11 Top Tools and Resources to Help You This AEP

Medicare’s Annual Election Period (AEP) can be quite the rollercoaster ride for insurance agents who participate. It’s a great time to maximize profitability by providing the most clients possible with suitable Medicare solutions. On the other hand, increased regulatory scrutiny, commission reductions and rate increases all contribute to higher levels of disruption, which can be frustrating for you, the agent.

How do you capitalize on sales while navigating all the disruption? You need solutions such as:

• Enrollment and quoting tools to help you enroll clients faster and easier
• A compliance strategy that adheres to all regulatory mandates, including call-recording requirements and proper disclosures for client-facing materials
• Easily accessible marketing materials that are readily customizable to your needs
• A way to quickly help clients who need low-commission products, so that you can spend the bulk of your time offering solutions that pay you more
• Agent and client checklists to help organize your workflow

Senior Market Sales^® (SMS) can help. They have a number of tools, resources, informational videos and blogs, designed to propel you beyond Medicare disruption and toward maximum AEP profitability. Many of these are exclusive and designed to differentiate you from your competition. Using them will help you save time and make more money this AEP.

Prepare for AEP With These Tools and Resources

1: Your AEP Preparation Checklist:

This is a step-by-step, month-by-month checklist designed to help you in preparing for AEP. It covers things like when to obtain marketing materials, get certified, discover carrier rollout info, get contracted with the right carriers, etc., and it organizes it all in an easy-to-follow, month-by-month format. Likewise, SMS has a client-facing AEP checklist that you can provide to clients to help them in preparing for AEP. Call 1.888.747.3810 to request these complimentary checklists from an SMS marketing consultant.

2: Key 2026 AEP Disruption Issues and How to Overcome Them

This video addresses key 2026 AEP issues like The Birthday Rule, Part D (PDP) compensation and consumer choice reduction. The video also discusses ways to overcome these issues.

3: What You Need to Know Regarding AHIP and NABIP Certification for AEP

Agents who wish to participate in AEP must be properly certified. Both America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP) offer certification training. But, which one is for you? How much do they cost? When are they due, and when should you get started? This blog tells all.

4: AEP Central — Your One-Stop, All-Inclusive AEP Toolkit

AEP Central has everything you need for a smooth AEP. AEP Central includes a calendar of key deadlines and webinars, preapproved client-facing workshop materials, solutions for PDP client enrollment and more.

5: Tech Tools to Help Maximize AEP Enrollments

Lead Advantage Pro^®, only from SMS, is a Medicare enrollment and quoting tool that allows you to enroll clients in person, online, over the phone and even via text. It streamlines the enrollment process so that you can enroll more clients in less time. Lead Advantage Pro is available at no cost.

Lead Advantage Pro features include:

• 

  Scope of Appointment (SOA) options expand beyond paper and now offer remote, face-to-face and voice signature availability
• Five enrollment options — paper, Agent Initiated Consumer Online Enrollment (AICOE^®), voice signature, face-to-face and electronic carrier application
• Stay compliant with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations by utilizing disclosures displayed on emails for Medicare Advantage (MA) and PDP enrollments
• Clients can now update their own providers, prescriptions, pharmacies and preferred hospitals, by using the Client Self-Service Portal
• MA and PDP quoting provides detailed filtering options and improved visibility for plan benefits with icon indicators
• Client Self-Service Portal PDP policy review feature triggers automated reminders if no action is taken by client
• Multi-Client Pharmacy, Multi-Client Rx and AEP Disruption reports make your AEP easier
• Choose up to three Medicare Advantage plus Part D, PDP or MA plans to show on a single side-by-side comparison

AgencyBloc has partnered with SMS, integrating into Lead Advantage Pro for increased AEP efficiency. AgencyBloc’s Plus Suite includes AMS+, an all-encompassing, industry-specific sales and servicing management solution that helps independent insurance agencies, general agencies, insurance and field marketing organizations (IMOs/FMOs), and call centers be more efficient, increase sales and improve client retention. The integration of AgencyBloc with SMS’ Lead Advantage Pro establishes a new precedent for individual health benefits enrollment, providing an efficient, seamless and affordable experience for downline agencies. After initiating the client engagement in AMS+, agents can complete the quoting and enrollment in Lead Advantage Pro and have the information updated back to AMS+.

Medicare Insurance Direct^® (MID) is a client-facing self-enrollment platform that allows you to pair your sound advice regarding a client’s Medicare solution with the convenience of self-enrollment.

With MID, you can:

• 

  Send quotes via text
• Offer carriers you are contracted with through SMS
• Keep accurate client profiles that track enrollment progress
• Deliver personalized, accurate cost estimates and drug costs
• Shop, provide quotes and enroll clients regardless of time or location using any device
• Stay compliant by obtaining electronic SOA forms without the need for face-to-face meetings

6: Your Solution for CMS Call-Recording Regulations

Comply with CMS regulations. Also, gain valuable business phone features you may not currently have. This solution even offers desktop notifications so that you never miss an incoming call or text while you are working on something else. Plus, it archives all calls within CMS-regulation parameters.

7: Sales Idea — Pair Hospital Indemnity With High-Deductible MA and Med Supp Plans

When pairing hospital indemnity plans with high-deductible Medicare Supplement (Med Supp) or MA plans, you can get clients good coverage for lower premiums. Plus, you get paid a fair commission not always available in today’s Medicare solutions environment.

8: Carrier Information and Enrollment Webinars

Attend webinars and discover which carriers to represent this AEP. Webinars include first-look plan details and other pertinent information regarding plans from top carriers in the Medicare solutions industry.

9: Gain New Clients and Grow Medicare Sales With Quality Leads

Having a steady stream of quality leads is important. SMS' revolutionary lead marketplace, Client Stream^® Lead Exchange, provides the leads you want at bid prices you can afford. Plus, only prescreened vendors can participate.

10: Your Dedicated Marketing Consultant and Team

With SMS, you’re never alone during AEP or beyond. Your dedicated, licensed and experienced marketing consultant is here to help you along your way. They can assist with any questions, issues and advice, including escalations, case design, troubleshooting, etc. Plus your team encompasses, commissions, new business, management and others, to help you overcome any potential obstacles.

11: Complete Resource Library

SMS has developed a variety of marketing material templates to help you communicate with current and prospective clients and to effectively promote your business. These templates are customizable and complimentary. Contact an SMS marketing consultant at 1.888.747.3810 for access to this resource.

Even More Assistance to Help You Grow Your Practice

This list is just scratching the surface. Contact SMS at 1.888.747.3810 to learn about additional items that can help your business, items such as:

• Client Stream, a total marketing solution for agents
• QuoteDental.com, a first-of-its-kind dental comparison and quoting tool
• Sales Forum, a way to grow production through industry insight
• AEP certification cheat sheet
• List of non-commissionable plans for 2026
• And more

More About SMS

SMS is a premier FMO with more than 40 years of success working in the Medicare markets. They are experienced in helping agents save time, make more money and put their practice in a position of distinction.

Advocacy

SMS leadership is active in Washington, working with regulators and legislators to ensure they understand our business and make your voices heard. To that end, SMS works closely with leading professional organizations who are advocating on behalf of insurance agents and your clients. 

Get Started Today!

Reach out to a licensed SMS Med Solutions marketing consultant today in order to ensure you’re ready to go when AEP kicks off. With SMS, you’ll save time, make more money and put your business in a position of distinction.