AEP Readiness: Your Complete Prep Checklist

AEP only runs 54 days, and once you subtract Thanksgiving, weekends, and the days clients simply won't take a meeting, the real selling window is even tighter. Here's a consolidated checklist to make sure you hit the season running.

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Get contracting and certifications locked down early. Carrier contracting can take up to six weeks to process, so don't wait until October. Aim to have all contracting and certifications wrapped up well before October 15, ideally by August, since carriers roll out annual certification courses (AHIP or accepted alternatives like NABIP) between July and September, and release next year's plan details from July through October. Use InTouch Financial Group's contracting resources to see which carriers and products round out your portfolio, and check your appointment status directly with any carrier you're unsure about.

Line up your supplies and carrier info. Once you're certified and appointed, most carriers let you pre-order enrollment kits for the new plan year — check with each carrier's broker portal or your InTouch Financial Group resources for details. Take time before the season starts to get familiar with each carrier's online tools, support numbers, and submission processes (a simple shared spreadsheet works well here), and watch for carrier webinars covering portal updates and e-App changes.

Get organized before October 1. Build out your call lists and client segments now rather than scrambling once AEP starts — every hour spent hunting for leads in November is an hour not spent selling. Reach out to clients as soon as October 1 hits to start scheduling annual plan reviews, and flag early if you expect a client will want to switch plans this year.

Contact every client — not just the ones with plan changes. It's tempting to focus only on clients whose plans changed, but every client is also a prospect for another agent. A quick, low-effort touchpoint (a personalized outreach email, a check-in call) keeps you top of mind and protects your book.

Don't leave cross-sell opportunities on the table. Ask questions in every client meeting that might surface additional needs — a family history of cancer could point to a supplemental cancer policy, and pairing a Medicare Advantage plan with hospital indemnity coverage helps cover costs like hospital stays and ambulance rides that MA doesn't fully absorb. Remember that CMS rules prevent you from pitching non-health products in the same meeting as an MA plan discussion, so get the primary coverage locked in first and schedule a follow-up to cover ancillary options while the client's attention is still on their coverage.

Market yourself, not just your services. Serving clients comes first, but marketing yourself should be a close second. Affinity partnerships with other local businesses or organizations can open a steady lead pipeline. Stay visible year-round with birthday cards, newsletters (like this one), and quarterly check-ins — regular contact is what makes a client think of you first when a friend has an insurance question. After enrollment, follow up to confirm clients received their materials and understand how their plan works.

Make sure your toolkit covers these five must-haves:

1.      Mobile access — your website and enrollment tools need to work cleanly on phones and tablets, since more seniors (and their tech-savvy family members) are searching and comparing on mobile every year.

2.     A paperless workflow — an online CRM keeps client data organized, reduces HIPAA risk, and beats digging through paper files during your busiest season.

3.     Integrated online enrollment — a single platform where clients can view available plans, enter their doctors and medications, and enroll on the spot cuts out mailing delays

entirely.

4.     A working lead pipeline — a simple contact form on your site lets interested prospects reach you on their own schedule, so you're not spending selling-season hours chasing cold leads.

5.     Built-in compliance — CMS requires recorded and retained sales/enrollment/marketing calls and a documented Scope of Appointment before any Medicare sales meeting. Choose tools that make these steps automatic rather than something you have to remember.

Talk to InTouch Financial Group about which tools and resources can help you check all five boxes before October 1.