cold foam and crumbles on a cold brew or iced coffee, but if made according to the menu, I think it’ll be too sweet for me. Over at Starbucks, Peppermint Mocha returns along with Toffee Nut Crunch and Gingerbread Latte. I’m a huge fan of the Gingerbread flavored ground coffee, so I’m very excited for all things Gingerbread. New this year is the hazelnut praline mille-feuille oatmilk latte, and I’m going to be honest, I’m glad I order on the app most of the time, because I wouldn’t want to have to say the name of that drink out loud in line. It sounds so precocious. Also, I’m more of a cold brew fan, so if that’s you as well, there are a few seasonal cold foams joining the menu. Gingerbread Cream, Peppermint Chocolate, Sugar Cookie Cream, and Caramel Brûlée Cream. And if you’re lucky enough to have a Dutch Bros near you, they’ve had their holiday menu up and running since November 1st. Returning there, the candy cane mocha, which is their version of a peppermint mocha topped with crushed candy canes. They brought back the Hazelnut Truffle Mocha. And new this year, the Holiday Cookie Freeze which blends vanilla, sweet cream, and sprinkles, and then the mistletoe rebel which is the Dutch Bros energy drink blend mixed with raspberry and pomegranate. Fun fact before we move on to our next topic, this week, we polled our marketing team on the official start date of the Holiday season. November first was the clear front-runner, which might be a hot take to some, or just an indicator that we have a lot of holiday spirit here at Ritter. Number Three. Sometimes, what your brain needs is a good old-fashioned distraction. For me, this usually means scrolling through the news, which led me to a very cool AI device that I will likely be adding to my Christmas wishlist - the Stream Ring from Sandbar. The ring houses a small microphone for users to speak into throughout the day, essentially creating your own voice log. It also features a button that the company calls a mouse for voice, holding it to speak, and then tapping it to pause, return to music playback, and even control volume. What you dictate into the ring is sent to the Stream app and converted into text, so you can capture thoughts on the fly, and then go back to read them on the Stream app. I’ve always liked the idea of dictating notes, but not the idea of going back and listening to them or transcribing them. This combination of wearable and app takes a lot of friction out of that process, making a compelling and useful new tool. The price point is set at two hundred forty-nine dollars for the silver ring and two hundred ninety-nine dollars for the gold version. The Stream app has a free tier with unlimited notes but limited chats, The Pro version allows for unlimited interactions and early features for ten dollars a month. Each ring gets a three-month free subscription to the pro version to try it out. Might seem like a super simple AI wearable, but I think this practical approach might see success where other AI wearables have failed. It would be nice if health monitoring benefits were included, but you have to start somewhere. I’m very curious to see how this wearable performs when it does become available, I’m not sure I’d jump on the preorder, but I’m also not sure that I won’t. Stay tuned. Moving on to Number Two. If you are a Google Maps user, good news! There are a few updates coming to the app, one that actually took me back to a fun exercise from the Technical Writing class I took in college. Gemini AI has been more deeply integrated into the app, so navigation can now be truly hands-free. Users can ask questions and add conversational follow-up questions and get answers, all without touching your device. You’ll also be able to report issues like roadwork or an accident by voice, rather than tapping a display screen. That’s super helpful, and the more people that are able to report those disruptions, the better the experience for all commuters. Users will also be notified about upcoming issues even if you’re not actively navigating. This is a feature that Waze recently implemented, glad to see it coming to Google Maps as well. I enjoy having the map up on my screen, but if I’m listening to something, I don’t want turn-by-turn instructions interrupting my drive unless there’s something to be concerned about. Google Maps has also added Lens capability to identify nearby landmarks and answer questions about them. Landmarks will also now play a role in the directions you’ll hear while driving. So back in my Technical Writing class, one of our in-class exercises was to write down directions on how to get to a destination. It was an exercise designed to highlight the proper order of directions, while also adding specific information, rather than obtuse observations. So, instead of telling someone to turn left at the tree that looks like a dinosaur, you’d tell them they’ll see Riley’s Restaurant, and make a right just after the restaurant. Google Maps will now do the same thing, you’ll see landmarks highlighted on your map and hear the voice direction telling you to turn right after Riley’s Restaurant. So, it follows the same pattern of order, but gives users both a visual and voice instruction. This is something I find super-helpful when I’m navigating a new area, because as much as I appreciate a countdown in the number of feet before a turn, 300 feet feels different depending on the speed you’re traveling at. And now, coming in at Number One this week: Make sure you’re following along with our show to stay as updated as possible on what’s going on in the industry. We’re usually tracking quite a few different stories, one of the biggest right now, the current thirty-eight day government shutdown, which is now the longest shutdown in the history of the United States. We are monitoring this so closely, not because we love the politics around any of this, actively do not love that, but there are issues that affect agents and your clients. Democrats have so far held their ground on reopening the government, calling for an extension to be made on the enhanced premium tax credits set to expire at the end of 2025. Some republicans are voicing concerns from their own constituents on the subject of subsidies. And then there are things like SNAP benefits and other government resources that are affected by the shutdown because of furloughs and a lack of funding. What I choose to focus on here, is that there are people on both sides of Congress who really are trying to have conversations and find ways to compromise, even if it seems like no one wants to report on that. Earlier this week, FierceHealthcare and Axios both reported on a bipartisan proposal that seeks a two-year extension as well as other considerations. I won’t call out the exact details of that proposal here, because they’ll likely change between now and any sort of implementation. But I do want to quote the statement put out by the representatives who put together that proposal, quote, “Congress is gridlocked, and too many Americans have lost faith that we can work together. But here’s the truth: Democrats and Republicans can sit down, listen to one another and find common ground, especially when it comes to lowering healthcare costs. We may not agree on every ideal outcome, but we’ve identified a fair, reasonable path forward on the future of the Affordable Care Act’s Enhanced Premium Tax Credits. Compromise isn’t rocket science and it shouldn’t be treated like a weakness,” end quote. And I’m going to read that one more time because of how much I like it, quote, “compromise isn’t rocket science and it shouldn’t be treated like a weakness,” end quote. The statement and proposal came from Don Bacon, Tom Suozzi, Jeff Hurd, and Josh Gottheimer, and I don’t think I’m alone when I say that I hope other members of Congress are listening and willing to start those conversations. We’ll continue to track this story and report back with developments. Again, make sure you’re following along with us for help staying upbeat and motivated during this time, help taking a break and stepping back from things for a minute to take care of yourself, and of course, important industry updates, like whether or not the subsidies will be extended for coverage year 2026. That being said, I hope you have a great weekend, stay healthy and stay safe out there, and don’t forget to take some time for yourself this weekend. You deserve it! We’ll see you next week.

CMS plans to simplify prior authorization for Medicare beneficiaries beginning in 2026. Listen to learn more about changes coming to Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare!   Read the text version   🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! 💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.   Resources: 4 Reasons Why Ritter Insurance Marketing Should Be Your FMO Insurance Agency 5 Medicare Myths Your Clients May Believe 16 Ways to Generate Medicare Leads (That You Probably Haven’t Tried Yet!) Content Library: Mastering Medicare Insurance Coverage ft. Jeff Snyder How Storytelling Helps Agents Quickly Connect with Clients ft. Don Connelly   References: “HHS Secretary Kennedy, CMS Administrator Oz Secure Industry Pledge to Fix Broken Prior Authorization System.” HHS.Gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 23 June 2025, www.hhs.gov/press-room/kennedy-oz-cms-secure-healthcare-industry-pledge-to-fix-prior-authorization-system.html. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025. “Health Plans Are Making Voluntary Commitments to Support Patients And Providers” AHIP.Org, www.ahip.org/health-plans-are-making-voluntary-commitments-to-support-patients-and-providers. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025. “Health Plans Take Action to Simplify Prior Authorization - AHIP.” AHIP.Org, www.ahip.org/news/press-releases/health-plans-take-action-to-simplify-prior-authorization. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025. Ochieng, Nancy, et al. “Medicare Advantage in 2025: Premiums, out-of-Pocket Limits, Supplemental Benefits, and Prior Authorization.” KFF, 9 Aug. 2025, www.kff.org/medicare/medicare-advantage-premiums-out-of-pocket-limits-supplemental-benefits-and-prior-authorization/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025. “Medicare Program; Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model.” FederalRegister.Org, www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2025-12195/medicare-program-implementation-of-prior-authorization-for-select-services-for-the-wasteful-and. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025. “Prior Authorization and Pre-Claim Review Initiatives.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/data-research/monitoring-programs/medicare-fee-service-compliance-programs/prior-authorization-and-pre-claim-review-initiatives. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025. LeValley, Donna. “Prior Authorization Coming to Traditional Medicare Starting in 2026.” Kiplinger.Com, Kiplinger, 7 July 2025, www.kiplinger.com/retirement/medicare/prior-authorization-coming-to-traditional-medicare. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.   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/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel   Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/   Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

Every Medicare client has their own unique situation and needs. Learn how to best assist them with 5 more insurance sales scenarios!   Read the text version   Contact the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! Email us ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.   Resources: 3 Essential Steps New Insurance Agents Need to Take 4 Ancillary Cross-Sales to Show Clients You Care 4 Out-Of-the-Box Long-Term Care Insurance Solutions 5 Must-Haves for Every Agent This AEP 5 Real-Life Medicare Sales Scenarios & How to Handle Them Agent Survival Guide Podcast Do’s and Don’ts of Medicare Compliance How to Prepare for AEP like a Pro How VA Benefits Work with Medicare Life Insurance for Each of Life’s Stages Meet Your Ritter Sales Team Rules for Hosting a Compliant Medicare Educational Event Rules for Hosting a Compliant Medicare Sales Event Surviving AEP Resources The Survivor’s AEP Checklist The Complete Guide on How to Sell Final Expense Insurance FREE eBook DOWNLOAD Your Clients May Not Be Automatically Enrolled in Medicare   References: “Agent of Record.” Insuranceopedia, 14 Jan. 2025, https://www.insuranceopedia.com/definition/674/agent-of-record.  “Avoid Late Enrollment Penalties.” Medicare, https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs/medicare-costs/avoid-penalties. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025. “Cobra and Medicare Coordination.” Medicare Interactive, 31 Mar. 2025, https://www.medicareinteractive.org/understanding-medicare/coordinating-medicare-with-other-insurance/cobra-and-medicare/cobra-and-medicare-coordination. “How Medicare Works with Other Insurance.” Medicare, https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/coordination. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025. “Job-Based Insurance When You Are Disabled.” Medicare Interactive, 23 Mar. 2025, https://www.medicareinteractive.org/understanding-medicare/coordinating-medicare-with-other-insurance/job-based-insurance-and-medicare/job-based-insurance-when-you-are-disabled. “Medicare Information.” SSA, https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/wi/medicare.htm. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025. “Tricare for Life (Tfl) Basics.” Medicare Interactive, 23 Mar. 2025, https://www.medicareinteractive.org/understanding-medicare/coordinating-medicare-with-other-insurance/military-retiree-insurance-and-medicare/tricare-for-life-tfl-basics.   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/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/   Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

One of the best ways to prepare for the insurance field is with real life scenarios. In this episode we dive into 5 scenarios and how to best assist your clients.   Read the text version   Contact the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! Email us ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.   Resources: 4 Tips for Making a Better Insurance Sales Pitch 10 Tips to Submitting an Error-Free Medicare Enrollment Application Contact Ritter Insurance Marketing eBook: A Comprehensive Guide to Medicare Supplement Underwriting How to Save Your Clients Money on Prescription Drugs How SPAPs and Their SEPs Can Bring You New Business Reach Out to Ritter's Sales Team Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing The Beginner’s Guide to D-SNPs Stay Busy Outside of AEP With Special Enrollment Periods   References: “Extra Help Basics.” Medicare Interactive, 1 May 2025, https://www.medicareinteractive.org/understanding-medicare/cost-saving-programs/the-extra-help-low-income-subsidy-lis-program/extra-help-basics. “Get Ready to Buy.” Medicare, https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/ready-to-buy. Accessed 25 Sept. 2025. “Glossary Archive.” Medicare Interactive, https://www.medicareinteractive.org/glossary. Accessed 25 Sept. 2025. “I Am Turning 65 in a Few Months and Want to Go on Medicare. Will I Be Automatically Enrolled in Parts A and B or Do I Need to Sign Up?” KFF, 18 Sept. 2025, https://www.kff.org/faqs/medicare-open-enrollment-faqs/enrollment-information-for-people-new-to-medicare/i-am-turning-65-in-a-few-months-and-want-to-go-on-medicare-will-i-be-automatically-enrolled-in-parts-a-and-b-or-do-i-need-to-sign-up/.   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/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/   Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

Things can get hectic during AEP. From sales appointments, applications, and following up with clients, it’s easy to brush aside rest and self-care, so consider this episode as a reminder!   Read the text version   Save Time, Sell More - IntegrityCONNECT   Contact the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! Email us ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.   Resources: A Review of Integrity’s Top Medicare Quoting Tools Agent Survival Kits Do’s and Don’ts of Medicare Compliance How Ask Integrity Can Streamline Your Medicare Sales Appointments IntegrityCONNECT - Login PlanEnroll – Take Your Business to the Next Level Ritter’s Round Table Your Guide to Forming an Insurance Agent Network   Fun Local Resources near Harrisburg PA: Lancatster Cat Cafe Meditation to Calm the Mind (Free) Round-A-Bout-Bagels Carlisle Cat Cafe Volunteer with The Harrisburg Humane Society (Free) Wildwood Park (Free) – Harrisburg PA Yoga at Harrisburg YMCA   References: “3 Tips to Manage Stress.” Www.Heart.Org, American Heart Association, https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/3-tips-to-manage-stress. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025. “Your Frontline Source for Tech News.” Techreport, 6 Oct. 2025, https://techreport.com/. Mayo Clinic Staff. “Stress Relievers: Tips to Tame Stress.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 3 Aug. 2023, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relievers/art-20047257. Matijczak, Angela, et al. “The Influence of Interactions With Pet Dogs on Psychological Distress.” American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2023-97081-001.html. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.   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/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/   Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

Have you heard? The definition of Short-Term Limited Duration Insurance has changed. We unpack what it means for insurance agents!   Read the text version   🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!  💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.   Resources: CMS & HHS Expand ACA Catastrophic Coverage Enrollment ICHRA vs. QSEHRA vs. Group Health Plans: Sales Opportunities for Insurance Agents Judge Vacates HHS MA Commissions Lawsuit Ritter Insurance Marketing Carrier Partners The Fight for ACA Enhanced Premium Tax Credits   References: “Public Health Service Act.” Govinfo.Gov, govinfo.gov, www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-8773/pdf/COMPS-8773.pdf. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. “Short-Term Health Insurance Availability and Limits by State.” Healthinsurance.Org, healthinsurance.org, 15 Aug. 2025, www.healthinsurance.org/short-term-health-insurance/. “Short-Term Health Insurance: How It Works and Who It’s For.” Healthinsurance.Org, healthinsurance.org, 30 Sept. 2025, www.healthinsurance.org/short-term-health-insurance/. “Short-Term, Limited-Duration Insurance and Independent, Noncoordinated Excepted Benefits Coverage.” Federalregister.Gov, Federal Register, 3 Apr. 2024, www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/03/2024-06551/short-term-limited-duration-insurance-and-independent-noncoordinated-excepted-benefits-coverage. “Statement of U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury Regarding Short-Term, Limited Duration Insurance.” Cms.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7 Aug. 2025, www.cms.gov/files/document/statement-regarding-short-term-limited-duration-insurance.pdf. “What Is Individual Health Insurance?” Healthinsurance.Org, healthinsurance.org, 14 Feb. 2025, www.healthinsurance.org/glossary/individual-health-insurance/.   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/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/   Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.