Agent Survival Guide | Empowering Insurance Agents to Survive Today and Thrive Tomorrow

Out-of-pocket exposure is an important component in Medicare coverage conversations. In this episode, learn which costs factor into the OOP equation and help your clients make more educated decisions.
 

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💌 Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.

 

Resources:
8 Powerful Practices for Selling Prescription Drug Plans

2026 Medicare Part A & B Premiums & Deductibles

Are You Offering Multiple LTC Insurance Options?

Dental, Vision, and Hearing Insurance Sales: How, Who, and Why

Getting Started Selling Medicare Supplements

How to Save Beneficiaries Money on Prescription Drugs at a Preferred Pharmacy

Take Your Business to the Next Level

What’s Inside The Complete Guide on How to Sell Prescription Drug Plans?

 

References:
Durable Medical Equipment (DME) coverage. Medicare.gov. (n.d.). https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/durable-medical-equipment-dme-coverage

Ochieng, N., Cubanski, J., Neuman, T., & Damico, A. (n.d.). Health costs consume a large portion of income for millions of people with Medicare | KFF. https://www.kff.org/medicare/health-costs-consume-a-large-portion-of-income-for-millions-of-people-with-medicare/  

 

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Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

When your client has diabetes, what does (and doesn’t) Medicare cover? We talk about how diabetes treatments, supplies, and services are covered by the different parts of Medicare so you can help your clients know what to expect.
 

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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.

 

Resources:
Content Library: How Does Medicare Insurance Cover Diabetes?

Does Medicare Cover Durable Medical Equipment? A Guide for Agents

How Ask Integrity Can Streamline Your Medicare Sales Appointments

How Medicare Helps Your Clients Stay Healthy

The Advisor Approach: Cross-Selling by Fact-Finding

The Beginner’s Guide to C-SNPs

The Guide to Prospecting and Selling C-SNPS

Request Your Portfolio Review from Ritter Insurance Marketing

Save Time. Sell More with IntegrityCONNECT

What the Inflation Reduction Act Means for Your Medicare & ACA Clients

 

References:
“3 Things to Know About Medicare Insulin Costs.” Medicare, www.medicare.gov/publications/12172-3-things-to-know-about-medicare-insulin-costs.pdf. Accessed 9 June 2026.

“Can I Get a Medigap Plan If I Have Diabetes?” RSS, Sams Hockaday & Associates, www.samshockaday.com/blog/can-i-get-a-medigap-plan-if-i-have-diabetes. Accessed 9 June 2026.

Facing the Diabetes Cost Crisis: A Guide for Employers, American Diabetes Association, diabetes.org/sites/default/files/2024-10/Facing-Diabetes-Costs-Crisis.pdf. Accessed 9 June 2026.

“Insulin.” Medicare, www.medicare.gov/coverage/insulin. Accessed 9 June 2026.

“Medicare Coverage of Diabetes Supplies, Services, & Prevention Programs Booklet” Medicare, www.medicare.gov/publications/11022-medicare-coverage-of-diabetes-supplies-services-and-prevention-programs.pdf. Accessed 9 June 2026.

“Medicare Coverage of Diabetes Supplies Fact Sheet” Medicare Learning Network, Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Feb. 2026, www.cms.gov/files/document/mln7674574-medicare-coverage-diabetes-supplies.pdf.

“Statistics About Diabetes.” Diabetes in America: Prevalence, Statistics, and Economic Impact, American Diabetes Association, diabetes.org/about-diabetes/statistics/about-diabetes. Accessed 9 June 2026.

 

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Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social 

Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

The Friday Five for July 17, 2026:

A New Way to Read Classic Books, Speeches, & Essays

What We’ve Been Reading

Meta Pulls Instagram Muse Image Feature

The Bipartisan Social Security Commission Act of 2026 (H.R. 9187)

ACA Preliminary Rate Filings & What Agents Can Do in the Meantime

 

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.

 

A New Way to Read Classic Books, Speeches, & Essays:
“Reading on a screen, with your hands.” Typewryte.com, Typewryte, https://www.typewryte.com/, Accessed 13 Jul 2026.

 

What We’ve Been Reading:
Rupe, Susan. “The Medicare agent squeeze.” Insurancenewsnet.com, Insurance News Net, 1 Jul 2026, https://insurancenewsnet.com/innarticle/the-medicare-agent-squeeze.

 

Meta Pulls Muse Image Feature:
“Introducing Muse Image: Image Generation Built for Your World.” About.fb.com, Meta, 7 Jul 2026, https://about.fb.com/news/2026/07/introducing-muse-image-meta-ai/.

Ropek, Lucas. “Meta removes controversial AI feature on Instagram after backlash.” TechCrunch.com, Tech Crunch, 10 Jul 2026, https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/10/meta-removes-controversial-ai-feature-on-instagram-after-backlash/.

Clark, Phil. “Meta withdraws its controversial AI image feature.” mashable.com, Mashable, 12 Jul 2026, https://mashable.com/tech/meta-withdraws-controversial-ai-feature-that-allowed-images-to-be-sourced.

Garner, Glenn et. Al. “Zucked Up! Meta Disables AI Image Generator After CAA & SAG-AFTRA Trashed It: ‘Missed The Mark’” deadline.com, Deadline, 10 Jul 2026, https://deadline.com/2026/07/meta-disables-new-ai-image-generator-zuckerberg-1236979706/.

 

The Bipartisan Social Security Commission Act of 2026 (H.R. 9187)
“H.R. 9187 - Bipartisan Social Security Commission Act of 2026.” congress.gov, United States Congress, 8 Jun 2026, https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9187.

“Paul, Trina. “Lawmakers Revisit Bipartisan Commission to Avert Social Security Benefit Cuts by 2032.” Investopedia.com, Investopedia, 6 Jul 2026, https://www.investopedia.com/a-new-bill-would-create-social-security-commission-to-find-a-fix-to-social-security-s-funding-shortfall-12006512.

Lacey, Brooke. “Proposed legislation takes aim at Social Security shortfall.” insurancenewsnet.com, Insurance News Net, 6 Jul 2026, https://insurancenewsnet.com/innarticle/proposed-legislation-takes-aim-at-social-security-shortfall.

 

ACA Preliminary Rate Filings & What Agents Can Do in the Meantime:
 “In Preliminary Rate Filings, ACA Marketplace Insurers Largely Propose Double-Digit Premium Increase For 2027, Following a Steep Climb This Year.” kff.org, KFF, https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/in-preliminary-rate-filings-aca-marketplace-insurers-largely-propose-double-digit-premium-increase-for-2027-following-a-steep-climb-this-year/.

 

Resources:
2027 ACA Exchange & FFM Certification

How to Check Medicare Extra Help Eligibility For Your Clients

New Scam Targeting Insurance Agents

Real Sales Expectations for Insurance Agents

Ritter Insurance Marketing Events & Webinars

 

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/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social

Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

In the insurance industry, if your job begins and ends with meeting clients and selling insurance, you’re missing out on opportunities. In this episode, we’re exploring what empowerment is and how it can help embed you in your community for long-lasting and valuable partnerships.
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:  
3 Essential Steps New Insurance Agents Need to Take

17 Ways to Generate Medicare Leads (That You Probably Haven’t Tried Yet!)

Community-Based Marketing for Insurance Agents

Content Library Best Practices

The Definitive Guide to Getting Leads and Prospecting for Medicare Sales

How to Organize a Turning 65 Seminar on a Budget

Insurance Agents as TPMOs: What CMS Compliance Regulations Mean for You

IntegrityCONNECT

PlanEnroll

Ritter Insurance Marketing’s Content Library

ShopRitterIM

ShopRitterIM T65 Lead Mailer

 

References:
Empowerment - ResearchGate, www.researchgate.net/publication/316451077_Empowerment. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.

“Get Started with Medicare.” Medicare, www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.

Hanna, Katie Terrell. “What Is Affinity Marketing?: Definition from TechTarget.” WhatIs, TechTarget, 2 May 2024, www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/affinity-marketing.

“Independence and Older Adults: Importance and Promoting It.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/independence-and-the-elderly. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.

 

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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/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social

Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

Are your expectations grounded in reality? Or, are you setting yourself up for disappointment? Goals are great, smart goals are even better, but we often equate goals with expectations and wind up frustrated when the two don’t match up. Listen to learn how to avoid the pitfall of unrealistic expectations and the actions you can take instead.
 

Read the text version
 

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.

 

Resources:
How Insurance Agents Can Set SMART Goals to Succeed

4 Effective Techniques for Closing Insurance Sales

How to Overcome Common Medicare Insurance Sales Objections

5 Common Sales Mistakes You Might Be Making (And How to Fix Them!)

3 Additional Effective Techniques for Closing Insurance Sales

What’s Inside The Complete Guide on How to Sell Medicare Advantage Plans?

This Is the Time to Start Selling Under-65 Marketplace Plans!

There's More to Life Insurance Than Just a Policy

How Much Money Can Agents Make Selling Ancillary Health Insurance?

Diversify Your Insurance Portfolio & Reap Real Rewards

What’s Inside A Quick Guide to Cross-Selling Ancillary Insurance with Medicare Products?

 

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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/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social 

Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.