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Topflight Founder and CEO Joanna Wyckoff joined David Denning on The Modern Insurance Agent Podcast to talk about how independent Medicare agents can reinvent themselves as full-service life and health agents, and how AI and smart marketing are changing what it takes to compete. Joanna shares her journey from the Air Force and Social Security to building a Medicare FMO from scratch in under two years, without private equity or an inherited downline. She explains why she leads with value instead of recruiting, why agents need to use their entire license, and how she uses AI tools to save time, catch missed commissions, and run her business more efficiently. In this episode:00:00 – Intro01:21 – Meet Joanna Wyckoff03:12 – From the Air Force and Social Security to insurance08:17 – Starting the Insurance Ladies Facebook group16:39 – Building an FMO by leading with value19:32 – How carrier changes are affecting agents24:51 – Why agents can’t just be Medicare agents anymore25:47 – Getting past the stigma around sales33:22 – Helping clients fill coverage gaps36:58 – Advice for agents making the full-service shift42:46 – How AI and automation are changing the business50:53 – The biggest myth about Medicare compliance53:09 – The long-term value of renewals58:23 – Where to connect with Joanna Credits [Special Episode]:This episode originally aired on The Modern Insurance Agent Podcast, hosted by David Denning of Jumpstart Go. All rights and credit belong to David Denning and The Modern Insurance Agent Podcast. Listen to more episodes and find the show notes at jumpstartgonow.com/podcast For agent education purposes only. This is not intended for Medicare beneficiaries.  Subscribe for more real talk on growing your insurance business. Questions or a topic you want covered? Reach out, we read everything. Host: Joanna Wyckoff Guest: David DenningInsurance Business Babes is owned by Cmed LLC.

Your clients might qualify for PACE, and they may not even know it. Joanna sits down with Samantha, a licensed agent, PACE expert, NABIP Medicare Advisory Group member, and founding board member of Trusted Healthcare Alliance, to explain the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). It isn’t Original Medicare and it isn’t Medicare Advantage. It’s a separate program built for people who need nursing home level care but want to stay at home. In this episode: → What PACE is and who qualifies (55+, nursing home level of care, living in a service area) → The 11-role interdisciplinary care team that coordinates everything → Prescriptions with no formulary, transportation from trained staff, meals, respite care, and DME → How agents can contract with PACE organizations and still get paid → Why agents shouldn’t fear “losing” clients to PACE → Caregiver burnout, loneliness, and the case for helping people age in place If you serve dual-eligible or high-need clients, this conversation changes how you think about your role. Chapters:00:30 Meet Samantha01:09 What is PACE?03:13 Prescriptions & benefits05:20 The 11-role care team10:39 How agents get paid13:13 Who qualifies17:43 What PACE covers29:22 How PACE is funded32:02 Medicare-only enrollment & cost33:30 Loneliness & aging in place42:27 Marketing rules for PACE48:00 Why agents should embrace PACE #Medicare #PACE #InsuranceAgents #MedicareAgent #DualEligible #AgingInPlace #InsuranceBusinessBabes  Subscribe for more real talk on growing your insurance business. Questions or a topic you want covered? Reach out, we read everything. Host: Joanna Wyckoff Guest: SamanthaInsurance Business Babes is owned by Cmed LLC.

Your PDP clients need a plan review this AEP, but what if you can't (or don't want to) do every one yourself? Joanna and Kathe sit down with Melinda Caughill of HeyMOE, a Part D plan comparison tool built to help Medicare beneficiaries review their drug plans with confidence. Melinda breaks down how agents can point clients to a self-serve option without losing the relationship. In this episode: - What "HeyMOE" actually stands for - How clients use HeyMOE and why it catches errors [Medicare.gov](http://medicare.gov/) doesn't- Drug entry flags: levothyroxine tablets vs. capsules, metformin combos, OTC drugs, and Part B drugs - Brand vs. generic toggles and seeing real-time savings - Why comparing 20 local pharmacies can save clients hundreds - How the agent affiliate program and dashboard work - Client data privacy: does Hey Moe sell consumer data?> > Chapters> > 00:00 Intro: three PDP review options for your clients> > 02:30 Welcome, Melinda Caughill> > 03:18 What "HeyMOE" stands for> > 04:16 How HeyMOE works for clients> > 05:32 Signing up as an agent affiliate> > 08:09 How the affiliate fee works> > 09:48 Plan data and suppressed plans> > 11:45 Drug entry guardrails> > 18:37 2027 drug rules and biosimilars> > 19:51 GLP-1s and the bridge program> > 22:42 Part B drug flags> > 25:22 Viewing your clients' results> > 30:00 Pharmacy savings across 20 locations> > 35:20 Future pricing for current subscribers> > 39:38 Does HeyMOE sell client data?> > 42:00 Wrap-up Become a HeyMOE affiliate: https://certifiedmedicareagents.com/heymoeSubscribe for more real talk on growing your insurance business. Questions or a topic you want covered? Reach out, we read everything.#InsuranceBusinessBabes #MedicareAgent #MedicareSeminars #InsuranceMarketing #AgentLife Host: Joanna Wyckoff and Kathe KlineGuest: Melinda CaughillInsurance Business Babes is owned by Cmed LLC.

How do you fill a movie theater with 100 Medicare prospects without paying for it all yourself? Steve Pomerantz and his team, Paula and Rachel, join Joanna to break down their sold-out "Medicare and a Movie" seminar. They had 130 RSVPs and about 100 people in the seats. They cover how they picked the movie, how they split the cost with a carrier and a provider, the Facebook ads that made seniors stop scrolling, and the follow-up system that turns attendees and no-shows into appointments.They also share how Steve grew from writing 50 apps in one AEP to over 300 the next by investing in the right people.In this episode: Why nostalgic movies draw a senior crowd What a 100-person movie event really costs (about $20 per person) How to pitch carriers and providers to co-sponsor your events Ad creative that stops the scroll, and why it doesn't have to be pretty Writing better AI prompts for your ads and thumbnails The $3.64 book that works as a lead generator Why you should never give up on your no-shows "Bring your mail": using the ANOC to create urgency Inviting current clients as built-in social proof Hiring and training your team before AEP, not during itChapters:00:30 Welcome Steve, Paula and Rachel00:45 The 100-person movie event01:48 Choosing the right movie for seniors02:36 What it cost03:28 Splitting the cost with a carrier and provider05:02 Facebook ads that stop the scroll07:16 Multiple ad creatives and AI prompts10:39 Keeping the room engaged for 45 minutes12:36 The book giveaway14:13 Follow-up and setting appointments16:34 130 RSVPs, 100 shows17:27 Don't write off your no-shows19:28 Annual Notice of Change: tell them to bring their mail20:34 What happens when a plan leaves the county24:08 Newsletters and a calendar of events26:31 Partnering with community lifestyle directors30:03 From 50 apps to 300+: investing in staff34:05 Current clients as social proof36:18 Hire and train early37:36 The fortune is in the follow-up38:58 Every policy is a family served"Every insurance policy is actually a family who is served and taken care of. It's not just a policy sold." – Joanna Wyckoff  Subscribe for more real talk on growing your insurance business. Questions or a topic you want covered? Reach out, we read everything. #InsuranceBusinessBabes #MedicareAgent #MedicareSeminars #InsuranceMarketing #AgentLifeHost: Joanna Wyckoff Guest: Steve Pomerantz, Paula & RachelInsurance Business Babes is owned by Cmed LLC.

If your appointments start and end with Medicare, you're leaving most of the relationship on the table. While Joanna's out, Kevin Sword sits down with TopFlight lead agent Mario Ortega to walk through the fact finder that turns a Medicare appointment into a full retirement conversation. Mario covers his whole process: how he introduces himself at seminars so clients expect the bigger conversation, the personal questions that uncover hidden income and needs, and how to spot openings for long-term care, life insurance, critical illness and annuities without selling during the fact find. In this episode: Why your process matters more than any formPositioning yourself as a retirement advisor, not "just" a Medicare agentHow asking about marriage, divorce or widowhood can uncover Social Security benefits worth $1,200 to $1,500 a monthReading the client: teachers, engineers, doctors and government employeesThe deductible and out-of-pocket question that shows when a Med Supp beats the work planUsing family health history and parents' longevity to guide cancer, critical illness and annuity conversationsLong-term care without fear tactics, and why every AEP is another chance to bring it upHow the Heartland home health plan fits clients with long medication listsLife insurance reviews: spotting accidental death coverage sold as "whole life," and partnering with estate attorneysReal client stories: the pension question behind a $500K rollover, and the $80K old IRA that became the "dumbest luck annuity"Hidden income such as dividends and high-yield savings interest that pushes clients into IRMAA surchargesWhy you should always close the Medicare sale first Guest: Mario OrtegaHost: Kevin Sword (filling in for Joanna Wyckoff)Insurance Business Babes is owned by Cmed LLC.

AEP is in the air and Kathe and Joanna are not entirely thrilled aboutit. In this episode, the ladies get into what's frustrating about thisseason (carriers releasing first looks in late September, non-commissionableplans, and plans being suppressed off Medicare.gov entirely) and whatagents can actually do about it. Then they shift to the part most agentsskip: getting yourself ready before October 15th hits. What they cover:  - Why waiting on carrier first looks has agents stuck in "hurry upand wait" - Directing clients to Medicare.gov for PDP reviews and what to expectfrom the accuracy - Guaranteed issue confusion, and why unlicensed guidance costs consumersreal money - Why your business address should not be your home address (especiallyfor women)- Pre-AEP admin: license renewals, CE hours, FFM certification, carregistration. Do it now - Health prep that protects your season: doctor appointments, mealprepping, grocery delivery, and walking while you work  If your birthday falls during AEP, this one's especially for you.  ---------------------------------------------------------------  Subscribe for more real talk on growing your insurance business. Questions or a topic you want covered? Reach out, we read everything.  Host: Joanna Wyckoff & Kathe KlineInsurance Business Babes is owned by Cmed LLC.

Most agents are sitting on a book of business they never go back to. In this episode, Joanna and Laura pick up last week's conversation and get specific: How do you call a client you enrolled years ago and offer them something new without feeling like a product pusher? The answer starts before the sale. Laura walks through how she sets the expectation at the very first meeting: she's not there to sell a plan, she's there for the whole person. That framing is what makes the second, third, and fifth conversation possible years later. They cover: Why the relationship has to start at the seminar table, not at renewalGetting your phone number into the client's phone before they ever need youHow to read a client's medication list as a roadmap to coverage gapsPainting the picture: what recovery actually looks like after a stroke, and why family isn't a planUsing real client stories instead of product pitchesGetting a benefit into the client's hands fast so they never second-guess the decisionTagging and organizing your book so you know exactly who to call nextWhy the no-shows on your seminar list are still leads you paid forThe mindset shift: you're an entrepreneur offering solutions, not a salesperson pushing productWhere life insurance and annuities fit for agents feeling squeezed on Medicare commissions Laura's core argument: if you don't offer it, nobody will. And the client pays for that silence later.Subscribe for more real talk on growing your insurance business. Questions or a topic you want covered? Reach out, we read everything. Guest: Laura WinninghamHost: Joanna Wyckoff & Kathe Kline Insurance Business Babes is owned by Cmed LLC.

You may as well be lighting your marketing budget on fire if you're not following up. While Kathy's away, Joanna sits down with special guest Laura Winningham to unpack the follow-up system that separates agents who fill their calendars from agents whose RSVPs go cold. Laura shares her exact playbook from calling every lead before the event and using storytelling techniques that build instant trust, to capturing the cross-selling opportunities (cancer, home health care, life insurance) most agents miss. In this episode: Why calling leads before the event sets the first impression and outperforms waiting for an inbound callHow storytelling (not the ABCs) is what actually sells you in a seminarReading the room: tailoring your pitch to teachers, federal workers, and union membersThe "Cancer Alley" hook and other stories that make prospects lean in Real client stories: the $10,000 deductible surprise, the wired-jaw dental gap, and the scooter that got denied How the Heartland home health care rebate mechanism works (and why clients love it) Using VAs and automations without losing the personal touch The permission-to-contact rule: why no-shows and old leads are still fair game Why your existing client list is a goldmine you're not mining hard enough Guest: Laura WinninghamHost: Joanna Wyckoff Insurance Business Babes is owned by Cmed LLC.

Kathy's on a break this episode, so Joanna brings the show straight from a Monday Morning Live training session, joined by COO Kevin and guest trainer Emily Henderson, one of the team's top producers. Emily walks through a live role-play demo of exactly how she presents a Medicare Advantage plan review to a client, using Kevin as her practice client "Mr. Jones." This episode is a masterclass in presentation structure: Emily shows how to walk a client through a summary of benefits line by line, premiums, deductibles, MOOP, hospital copays, specialist visits, and extra perks while identifying "the holes" in the plan as she goes, not after the sale is done. Joanna jumps in with the reasoning behind the technique: why you have to bring up gap coverage while the client is still feeling the "pain point," and why staying silent about it isn't neutral, it's a disservice. In this episode: A full live walkthrough of how to present a Medicare Advantage summary of benefitsHow to identify plan "holes" in real time instead of circling back laterWhy bringing up hospital copay, dental, and cancer gap coverage during the pain point works better than pitching it afterwardThe "you're the expert" mindset: why offering gap coverage is a responsibility, not a sales tacticA simple way to reframe cost: showing clients they're often paying just a few dollars a month for extensive protection If you've ever struggled with how to naturally bring up ancillary coverage without sounding like you're upselling, this episode gives you the exact language and structure to do it.  Follow Insurance Business Babes so you never miss an episode.   Hosted by Kathy Klein & Joanna Wyckoff

Medicare season doesn’t end when enrollment periods end—it’s time to start building for AEP. In this training, Joanna Wyckoff explains how top Medicare agents use the months leading up to AEP to fill their calendars, nurture existing clients, cross-sell additional products, uncover overlooked plan benefits, and build valuable referral partnerships. Learn how to reverse-engineer Medicare plan benefits to find dentists, DME providers, vision centers, gyms, realtors, and other community partners, while using events and ongoing outreach to create a steady pipeline of prospects. The focus is simple: get active now, build relationships, provide value, and create the foundation for a successful AEP.Topics covered: Preparing for AEP EarlyBuilding a Full Activity Calendar Cross-Selling Your Existing Book of BusinessReverse-Engineering Plan BenefitsBuilding Referral PartnershipsCommunity Engagement & EventsBuilding a Prospect PipelineFinding Special Enrollment OpportunitiesThe Core Strategy

Kathe and Joanna get real about AI, from cloned voices on stage to ChatGPT catching a kidney stone diagnosis. A candid, unfiltered look at using AI wisely in your insurance business. AI is everywhere but are you using it right? In this episode of Insurance Business Babes, Kathe and Joanna dive into the good, the frustrating, and the downright deceptive sides of AI in business and everyday life. They talk about AI voice cloning gone wrong, why "AI island renderings" should come with a warning label, and how leaning too hard on AI chatbots can cost you real clients. On the flip side, Joanna shares how she's trained her own AI to sound like her brand, and Kathe gets personal about how ChatGPT helped her figure out what was causing her kidney stones (turns out her "healthy" vegetarian diet was the culprit). They also talk carrier niching down, why spreading your business across too many carriers won't win you trips, and Joanna's ongoing hunt for beachfront property to fund her insurance-to-real-estate exit plan. Bottom line: use AI to work smarter, not to fake it because your clients and your audience can tell the difference. Topics covered: AI voice cloning and deepfakes in marketingSpotting AI-generated real estate listings and social postsTraining your AI to sound like your actual brand voiceNiching down with carriers to win IMO-level tripsUsing ChatGPT for personal health research (kidney stones, diet, GLP-1s)Why AI customer service can frustrate clients and what to do insteadBuilding a real estate exit strategy funded by insurance income

Joanna just landed her first Licensed Only Agent (LOA) and she's breaking down exactly how to do it right. In this episode of Insurance Business Babes, Joanna and Kathy dive deep into: What LOAs can (and can't) do with your book of businessClient ownership, non-solicit agreements & protecting your Medicare agencyWhy she hired a licensed service assistant instead of a traditional LOABringing on a COO with military leadership experienceBalancing rapid business growth as a single mom in the insurance industryThe au pair decision that's changing her work-life balance before AEP Whether you're a Medicare agent scaling your team, considering your first LOA hire, or just trying to figure out how to build support systems that actually work. This episode is packed with real talk on hiring, trust, and running a growing insurance business without burning out. Tune in for an honest conversation about leadership, boundaries, and what it really takes to scale in the Medicare space.#InsuranceBusinessBabes #MedicareAgent #LOA #InsuranceAgency #WomenInInsurance #MedicareAdvantage #AEP #InsuranceLeadership #WorkLifeBalance #SmallBusinessHiring

Joanna's out this week, but Kathy is joined by a special guest, Laura Winningham, a dynamic Medicare and short-term care specialist Kathy met at one of Joanna's events. Laura brings a masterclass in mindset and sales strategy for agents navigating a shrinking-commission world. Laura opens with a message every agent needs right now: don't absorb commission cuts into your identity. Instead, pivot and the way you pivot is by selling deep to every client instead of being a "one-trick pony." She walks through her exact phone script for setting client expectations before ever quoting a plan, why she "sets the table" early so clients ask her for the gap coverage instead of the other way around, and how staying focused on one go-to product per category (instead of chasing every shiny new offering) builds real confidence and results. The conversation dives deep into a specific home healthcare/short-term care policy that pays out for prescription costs, physical therapy, and skilled nursing, including real client stories, how the prescription rebate actually works, and where agents commonly trip up on the claims process. Laura also shares the exact language she uses to reframe long-term care conversations, why she brings up cancer coverage again and again even after being told no, and the tough personal story that shaped how she talks to clients about calling out their own excuses, with love. In this episode: Why commission cuts shouldn't change how you run your businessThe exact phone script Laura uses to set client expectations before quoting a planWhy picking ONE go-to product per category beats offering "everything" How a home healthcare short-term care policy can pay clients back more than they pay inThe claims process most agents don't explain to clients upfrontWhy Laura brings up cancer coverage on the first, second, and third "no"The mindset shift that turns objections into "let's get you enrolled" If you've ever hesitated to bring up a product a second time after a client said no, or you've been a one-product agent wondering how to start cross-selling, this episode is packed with real scripts and real stories you can use today. Follow Insurance Business Babes so you never miss an episode.

Kathy and Joanna catch up after a whirlwind few weeks, Platinum Pipeline 2.0 recap, a solo flight with baby Harmony, and Joanna finally opening her own short-term care policy after sitting on the advice for years. Then they get into the topic every Medicare agent needs to hear before AEP hits: non-commissionable products are no longer just a Medicare Advantage problem. Humana and UnitedHealthcare have already gone non-commissionable in parts of the country, Blue Cross Arizona is forcing agents to move contracts to get paid, and now MedSup carriers are starting to follow. Kathy and Joanna talk through what this actually means for independent agents, why "staying in your county" isn't a safe strategy anymore, and how diversifying by location and by product line is the only way to protect your income long-term. They also get real about the tools they've dropped (Connecture, RetireFlow), the workaround Kathy's using now that Medicare.gov data isn't reliable, and a compliance detail a lot of agents don't realize: you don't need a signed Scope of Appointment to talk about health products like dental, vision, or short-term care during a Medicare meeting. In this episode: Platinum Pipeline 2.0 recap, the speakers, the lessons, and what Joanna's implementing from itWhy non-commissionable Medicare Advantage plans are just the beginningMedSup carriers going non-commissionable in states like New YorkThinking beyond your county (or even your state) to protect your businessWhy Kathy dropped her "free quote" service using Health Sherpa and Medicare.govThe compliance rule most agents don't know about health product cross-sellingJoanna's personal story on why every client, even MedSup clients, should be offered a cancer policy  If you sell Medicare and you haven't thought about what happens when your best-selling plans stop paying commission, this episode is your wake-up call.  Follow Insurance Business Babes so you never miss an episode.

It's July, which means AEP is closer than you think, and Kathy and Joanna are here to make sure you're not scrambling in October. In this episode, the Business Babes dive into everything Medicare agents need to be doing RIGHT NOW to prepare for the biggest season of the year. Joanna breaks down her no-nonsense approach to AHIP certification (skip the slides if you've already certified, but don't skip them if you fail), while Kathy shares why June and July are the most underrated months for building your pipeline. You'll hear real stories including Joanna's hospital scare in 2023 and the whirlwind birth of her daughter Harmony two days before Thanksgiving, that prove why "I'll do it later" is not a strategy. Kathy also unpacks her proven "Senior Moments" event formula: how a $120/month sandwich lunch and a rented room turned into years of consistent referrals, plus how to network with Centers of Influence (COIs) like doctors, home health agencies, and discharge nurses without coming off as pushy. Whether you're brand new to Medicare sales or a seasoned agent, this episode is packed with practical, low-cost strategies you can implement today, not in October. In this episode: Why June & July are your most important prep monthsAHIP vs. NABIP certification tips (and what to do if you fail) How to build a referral pipeline using COIs and joint eventsThe "Senior Moments" event model that costs $150 and pays off for yearsHow to work a table at a health fair without being "that" annoying agentWhy consumer resource guides are a $1.50 investment that keeps paying offReal talk on preparing for the unexpected during AEP If you've been putting off your certifications or event planning, consider this your sign to knock it out today.   Hosted by Kathy Klein & Joanna Wyckoff