A Guide for Insurance Agents to Advise Medicare-Eligible Employees Over 65

As more seniors push back retirement, insurance agents have had to adapt to changing needs. Some delay retirement to get maximum Social Security benefits, because they don’t have retirement savings, or because they’re just not ready to leave the workforce.

To advise people who are working past 65, you need to present all their options. They typically can choose to:

• Drop their employer health coverage and enroll in Medicare

• Delay Medicare enrollment and keep employer health coverage

• Keep employer health coverage and delay enrolling in Medicare Part B

If they choose to enroll in Medicare (at least Part A) and keep their employer coverage, you’ll need to explain how Medicare works with their current insurance. Depending on their insurance type, Medicare will act as either the primary or secondary payer. This can be helpful for those with less comprehensive employer health coverage. This is also an excellent opportunity to highlight the benefits of enrolling in Part A while still working.

Next, explain how to sign up or delay enrollment. This can be confusing for some clients, and they’ll appreciate someone guiding them through the process. You can then discuss enrollment periods and late enrollment penalties to ensure they’re informed, whatever they decide to do.

Lastly, offer your services to help with the transition to Medicare. Even if a client decides to delay enrollment, they will eventually need to enroll. Keep communication lines open by periodically reaching out to those clients with Medicare information. This increases the chances of them using your services in the future.

As the health insurance industry continues to change, JAR Insurance Services is here to help agents stay on top of it all. Work with us to get access to the latest technology and support services, so you can focus on the most important aspects of your business.