How to Discuss Medicare with Your Clients

Medicare is a costly blind spot for many financial advisors. Here’s how to turn it into an opportunity to grow your business. Financial advisors who wouldn’t hesitate to start a conversation about planning for college tuition may never even think to ask their Medicare-eligible clients about planning for healthcare. That’s a problem. Research shows healthcare costs are the number one financial concern among retirees 1 . Clients are looking for your guidance. If you aren’t talking to them about their number one financial concern, someone else will.

Americans spend hundreds of billions of dollars on Medicare plans every year 2 . Talking to your clients about Medicare is a great opportunity to grow your business, and Healthpilot is a new tool that helps you make the most of it. With a simple online referral, you can put your clients at ease and potentially save them hundreds or even thousands on healthcare.

Start with their financial goals. As with other aspects of financial planning, it all starts with your client's goals. Just as new parents want to save for college, seniors may want to retire, leave an inheritance, travel, or simply get the best care as they age.

A discussion of your client’s goals is a good time to bring up Medicare. Let your clients know that achieving their goals requires successfully managing their healthcare costs by finding the right Medicare plan . With Healthpilot, you have the Medicare solution they need to save money, protect their assets, and progress toward their goals.

How do they like their current insurance? Ask how they like their current healthcare coverage. How much do they pay out of pocket for things like premiums, co-pays, and deductibles? Make it clear that you are not asking about their medical history. You’re simply gathering facts to better understand their annual Medicare costs, as you would with any other expense.

It’s all right if they don’t know details like their maximum out-of-pocket cost. You're simply introducing Medicare coverage as a topic to include in your conversations. As you continue to discuss it throughout your relationship, you'll increase their confidence in your ability to help them manage Medicare costs.

The easy way to find the right Medicare plan. Medicare plans like Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap), Medicare Advantage Plans , and Part D Prescription Drug Plans can help your clients with costs Original Medicare, also known as Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B , won’t pay. Consumers have an average of 33 Medicare Advantage plans and 30 Medicare Part D prescription drug plans to choose from 3 . But once you partner with Healthpilot , all you have to do is refer your clients to us. We’ll find the right plan for your client’s healthcare needs and help you with retention by keeping them in the right plan for life

When should you talk to your clients about Medicare? Every time you talk to your Medicare-eligible clients. Whenever you meet with a Medicare-eligible client, make it a point to discuss their Medicare coverage. Let them know they can find the right Medicare plan online with Healthpilot, even before they are eligible to enroll. It’s free, easy to use and if they have any questions, they can get live help from one of our co-pilots. When your clients are turning 65. Reach out to all clients who are 64 or recently turned 65. They are, or soon will be, eligible to enroll in Medicare for the first time. The Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) lasts seven months: three months before they turn 65 + their birthday month + three months after. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to start their Medicare journey right. Don’t let them miss it. Every summer, remind all your Medicare-eligible clients about AEP. The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs from October 15 to December 7. This is when Medicare members have the greatest opportunity to review their current coverage and enroll in the best plan for their needs. Refer them to Healthpilot every year during Medicare Annual Enrollment. It’s easy to get started with Healthpilot. Talking about Medicare creates a recurring, high-value client touch point for you while Healthpilot does the work of finding the right Medicare plan for your clients. All you have to do is keep bringing Medicare into your conversations and making the referrals to Healthpilot. We do the rest.

Learn more about Healthpilot for financial advisors and set up your Healthpilot account today!

Let’s talk about what partnering with Healthpilot can do for your business. Email our Healthpilot Partner Success Team at advisor@healthpilot.com .

[1] Edward Jones, The Four Pillars of the New Retirement, Jan, 2021. https://www.edwardjones.com/sites/default/files/acquiadam/2021-01/Edward-Jones-4-Pillars-US-report.pdf

[2]Kaiser Family Foundation, Medicare Advantage in 2021: Enrollment Update and Key Trends, Jun, 2021. https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/medicare-advantage-in-2021-enrollment-update-and-key-trends/

[3] Kaiser Family Foundation, 7 in 10 Medicare Beneficiaries Report That They Did Not Compare Their Coverage Options During a Recent Open Enrollment Period, October 2021. https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/seven-in-ten-medicare-beneficiaries-did-not-compare-plans-during-past-open-enrollment-period/

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