Jump in the time machine with us as we travel back circa 2005 for the first Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, the debut of Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, two new Med Supp plans, and more!

 

Read the text version

 

Contact the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! Email us ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.

 

Resources:

4 Ways PlanEnroll Will Make This Your Best AEP Yet

4 Reasons Why Ritter Insurance Marketing Should Be Your FMO Insurance Agency

5 Medicare Myths Your Clients May Believe

10 Tips to Submitting an Error-Free Medicare Enrollment Application

2026 Medicare Part D Bid Info Likely Means Higher Premiums & Plan Disruption — Here's Why

A Review of Integrity's Top Medicare Quoting Tools

How Insurance Agents Can Use AI Tools

How Storytelling Helps Agents Quickly Connect with Clients ft. Don Connelly

IntegrityCONNECT & PlanEnroll FAQs

Register with RitterIM.com

Risk Adjustment & Finding Value Beyond Coding Changes ft. Dr. Shannon Decker

The Future of Medicare Part D: The Push Toward MAPD

The Ultimate Agent Resource List Pt. 3: Staying Organized

 

References:

“2005 CMS Statistics.” Cms.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/research-statistics-data-and-systems/statistics-trends-and-reports/medicaremedicaidstatsupp/downloads/2005_cms_statisticspdf. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

“2025 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 8 Nov. 2024, www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2025-medicare-parts-b-premiums-and-deductibles.

McManus, Melanie Radzicki. “A Short History of How Netflix Won World Domination in Streaming.” Entertainment.Howstuffworks.Com, HowStuffWorks, 21 Dec. 2018, entertainment.howstuffworks.com/short-history-netflix-world-domination-streaming.htm.

“Beneficiaries with Special Needs Can Get Help from Medicare Managed Care Plans.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/beneficiaries-special-needs-can-get-help-medicare-managed-care-plans. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Laschober, Mary. “Estimating Medicare Advantage Lock-In Provisions Impact on Vulnerable Medicare Beneficiaries.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/files/document/05springpg63pdf.

“IPod Shuffle (1st Generation).” Apple.Fandom.Com, Apple Wiki, apple.fandom.com/wiki/IPod_shuffle_(1st_generation). Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

“K & L Out-of-Pocket Limits Announcements.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/medicare/health-drug-plans/medigap/k-l-out-of-pocket-limits-announcements. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

“Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Programs to Remain Stable as CMS Implements Improvements to the Programs in 2025.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 27 Sept. 2024, www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/medicare-advantage-and-medicare-prescription-drug-programs-remain-stable-cms-implements-improvements.

Freed, Meredith, et al.  “Medicare Advantage 2025 Spotlight: A First Look at Plan Offerings.” KFF.Org, KFF, 9 Aug. 2025, www.kff.org/medicare/medicare-advantage-2025-spotlight-a-first-look-at-plan-offerings/.

Freed, Meredith, Jeannie Fugleston Biniek, et al. “Medicare Advantage 2025 Spotlight: A First Look at Plan Premiums and Benefits.” KFF.Org, KFF, 9 Aug. 2025, www.kff.org/medicare/medicare-advantage-2025-spotlight-a-first-look-at-plan-premiums-and-benefits/.

“Medicare Part B Immunosuppressive Drug Benefit.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/partbid-provider. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

“Medicare Demonstration to Transition Enrollment of Low Income Subsidy Beneficiaries .” Cms.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 8 June 2006, www.cms.gov/Medicare/Prescription-Drug-Coverage/PrescriptionDrugCovContra/Downloads/MemoLTCContracting_060806.pdf.

“Medicare Part B Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount.” Federalregister.Gov, Federal Register, www.federalregister.gov/documents/2006/10/27/E6-17690/medicare-part-b-income-related-monthly-adjustment-amount. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Cubanski, Juliette, and Anthony Damico. “Medicare Part D in 2025: A First Look at Prescription Drug Plan Availability, Premiums, and Cost Sharing.” KFF.Org, KFF, 9 Aug. 2025, www.kff.org/medicare/medicare-part-d-in-2025-a-first-look-at-prescription-drug-plan-availability-premiums-and-cost-sharing/.

“Medicare Program Description and Legislative History.” Ssa.Gov, Social Security Administration, www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/supplement/2006/medicare.html. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

“Medicare Program; Establishment of the Medicare Advantage Program.” Federalregister.Gov, Federal Register, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2005/01/28/05-1322/medicare-program-establishment-of-the-medicare-advantage-program. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

“Part D / Prescription Drug Benefits.” Medicareadvocacy.Org, Center for Medicare Advocacy, 30 May 2025, medicareadvocacy.org/medicare-info/medicare-part-d/.

“Pop Culture in Review for the Year 2005.” Mrpopculture.Com, Mr. Pop Culture , 29 Nov. 2023, mrpopculture.com/pop-culture-in-review-for-the-year-2005/.

"The Medicare Advantage program: Availability, benefits, and special needs plans - Chapter 9." Medpac.Gov, Medpac.gov, www.medpac.gov/wp-content/uploads/import_data/scrape_files/docs/default-source/reports/Jun06_Ch09.pdf. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Gold, Marsha. “The Landscape of Private Firms Offering Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage in 2006.” Modern.Kff.Org, The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, www.kff.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/7474.pdf. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

“The next Generation of Medicare Beneficiaries - Chapter 2.” Medpac.Gov, Medpac.gov, <a href="http://www.medpac.gov/wp-content/uploa