Many agents are taking proactive steps to better prepare for what promises to be one of the most challenging AEP seasons in recent memory. But what exactly are top-performing agents doing differently this year?
To find out, I spoke with five agents about their strategies for navigating the 2025 Annual Enrollment Period for 2026 plans. Here's what they had to say.
Why This AEP Is Different
This year's AEP is shaping up to be unprecedented—not just busy, but fundamentally different from anything we've experienced before.
For the first time in over 20 years, MA enrollment is expected to drop to 34 million in 2026, down from 34.9 million in 2025—the first year-over-year decrease in roughly two decades (CMS).
Major carriers are exiting hundreds of counties across the country (Healthcare Dive):
- UnitedHealthcare: Exiting 109 counties and fully withdrawing from 16 markets, affecting approximately 180,000-600,000 members
- Humana: Cutting coverage in 194 counties and exiting 3 states entirely (from 48 states to 46)
- Aetna: Withdrawing from 100 counties and one state (from 2,259 counties to 2,159)
Regional players like Health Alliance (Illinois), UCare (Minnesota), Samaritan Health Plans (Oregon), Anthem (New Hampshire), and Martin's Point (New Hampshire) are exiting markets entirely.
Out-of-pocket costs are rising even as premiums fall. The national median Maximum Out-of-Pocket limit is jumping from $5,400 to $5,900—a 9.3% increase.
And perhaps most significantly for agents, the explosion of non-commissionable plans means many of us are being asked to serve clients with dramatically reduced or zero compensation.
But here's the challenge: many agents are being asked to navigate this complexity with significantly reduced compensation or none at all.
You can read more about everything going on this AEP on our blog:
-
CMS Rejects Plan Bids for the First Time & Other 2026 AEP Updates
-
What Medicare Agents Need to Know About the 2026 Market Landscape
Keeping It Simple: Narrowing Carrier Focus
Joren K. is taking a strategic approach by limiting his carrier lineup to maintain efficiency during the chaos.
"Medicare Advantage becomes more of a factor every year. With that being said, I stick with the three companies that have the most experience and the broadest network of providers. It gets too complicated having more than three Medicare Advantage companies. Because of that, I usually just have three Part D carriers as well.
On the Med Supp side, it's much easier navigating with more carriers, although I usually hone in on three. Again, just have to be familiar with all my main companies' products and operating systems prior to Oct 15th."
Joren's approach represents one way to manage the increased complexity: by limiting carriers to a focused few, he can develop deep expertise with each company's products and systems.
For many agents, deep knowledge of a few solid carriers beats surface-level familiarity with many—especially when time is at a premium during the busiest weeks of the year.
Prioritizing Clients and Strategic Outreach
Angie P. is focusing on proactive client communication and maintaining her market presence despite the challenges.
She's keeping her approach steady this season, focusing on prioritizing clients in need and ensuring her current clients are still in plans that fit their needs:
"[I'll be] making sure my clients are still a good fit for the plan they are in and confirming the prescription drugs."
Angie also emphasized the importance of continuing to market herself in the Medicare space with public presence and availability.
Her steady approach emphasizes what's always worked: being available, responsive, and focused on clients who genuinely need help. In a year of chaos, consistency and reliability become even more valuable.
Addressing Service Area Reductions First
Luke H. identified the most urgent priority for agents with existing books of business this year.
"I would say our main focus and strategy is taking care of our service area reductions first before anything else."
This is crucial advice. With UnitedHealthcare alone affecting 180,000 members through full market exits—plus hundreds of thousands more impacted by Humana, Aetna, and regional carrier withdrawals—agents with established client bases need to triage.
Your existing clients who are losing their plans through no fault of their own must come first. These are people who trusted you to set them up with good coverage, and now, through carrier decisions outside your control, they need your help again.
Identify which of your clients are in the affected counties and reach out proactively. Be the calm, informed voice that helps them understand their options before the December 7th deadline approaches.
The Strategic Pullback from Part D
Perhaps the most significant trend emerging this year is agents making the difficult but necessary decision to step back from Part D sales due to the compensation crisis.
Amanda C. shared her approach:
"This year, we have changed things up a lot. We sent out a letter letting our clients know that we are no longer handling Part D. We gave them the resources to do it themselves or connections with places that can help. It seems to be going good so far."
Michael S. is taking a similar path:
"We are directing people to the senior center for their drug plans instead of tackling them ourselves."
These decisions aren't made lightly. With hundreds of Part D plans now non-commissionable, spending hours helping clients compare drug plans, run prescriptions, check formularies, and complete applications for zero compensation simply isn't sustainable.
It's a harsh reality, but one that many agents are facing. The economics have to work. You can't pay your bills with goodwill alone.
Many agents will continue serving Part D clients out of commitment to their communities or because they've found ways to make the economics work. But the trend toward strategic pullbacks is real, and it's understandable.
Tools and Support for a Challenging Season
Regardless of your strategy, efficiency tools will be more critical than ever this year.
IntegrityCONNECT offers comprehensive quoting, enrollment, and client management capabilities that can help you serve more clients in less time. With agents using IntegrityCONNECT submitting up to 79% more applications, the efficiency gains are real.
Learn more about this technology: Game-Changing Technology Now Available: IntegrityCONNECT
Features like Ask Integrity's AI-powered assistance, Client Sync for automated updates, and integrated quoting across MA, Medicare Supplement, and Part D can help you maximize your productivity during the busiest weeks of the year.
Register for IntegrityCONNECT training or reach out for one-on-one support at jferguson@nhmteam.net.
Conclusion
The 2025 AEP is presenting challenges unlike any we've seen before. But here's what the agents I spoke with all had in common: they're not giving up. They're adapting.
Whether it's narrowing carrier focus for efficiency, prioritizing existing clients with urgent needs, or making tough calls about which product lines they can afford to service, these agents are finding ways to continue serving their communities while maintaining viable businesses.
Good selling!
