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Happy New Year! 💫

From all of us here at Innovative Financial Group (IFG), we hope you all had a great Holiday Season and are ready for a fantastic New Year! We are so thankful for every agent's support and dedication to your members who helped make 2023 our best year to date!

With OEP now upon us, we have gathered information and tools to help you start 2024 strong. Please review our inaugural newsletter below and contact us with any questions.

• CMS Rules of the Road for OEP

• AEP Executive Statement

• Kroger Retail Opportunity

• AEP Success Stories

• Humana Specialty Plans

• Medicare in the News

Rocky Manning | Broker Relationship Executive

CMS Rules of the Road for OEP

The Open Enrollment Period (OEP) began on January 1st, and while this election period does provide some opportunities for agents, it can also create some pitfalls to avoid. The chart below is a quick guide to share some basics about consumer eligibility. In addition, we have provided some helpful "may and may not" items for agents to consider during OEP:

During the OEP, agents may not:

• Send unsolicited materials advertising the ability/opportunity to make an additional enrollment change or referencing the OEP;

• Specifically, target beneficiaries who are in the OEP because they made a choice during the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) by purchase of mailing lists or other means of identification;

• Engage in or promote agent/broker activities that intend to target the OEP as an opportunity to make further sales; or

• Call or otherwise contact former enrollees who have selected a new plan during the AEP.

During the OEP, agents may conduct marketing activities that focus on other enrollment opportunities, including but not limited to:

• Marketing to age-ins (who have not yet made an enrollment decision);

• Marketing of 5-star plans regarding their continuous enrollment SEP;

• Marketing to dual-eligible and LIS beneficiaries who, in general, may make changes once per calendar quarter during the first nine months of the year;

• Send marketing materials when a beneficiary makes a proactive request;

• At the beneficiary’s request, have one-on-one meetings with a sales agent; and

• At the beneficiary’s request, provide information on the OEP through a call center.

AEP Executive Statement

Adam Rees, Vice President of Sales at Innovative Financial Group, expresses gratitude to our agents and agency partners for a phenomenal 2023 sales season.

This AEP season, IFG contracted agents submitted 262,387 applications, helping these seniors with their healthcare needs. To put this number in perspective, last year, during AEP, IFG agents submitted 68,000 applications. Watch the video address below to learn more.

Kroger Retail Opportunity

Innovative Financial Group (IFG) has extended the offer for agents to participate in the exclusive retail opportunity with Kroger Health and affiliated stores for the OEP season. Get your requests in as soon as possible to maximize your ability to sell in a Kroger branded store over the next few months.

• First, review stores in your area.

• Second, click the Secure a Store link below to register, pay, and receive your store confirmation.

Make an impact in your community! Watch this video to learn more. 

AEP Success Stories

IFG wants to share your AEP success stories on our social media platforms! Please complete the form below and submit your story. If chosen, our team will contact you for a scheduled interview. Each submission will receive a branded IFG Richardson ball cap. Act now, this opportunity ends January 31st.

Click here to submit your story!

Humana Specialty Plans

Dental and vision sales allow you to engage with a large group of prospects to expand your overall book of business. Sell plans anytime throughout the year to individuals of any age, with an effective date on many plans starting as soon as five (5) days after applying.

Dental care is important for all ages due to its link to so many other vital organs. A leading expert in the field, Dr. Dean Fry, explains that “The mouth is less than 1 foot from your heart and is right next to your brain. If mouth bacteria is not controlled, it can result in inflammation and a strain on the immune system. Periodontal disease is infection and inflammation of the gums. It is important to keep the gums healthy to support the teeth and to help protect the body.” Vision care is also essential to maintain vision health and spot problems early.

As an agent, you have an opportunity to bring up the topic of dental and vision insurance to keep it top of mind with your prospects. The possibilities are endless, and you can help many people by making sure they have dental and vision insurance coverage.

Prospects for dental and vision plans might include:

• An individual seeking family coverage or coverage for kids.

• An individual who doesn’t have coverage through their employer, is newly retired, works part-time, or is self-employed.

• Someone who is 65+ and has original Medicare, a Medicare Supplement insurance plan, or a Prescription Drug Plan (PDP).

Ready to start selling? Refer to Humana’s Get Started Guide and view the Individual Specialty Agent Plan Grid to check out dental and vision plans available in your area. For additional questions, find the support team for your area at IgniteWithHumana.com/support.

Medicare in the News

The New Help for Medicare Beneficiaries with High Drug Costs That Few Seem to Know About
December 12th, 2023

Medicare Advantage Has Become More Popular Among the Shrinking Share of Employers That Offer Retiree Health Benefits
December 15th, 2023