
Agent Update Memo — February 2026
Below you will find new Medicare training and information both from Senior Marketing Specialists and the insurance industry as a whole. This information will be updated throughout the month.
Last Edited: 2/23/2026
Senior Marketing Specialists Updates
- Sample Interview Script for New Agent Interviews
- Make the most out of HIDE/FIDE Integrated opportunities! Not sure what this means or how it pertains to you? Give us a call today!
- Comments for the proposed final rule have been turned in! Give us a call to discuss what the proposed 2027 final rule could mean for you.
- Do you need a slide deck to advertise ancillary products on your waiting room TV? Click here!
- Medicare Quick Start Live Webinar Event starting Feb 16th at 11 AM CST (Monday-Friday)
- UnitedHealthcareOne – Quote and Enroll Webinar: February 24th at 10 AM CST
- Allstate – ACA Alternatives and Ancillary Opportunities Webinar: March 5th at 10 AM CST
- Cross-Selling in 2026 Webinar: March 12th at 10 AM
- Now that AEP is over, let’s talk IntegrityCONNECT! Get a training on the books to talk through how to utilize it!
Year-Round Selling Opportunities
- SAR SEP – last few weeks!!
- HIDE/FIDE
- CSNP
- Annuities
- FEMA SEP
- Ancillary
- OEP
Industry Updates
- Senior Marketing Specialists News Page: Selected Drugs for Price Negotiation for 2028.
- Senior Marketing Specialists News Page: Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help Income Limits for 2026
- View more of our blogs on our News Feed.
- American Hospital Association: 5 Innovations Strengthening the Rural Health Care Workforce
- American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC): PBM Reforms Signed Into Law, Reshaping Medicare Part D Drug Pricing Transparency
- CNBC: Novo Nordisk CEO sees 15 million patient opportunity in Medicare coverage for obesity drugs
- Fierce Healthcare: CMS issues final rule closing state Medicaid provider tax ‘loophole’
- Forbes: Medicare Advantage Insurers Are Experiencing Unprecedented Headwinds
- Healthcare Finance: HIMSSCast: 2026 could be the most challenging year yet for Medicare Advantage payers
- KFF: Examining the Potential Impact of Medicare’s New WISeR Model
- Merill: Will the ‘Great Wealth Transfer’ transform the markets?
- Deft Research: AEP Gut Check Study (MA loyalty continues to decline every year, see chart below)
Carrier Updates
SNP sales continue to be a growing portion of carrier enrollments!
Carriers are expecting to sell MORE non-ACA plans in Q1 than in Q4. Call us today if you need carrier recommendations!
- Short term major medical
- Fixed benefit indemnity plans
AETNA
- Aetna has updated their Recovery Care Product to now include a Part B Excess Charge benefit!
CIGNA
- Cigna is pausing HIP sales in Idaho.
MANHATTAN LIFE
- Policy Delivery Update: Email will be the default method of delivery. Rather than sending policy documents as attachments, policyholders will receive an email with instructions to access their documents through the Policyholder Portal. Printed policies will still be mailed upon request.
- Hospital Indemnity Update: We are excited to announce that we have made changes (an increase) to the HI Select commission level. You may recall when we launched the product in 2024 the commission levels were split by age range, with the 64.5-79 age band being higher than the 1864.5 age range. We have now increased the lower age band to match the upper age band.
MEDICO
Medico adjusting commissions in Washington as of February 1.
MOLINA
- Molina planning to exit any non-SNP plans for 2027.
PHYSICIANS MUTUAL
- Dental Rate Adjustment in: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wyoming.
UNITED HEALTHCARE
- UHC SSBCI: Overall, 96% of the D-SNP membership has been verified for SSBCI benefits. Thank you for all of your hard work in getting the message out there to agents and in turn members. As we all know, not everyone is going to be eligible as they may not have a qualifying condition.
WELLCARE
- Additional WellCare MA plans suppressed in: AR, CA, IA, IN, KS, KY.
All contracted Agents receive FREE access to SMS-University, the industry’s most trusted, comprehensive online training platform; featuring numerous training modules, whitepapers, and clear, concise education tools.
Sources:
cited in article
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