Agent Boost Marketing Podcast

Hosted by Dan and Mike Hardle

Business Entrepreneurship Education

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Episodes

129

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

🚀🚀🚀 Welcome to the ultimate podcast for all you insurance aficionados out there – "The Agent Boost Podcast"! 🎙️ If you've ever wondered how to crack the code on marketing and sales tactics in the wild world of Medicare, health, and life insurance, & ACA well, you've just hit the jackpot. Hosted by Dan and Mike Hardle, they're sharing the most effective strategies to kill it in the insurance game. Dan is the founder and CEO of Agent Boost Marketing and his brother Mike is the President of Sales. Between them they have written thousands of policies with their own pen and taught and trained thousands of other agents. So, whether you're a newbie agent trying to crack the code, or a seasoned pro looking to up your game, "Agent Boost" has your back. They're dishing out pro tips on how to build killer marketing campaigns that actually work, reel in clients like a pro fisherman, and close deals with the finesse of a smooth-talking charmer. And don't worry, it's not just about work – these hosts know how to keep it fun. Expect some epic fails, hilarious stories from the insurance trenches, and even some wild "what not to do" moments that'll have you in stitches. Tune in every week as Dan and Mike bring in industry rockstars – think marketing mavens, sales wizards, and insurance moguls – for some candid conversations. They're diving deep into case studies that'll have you nodding like, "Yep, that's the game-changer I needed." Oh, and did we mention the Q&A sessions? Yep, you can shoot them your burning questions and watch them tackle it like pros. It's like having your own insurance sherpa, guiding you up the mountain of success. Whether you're listening during your daily commute, at the gym, or just chillin' on your couch, Agent Boost is here to make your insurance journey smoother than butter. Ready to level up your insurance game and dominate the medicare, health, and life insurance scene? Press play and let's rock this! 🎧 🔥 What You'll Discover: 🏥 Healthcare Exchange & ACA Mastery: We'll break down the art of selling insurance on the Healthcare Exchange and through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Learn the insider secrets to navigating enrollment periods, understanding plan tiers, and presenting your clients with options that suit their needs and budgets. 👴👵 Unlocking Medicare Expertise: Ready to become a Medicare maestro? We're unraveling the complexities of Medicare insurance sales, from Part A to Part D. Tune in for strategies to decode the jargon, compare plans effectively, and guide your clients toward comprehensive coverage that fits their lifestyles. 💼 Life Insurance Brilliance: Life insurance isn't just a policy; it's peace of mind for your clients' loved ones. Join us as we delve into the world of life insurance, exploring term, whole, and universal options. Discover how to tailor your approach to different life stages and financial goals. 🚀🚀🚀 Welcome to the ultimate podcast for all you insurance aficionados out there – "The Agent Boost Podcast"! 🎙️ If you've ever wondered how to crack the code on marketing and sales tactics in the wild world of Medicare, health, and life insurance, & ACA well, you've just hit the jackpot. Hosted by Dan and Mike Hardle, they're sharing the most effective strategies to kill it in the insurance game. Dan is the founder and CEO of Agent Boost Marketing and his brother Mike is the President of Sales. Between them they have written thousands of policies with their own pen and taught and trained thousands of other agents. So, whether you're a newbie agent trying to crack the code, or a seasoned pro looking to up your game, "Agent Boost" has your back. They're dishing out pro tips on how to build killer marketing campaigns that actually work, reel in clients like a pro fisherman, and close deals with the finesse of a smooth-talking charmer.

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August 11, 2026Episode 1161 hr 4 min

Episode 130: Important Updates for AEP 2027

On Episode 130 of the Agent Boost Podcast, Dan and Mike cover two of the biggest stories shaping the industry right now. First, fresh off a run of carrier rollouts including a trip to Boston, they break down why carriers have shifted from chasing growth to chasing profit, and what that means heading into another disruptive AEP. Expect roughly 30% of Medicare Advantage plans to see major service area reductions this year, on top of an already brutal two year stretch, and Dan and Mike explain why carriers rarely tip their hand on exits until it's too late for agencies to plan around it. They also unpack why established agents with big books of business are getting hit the hardest, why LTVs keep shrinking even as agents work harder, and why the standalone Part D and PDP environment could bring real sticker shock this year.The second half of the episode is dedicated to what Dan calls one of the most impactful shifts they've seen in years: Humana's new agent quality and tiering program. Dan and Mike walk through how it works, tying accretion rate, rapid disenrollment, and HRA completion into a scorecard that determines whether an agency, and its agents, move up or down in commission tier. They explain what this means for agents who write sloppy business, why termination under this program will follow you and block you from onboarding at a new FMO, and why they expect other carriers to copy this model soon. They close with a case for why brokers aren't going anywhere long term, even in an AI saturated world, and a coaching point every agent should hear before this AEP starts.***Chapters***00:00 Welcome & What's Coming This Episode04:53 Boston, Gillette Stadium & the Drake Maye Experience10:31 Carrier Rollouts & the Shift From Growth to Profit16:05 Healthcare's Broken Incentives & Why the Product Is the Stock Price19:47 Another Brutal AEP: Why 30% of MA Plans Are Being Cut24:12 Why Carriers Withhold Information From Distribution Until It's Too Late27:06 How the Disruption Hits Established Agents vs New Agents33:29 The Math Problem: Why LTVs Keep Shrinking36:06 The PDP & Part D Storm Nobody's Talking About Yet39:02 Why Brokers Will Matter More as AI Fatigue Sets In42:36 Humana's New Quality Program: What It Actually Does48:20 Termination, Gatekeeping & Why Bad Agents Can't Hop FMOs56:09 Telesales Isn't Dead, But Sloppy Selling Is58:14 Accretion Rate & Rapid Disenrollment, Explained1:03:31 Wrap Up & What's Next Episode💻 Website: www.agentboost.com💰 Get Contracted: https://agentboost.com/get-contracted👨🏼‍🎓 Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/606332946546184/📬 Our Weekly Newsletter: https://agentboost.com/subscribe-to-our-newsletter/

July 14, 2026Episode 1291 hr 11 min

Episode 129: EnrollHere Founders with Tyler Rees & Josh Benson

On Episode 129 of the Agent Boost Podcast, Dan and Mike sit down with Tyler Rees and Josh Benson, longtime friends and business partners who built one of the fastest growing Medicare FMOs in the country before selling it to Humana. Tyler and Josh trace their path back to central Pennsylvania, where they started out selling final expense insurance door to door, eventually founding Innovative Financial Group (IFG), scaling it to over $125 million in final expense premium and $300 million in annuities, then pivoting hard into Medicare in 2020. That pivot took them from 4,500 apps their first AEP to more than 25,000 the next year, and eventually to an 18 month acquisition process that ended with Humana buying the company in 2022. The second half of the conversation shifts to what Tyler and Josh are building now: EnrollHere, an insurance technology platform designed to solve the industry's biggest blind spot, siloed data and a total lack of accountability in lead generation and marketing. They break down how EnrollHere's call control and compliance scoring tools have helped partners cut cost per acquisition in half, why they see themselves as a neutral "Switzerland" in the distribution world rather than a competitor, and the audit framework they're building to finally hold publishers and marketers to the same standard agents and agencies already face. They also get into the mechanics most people never see: how hierarchy actually works when one agent reports to multiple upline agencies, why lifetime value varies so wildly between partners, and why they believe cracking Medicare Advantage is the hardest and most valuable problem in the industry to solve. It's a candid look at building, selling, and rebuilding in a space that rewards the operators willing to actually understand the data. ***Chapters*** 00:00 Welcome & Introducing Tyler Rees and Josh Benson 01:19 Childhood Friends Turned Business Partners in Insurance 04:58 Splitting Paths - Corporate Detour vs. Going Independent 06:03 The Cold-Call Trick That Built a 400-Agent Team 09:17 Founding IFG and Buying Out the Business11:33 The Pivot to Medicare & a Massive First AEP 14:35 The Call From Humana & an 18-Month Diligence Process 17:31 Scaling Post-Acquisition, the Walmart Deal & Stepping Away 23:56 Why They Built EnrollHere - Solving Insurance's Data Problem 28:51 Staying "Switzerland" & Building the MVP With Niko and Tim 34:06 The Call Center Breakthrough - Cutting CPAs in Half 38:08 Why Data Beats Gut Feel on Lead Quality 40:01 The Marketing Accountability Gap in Medicare 44:02 Spoofed Numbers, Dupe Routing & Bad Actor Tactics 48:01 Building a Compliance Audit Standard for Publishers 53:08 Is Telesales Dead? Why Phone Enrollment Still Matters 54:23 Shared Visibility & the End of "Pay and Pray" 59:43 What the Lifetime Value Data Actually Shows 1:02:12 Beyond Medicare - ACA, Final Expense & Attachment Rates 1:06:22 Cracking Hierarchy - EnrollHere's Core Advantage & Wrap Up 💻 Website: www.agentboost.com 💰Get Contracted: https://agentboost.com/get-contracted 👨🏼‍🎓Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/606332946546184/ 📬 Our Weekly Newsletter: https://agentboost.com/subscribe-to-our-newsletter/

July 10, 2026Episode 12841 min

Episode 128: From Call Center Agent to Agency Owner with Riley Garner

On Episode 128 of the Agent Boost Podcast, Mike sits down with longtime agent and agency owner Riley Garner for a conversation that starts personal and ends up being a masterclass in why experience, both lived and professional, is what actually builds trust in healthcare. Riley opens up about his son's sudden health crisis: a routine day swimming in the Virgin River turned into E. coli, then Shiga toxin, then HUS, then dialysis at Primary Children's Hospital. As a licensed agent himself, Riley walks through what it's actually like to be on the other side of the desk, dealing with ACA coverage through Molina, life flight bills, a denied ambulance claim, and the appeals process, and how even industry veterans get surprised by their own EOBs. It's a real time case study in why insurance gets a bad rap until the day you actually need it, and why agents who've lived through a claim fight understand something no training manual can teach. From there, the episode traces Riley's full arc in the business: Chick fil A to personal trainer to a last minute Medicare license earned three days before the deadline, into Connection Point, then Go Health during the 700 enrollments a season era, through the Covid era collapse of the big box telesales shops, and into the hybrid field and digital model that Dan and Mike built out of that chaos. Riley became a team lead, grew the WellCare book, moved to Tampa to build out that market, and has now come full circle, opening his own agency, Health Plan Assistance, in St. George, Utah, combining phone, virtual, and face to face enrollment under one roof. Mike and Riley make the case that this hybrid, trust first model is exactly where the industry is headed, and Riley's path is a live example of what building it the right way looks like. If you're an agent thinking about going independent, opening a physical office, or just want a real story about what insurance means when it's your own family on the line, this episode is essential listening. **Chapters** 00:00 Welcome & Introducing Riley Garner 02:15 Riley's Son's Health Crisis: E. coli, HUS & Primary Children's Hospital 05:11 Riley's Own ACA Coverage and the Molina Bills 10:21 Why Even Agents Struggle to Understand Their Own EOBs 12:40 Chick fil A, Meeting His Wife & Getting Licensed in 3 Days 16:04 Utah as a Medicare Call Center Hub & the Old War Hero Era 19:34 How Big Box Telesales Went Off the Rails 24:13 The Two Types of Telesales Agents & Becoming a Team Lead 26:55 Growing the WellCare Team & Moving to Tampa 30:14 Building Health Plan Assistance in St. George 33:08 Why Face to Face Is Making a Comeback 36:42 Riley's 5 Year Vision & How to Reach Him 40:34 Wrap Up 💻 Website: www.agentboost.com 💰Get Contracted: https://agentboost.com/get-contracted 👨🏼‍🎓Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/606332946546184/ 📬 Our Weekly Newsletter: https://agentboost.com/subscribe-to-our-newsletter/

June 29, 2026Episode 12758 min

Episode 127: Telesales Agents Are Dead

In Episode 127 of the Agent Boost Podcast, Dan and Mike open with a "week of survival" tone. AEP certifications are dropping, the agent force is demoralized, and the industry feels like it's in a constant state of flux. On a lighter note, both of their sons got licensed this week, a small but meaningful signal that the business still has a future for those who approach it the right way. The centerpiece of this episode is a raw, unfiltered breakdown of why the telesales model in Medicare is dying, and why it's happening from three directions at once. Regulatory pressure has systematically outlawed nearly every outbound marketing mechanism, leaving consumer-generated inbound calls as the last legal lane. Even that lane is compromised, as lead generators routinely run unapproved URLs behind a single CMS-submitted site, meaning almost none of them are truly compliant. The 1-to-1 marketing rules that were supposed to clean up the industry have instead choked off the lead supply entirely. Carriers are finishing the job. They've made clear they prefer local, field-written business over phone enrollments, and they're backing it up with 100% call audits on telesales, requiring human review (not AI), and forcing agencies to write up agents even when the consumer never complained. It's a Salem witch trial environment, and field agents are held to zero equivalent standard. The agents getting burned are often the best ones left, the ones who survived 4+ years without a termination, while 2.5 to 4.5 million Medicare Advantage members are expected to be displaced this AEP with fewer and fewer agents available to help them. Dan and Mike also make a strong case for why FMV commissions are actually a bargain for carriers. When you pay an agent, you're not just paying for a sale. You're paying for acquisition, ongoing customer service, and retention, all bundled into one nominal fee. Carriers cutting brokers out of the equation will have to replace all three components with internal infrastructure, and they won't save money doing it. The episode closes with a timely breakdown of the Walmart retail program for 2027, covering tiered A/B/C stores, first right of refusal for agents in good standing, and cost-sharing through FMOs. Both hosts are bullish on retail as the landing spot for displaced telesales agents, and they urge agents not to wait until September. Stores will be gone before AEP kicks off. If you're a telesales agent wondering where to land this cycle, an agency owner trying to understand why the economics stopped making sense, or a field agent who wants to know what the carriers are actually thinking, this episode is essential listening. ***Chapters*** 00:00 Welcome & Week of Survival - Both Sons Get Licensed 01:09 The State of the Industry Going Into AEP Certifications 04:29 Why Everything Is Changing Faster Than Ever Before 07:29 Telesales Is Dead - Setting Up the Core Argument 09:55 How 1-to-1 Marketing Rules Choked Off the Lead Supply 13:21 The Lead Generator Problem - Noncompliant URLs and the Washing Machine 19:51 The Economics of Telesales Are Broken - CPA vs. LTV Explained 24:54 "The Juice Isn't Worth the Squeeze" - The Math No One Wants to Do 27:52 Carriers Don't Want the Business - And They're Showing It 33:31 Salem Witch Trials - Carrier Crackdowns on Phone Enrollments 38:16 Carriers Are Turtling - What That Means for Distribution 41:14 The Warning for Displaced Telesales Agents - There's Nowhere Left to Hop 42:05 War Hero or War Criminal? Why 700 Enrollments Is No Longer a Badge of Honor 43:34 The FMV Argument - What Carriers Actually Get for That Commission 49:40 Walmart 2027 - Tiers, First Right of Refusal, and the Retail Opportunity 57:27 Wrap Up & Final Thoughts

June 19, 2026Episode 12638 min

Episode 126: Alchemy Health Plans with Seth Cottle

In Episode 126 of the Agent Boost Podcast, Mike sits down with his best friend and fellow agency owner Seth Cottle, founder of Alchemy Health Plans, for a candid conversation about what it actually takes to build a thriving insurance agency in one of the most challenging markets the industry has ever seen. Seth spent years working at Comcast while quietly building his book of business on nights and weekends before going all in on insurance. He shares exactly how he made that transition, why it worked when it doesn't work for most agents, and how that same work ethic became the foundation for everything he teaches his agents at Alchemy today. This episode goes deep on the concept of the diverse, dynamic agent, why you can no longer survive as a Medicare-only or ACA-only agent, how to properly layer products without overwhelming your team, and why the agencies that built their entire book around one product line are the ones getting wiped out right now. Seth and Mike also break down income-producing activities, the real reason agents lose momentum and leave the industry, and what a new agent's first 90 days should actually look like. If you're a new agent trying to shortcut your path to success, a seasoned broker looking to diversify, or an agency owner trying to build something that lasts this episode is essential listening. **Chapters** 00:00 Welcome & Introducing Seth Cottle of Alchemy Health Plans 01:06 How Mike & Seth Met & Seth's Path from Comcast to Agency Owner 06:11 Building on the Side First - The Right Way to Make the Jump 10:03 Income-Producing Activities - What Actually Moves the Needle 12:39 The Hoodie Agent - How One Part-Timer Outsold Everyone 15:44 You Can't Be a One-Trick Pony - Diversification Is Survival 20:02 How Seth Layers Products & Trains Agents from Day One 27:48 Agency Value & Why Diversification Determines What You're Worth 33:55 Medicare Advantage Benefits Are Drying Up - The Ancillary Opportunity Is Now 35:08 Seth's Advice for New Agents - Burn the Boats & Go All In 💻 Website: https://www.agentboost.com 💰 Get Contracted: https://agentboost.com/get-contracted 👨🏼‍🎓 Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/606332946546184/ 📬 Our Weekly Newsletter: https://agentboost.com/subscribe-to-our-newsletter/

June 15, 2026Episode 12555 min

Episode 125: ACA Trends and Future with Jeff Gaston

In Episode 125 of the Agent Boost Podcast, Mike sits down with Jeff, who just returned from the CMS Annual Marketplace Meeting in Baltimore, to break down everything brokers and agents need to know heading into this fall's open enrollment season. This episode covers the real state of ACA in 2025, from what CMS leadership actually thinks about brokers, to breaking news about the three-way call finally going away, to a full carrier-by-carrier forecast for the coming open enrollment. Jeff shares firsthand intel from inside the CMS building, including what was discussed at the large agency roundtable that rarely gets talked about publicly. Mike adds his predictions on which ACA carriers are going big, why bronze plans and HSAs are about to become dominant, and why he believes the ACA market won't truly stabilize until 2028. The conversation also digs into the very real pressure brokers are facing, overlapping Medicare AE and ACA OE deadlines, new consent form regulations, 75% QLE verification requirements, and the ongoing question of whether big tech is trying to eliminate brokers altogether. Plus, Dan and Jeff break down why 50% of agents have left the industry over the past two years and the two types of agents who are already gone. If you're an ACA agent, a Medicare broker trying to cross-train, or an agency owner trying to set your team up for the most challenging open enrollment in years, this episode is essential listening. **Chapters**00:00 Welcome & CMS Meeting Overview 00:33 Inside the CMS Building in Baltimore 03:31 ICHRA Update - Why It Still Isn't Working 07:34 Dan's Canada Healthcare Story & What It Reveals About ICHRA09:14 Jeff's AI Panel at CMS - HIPAA, ChatGPT & What's Allowed 12:01 Is CMS Trying to Eliminate Brokers? 15:07 CMS Leadership Is Pro-Broker - Here's What They Actually Said 17:18 Fraud vs. Real Brokers - Why They Keep Getting Lumped Together 19:00 2.8 Million Ghost Enrollments & $20 Billion in Fraud Cleaned Up 22:22 Large Agency Day - The NPN Problem Nobody Is Solving Fast Enough 24:45 BREAKING: The Three-Way Call Is Going Away Before Open Enrollment 27:51 Open Enrollment Shortened to Nov 1–Dec 31 (And Why That's a Problem) 29:31 Medicare AE and ACA OE Running at the Same Time 32:35 Mike: 50%+ of ACA Clients May Need a New Plan This Fall 33:06 Bronze Plans & HSAs Are About to Explode - Here's Why 33:50 75% QLE Verification - What It Means for Your Book of Business 34:41 The Utah AI Data Center Story (Kevin O'Leary vs. All of Utah) 38:16 ACA Was the Wild Wild West - How Far We've Come 39:06 New CMS Consent Form Rules Coming - What You Need to Know 40:45 What Every Broker Should Be Doing Right Now Before OE 42:30 Go Health Files Chapter 11 - The End of the Churn & Burn Era 44:08 Why You Need the Right FMO Heading Into This Open Enrollment 47:48 Carrier Predictions: Oscar, Ambetter, United, CSSC & Who's Out 50:27 Short-Term Medical Growth & When the ACA Market Finally Stabilizes 51:49 50% of Agents Have Left the Industry - Who's Gone and Why 54:26 ACA Spammers & Bad Actors Getting Eliminated 55:01 Final Thoughts & What's Coming for Agent Boost 💻 Website: https://www.agentboost.com 💰 Get Contracted: https://agentboost.com/get-contracted 👨🏼‍🎓 Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/606332946546184/ 📬 Our Weekly Newsletter: https://agentboost.com/subscribe-to-our-newsletter/

May 25, 2026Episode 12452 min

Episode 124: Building Better Agents with Nate Brown

In Episode 124 of the Agent Boost Podcast, Dan and Mike sit down with Nate Brown, National Vice President of Sales at Agent Boost, to talk about what actually makes great Medicare agents stand out in today’s market. This episode dives into leadership, relationship-building, training, diversification, compliance pressure, and why the insurance industry is becoming harder for average agents to survive in. Nate shares lessons from years in the field, what younger agents are missing, and why long-term trust still matters more than flashy marketing or shortcuts. The conversation also covers how the Medicare industry is evolving, the increasing pressure agents are facing, and why the next generation of successful brokers will need to become more dynamic, adaptable, and relationship-focused than ever before. If you're building an insurance business, growing an agency, or trying to become a better producer, this episode is packed with practical insights and honest conversations about what it takes to win long term. Chapters 00:00 Welcome Back & Introducing Nate Brown 01:19 Nate Brown Joins Agent Boost 03:42 Building Relationships in Medicare Sales 06:18 Why Old School Agents Still Win 09:11 The Difference Between Great Agents & Average Agents 12:44 Training, Leadership & Building Better Teams 16:30 What’s Changed in Medicare Sales 20:12 The Industry Is Getting Harder 24:08 Why Diversification Matters More Than Ever 28:40 Compliance, Pressure & Industry Challenges 33:17 What Younger Agents Need To Understand 38:22 Building Trust With Clients Long Term 43:10 Why Relationships Still Matter Most 48:36 The Future of Medicare Agents 53:02 Final Thoughts & Advice For Agents 💻 Website: www.agentboost.com 💰 Get Contracted: https://agentboost.com/get-contracted 👨🏼‍🎓 Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/606332946546184/ 📬 Our Weekly Newsletter: https://agentboost.com/subscribe-to-our-newsletter/

May 25, 2026Episode 12038 min

Episode 120: Ed Park Devoted Health CEO on Medicare Advantage, Broker Trust, and Building Healthcare

Devoted Health CEO, Ed Park on Building a Different Kind of Medicare Advantage Plan | Agent Boost Podcast live from Medicarians 2026 at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, the Agent Boost Podcast sits down with the CEO of Devoted Health for a powerful conversation on growth, trust, broker partnerships, and what it takes to build a healthcare company differently. In this episode, we talk about Devoted crossing 500,000 members, expanding into 29 states, and moving from a regional player to a national Medicare Advantage organization. We also dig into what makes Devoted’s model different, including its member-first mission, virtual care model, concierge-style support, broker relationships, and focus on improving the health and lives of American seniors. The conversation covers healthcare waste, preventive care, GLP-1s, food and health data, broker trust, commission concerns, future expansion, and why Devoted believes the future of Medicare Advantage depends on better care, not just better benefits. https://www.devoted.com/ Chapters: 00:00 Introduction from Medicarians 2026 00:35 Meet Devoted Health CEO Ed Park 01:15 Broker feedback and the energy at Medicarians 03:10 Why Devoted is standing out in a challenging market 04:40 Devoted reaches 500,000 members 05:30 Why the 500K member milestone matters 06:35 Maintaining service while scaling fast 07:45 Devoted’s mission and “prime directive” 09:10 Why Devoted was built differently from the start 11:20 Athenahealth, healthcare payment models, and the origin story 13:15 Building an alternate universe healthcare system 15:05 Organic growth vs acquisition growth 17:00 Working with family and building with purpose 19:00 The hardest decision in building Devoted 21:15 What’s next for Devoted 23:00 Building trust with brokers and members 25:20 Why Devoted remains optimistic in a tough funding environment 27:45 Healthcare waste and preventable hospitalizations 30:00 GLP-1s, seniors, muscle loss, and unintended consequences 32:20 Food, health data, and better member outcomes 34:00 Weathering margin compression through the care model 36:00 Agents as the tip of the spear 38:30 Broker relationships, commissions, and long-term partnership 41:00 Devoted’s future goals and “virtual blue zone” vision 43:20 Final thoughts and appreciation for agents 💻 Website: www.agentboost.com 💰Get Contracted: https://agentboost.com/get-contracted 👨🏼‍🎓Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/606332946546184/ 📬 Our Weekly Newsletter: https://agentboost.com/subscribe-to-our-newsletter/

May 22, 2026Episode 12233 min

Episode 122: The Medicarians Story! ft. Jay Weintraub

Recorded live on the floor at Medicarians Vegas 2026, Dan and Mike sit down with Jay Weintraub, the founder and driving force behind Medicarians, the industry's premier annual conference that has grown from 1,100 attendees to over 5,500 in just five years. Jay pulls back the curtain on how Medicarians got started, what it was like buying a struggling conference and nearly getting it wrong, and what it actually takes to build a show that serves agents, carriers, IMOs, and vendors all under one roof. He shares the honest story of early mistakes, the feedback that shaped the event, and why getting the right people in the room changed everything. Dan and Mike also dig into how to maximize your time at a show like this, what agents should be trying to accomplish before they ever set foot on the floor, why Medicarians moved to Caesars Palace for 2027, and what Jay sees for the future of the event and the industry. If you've ever attended Medicarians or wondered what goes into building something like it, this is the episode. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome - Live from Medicarians Vegas 2026 & Introducing Jay Weintraub 00:56 How Medicarians Got Started & The Origin Story 03:15 Why Medicare Needed a Trade Show & Early Mistakes 05:13 What Was Missing - Getting Agents in the Room 06:38 Building a Neutral Platform That Works for Everyone 07:48 Taking Feedback & How the Show Evolved 09:07 Is the Medicare Industry More Complex Than Others? 10:14 Selling Leeds Con & Staying in the Events Business 11:32 Insurtech, Venture Capital & How Jay's Career Led to Medicarians 13:26 Serving Agents, IMOs, Carriers and Vendors Under One Roof 15:03 How ACA and Life Got Added to the Agenda 16:08 What Most People Don't Know About Running a Live Event 18:04 How to Prepare and Maximize Your Time at Medicarians 21:18 The Two Shows Inside Medicarians – Agent Track vs. High Level Meetings 22:37 Growth Goals & Where Medicarians Is Headed 24:04 Why Medicarians Moves to Caesars Palace for 2027 27:18 The Hardest Part & The Most Rewarding Moment 28:25 The Real Cost of Running an Event in Vegas 29:11 How Jay Curates Content and Tracks for Every Attendee 31:25 Closing – Why You Should Attend Medicarians 2027 💻 Website: www.agentboost.com 💰Get Contracted: https://agentboost.com/get-contracted 👨🏼‍🎓Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/606332946546184/ 📬 Our Weekly Newsletter: https://agentboost.com/subscribe-to-our-newsletter/

May 22, 2026Episode 12141 min

Episode 121: The Truth About Medicare Right Now ft. Jared Strock

Recorded live on the floor at Medicarians Vegas 2026, Dan and Mike sit down with returning guest Jared Strock, actuary, owner of Telos Actuarial, and founder of the Medicare Market Insights newsletter, for one of the most data-rich conversations we've had on the podcast. Jared breaks down what he's hearing from carriers, distributors, and industry insiders at the conference: less money in the system, tighter MLRs, shrinking benefits, and a market that's forcing everybody to do more with less. But it's not all doom and gloom. There are real signals of stabilization, and the carriers who've made smart strategic moves are starting to show it. We dig into UnitedHealthcare's Q1 results and what their 9% enrollment drop actually means, why Medicare Supplement plans are under more pressure than most people realize, the $4 billion fraud case (Operation Gold Rush) that hit carriers, not the government, and what that means for rising premiums, why broker commissions are one of the best deals in healthcare and carriers have lost sight of that, how AI is (and isn't) being used at actuarial firms right now, and what Jared sees coming for the Med Supp and MA markets in 2027 and 2028. Mike also pushes back on the industry narrative to abandon Medicare Advantage and chase annuities and explains exactly why Agent Boost's strategy is different. If you want to understand what's actually happening beneath the surface of this industry right now, this is the episode. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome - Live from Medicarians Vegas 2026 00:33 Introducing Jared Strock - Telos Actuarial & Medicare Market Insights 01:54 Day 3 at Medicarians - Sentiment & Key Themes 02:22 "Doing More With Less" - What Everyone Is Saying 03:06 CMS Funding vs. Medical Inflation - Where the Gap Is04:13 Did Carriers Actually Profit From the MA Boom Years? 05:22 UnitedHealthcare Q1 Results & What the Numbers Mean 06:43 The Pendulum - When Does MA Start Swinging Back? 08:08 The New Normal for Carriers Going Forward 09:49 Are MA Benefits Today Still Better Than 10 Years Ago? 12:34 The Revenue Gap - How Distribution Is Trying to Fill the Hole 14:59 Med Supp's Perfect Storm - Birthday Rule, GI & Rising Premiums 17:55 Why Broker Commissions Are One of the Best Deals in Healthcare 19:55 What Telos Actuarial Does & How They Help Carriers 20:46 IBNR Reserves Explained 23:39 Operation Gold Rush - The $4 Billion Med Supp Fraud Case 24:46 What Does the Med Supp Market Look Like in 2027 and 2028? 27:57 Jared's Growing Public Presence & Medicare Market Insights App 31:17 AI in Insurance - Hype vs. Practical Reality 33:52 Personal Connection Will Matter More as AI Grows 37:03 What Jared Is Worried About and What He's Optimistic About 39:21 What Mike Is Optimistic About - CMS Is Actually Listening 40:56 Closing + Next Trip to Utah on the Table 💻 Website: www.agentboost.com 💰Get Contracted: https://agentboost.com/get-contracted 👨🏼‍🎓Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/606332946546184/ 📬 Our Weekly Newsletter: https://agentboost.com/subscribe-to-our-newsletter/