The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs from October 15 to December 7 each year, and demand for help peaks during those weeks. Agencies that plan early get better results and fewer compliance headaches. Here is a checklist to work through before the season starts.
Compliance first
- Review current CMS marketing guidelines for the upcoming plan year
- Include the required third-party marketing organization (TPMO) disclaimer wherever it applies, including ads, websites, and calls
- Confirm your scope-of-appointment process and call recording practices
- Have marketing materials reviewed before they go live
Campaigns
- Prepare search, social, and call campaigns in advance so they are approved before October
- Build landing pages specific to Medicare Advantage, Supplement, and Part D questions
- Plan budgets that increase as AEP approaches and taper after December 7
Staffing and call capacity
- Match campaign volume to the number of licensed, certified agents available each day
- Set call routing and business hours so calls are not wasted after hours
- Prepare follow-up scripts for callers who aren’t ready to enroll on the first call
Tracking
- Use separate tracking numbers and UTM tags for each campaign
- Report on enrollments by source, not only leads and calls
After AEP
The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs from January 1 to March 31, giving beneficiaries already in Medicare Advantage one chance to switch plans. Plan a smaller campaign for this window, and keep following up with people you spoke to during AEP.
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