Insurance Training HQ - May 2026 Newsletter
Agent Training, Sales Tools, Resources, Updates, and more!
Topics discussed in this Newsletter:
April Recap
Medicare Level 100 Update
Election Period IQ
MARC Update
Industry News
Looking Ahead
👋Welcome & May Overview
May has been an amazing time for the company. We are wrapping up some last-minute items and preparing for a bright future. While we've had a bumpy start, we are shaping up to have something that will genuinely help agents be more successful in the Medicare industry.
We are building Insurance Training HQ specifically for independent insurance agents who don't have access to training resources — and for agents at agencies that don't offer Medicare training. We understand the struggle and are working as quickly as possible to get you the help and training you deserve.
This newsletter is for you.
🌹April Recap
In April we zeroed in on completing the Medicare Level 100 Core Foundation Series and began designing the Election Period IQ platform. We were so focused that we paused our blog, newsletter, and social media presence — and yes, we published the April newsletter late. Last month was about focus. This month is about refinement. Next month will be about growth.
From April's newsletter, here is where we stand on our commitments:
Medicare Level 100 Series Complete — The full 10-course series (Medicare 101 → 110) is built and in beta testing. CE approval pursuit is underway.
Election Period IQ Launched — The Qualifier Tool is live at electionperiodiq.com and available to Agent HQ members. New features have been added since launch.
MARC Taking Shape — The Medicare Agent Resource Center is built out with resources, blueprints, SPAP lists, Medigap GI rights, and carrier resources — exclusively for Agent HQ Plus members.
Blog Series Restart — We paused the blog series in April. We are restarting it next week. Thank you for your patience.
Over the past few months, I've personally been working toward my Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification to help optimize and operationalize our business and the companies we serve. Continued improvement comes for all of us at different stages in life — it's important that we keep learning and optimizing ourselves. Inches by inches, progress is made in time.
🎓Medicare Level 100 Core Foundation Series
The Medicare Level 100 Core Foundation Series is complete! This isn't just another checkbox — it's a real, practical foundation in Medicare that goes well beyond AHIP and carrier certifications. It fills the gaps most programs miss and prepares agents to move confidently into advanced topics.
Here is what we are currently focused on:
Internal review of every course — text, video, questions, answers, job-aids, pricing, and progress flow — to ensure everything performs as intended.
Beta tester feedback integration — We have agents actively taking the courses and reporting issues. We are resolving them in real time. This step will reduce support tickets, improve user experience, and help garner confidence in the platform.
CE Credit submission — We are preparing to submit the course series for Continuing Education credit approval, starting with Texas, then expanding to additional states. We are not certain how long the approval process will take, but we are moving forward this week.
Social media marketing launch — We are preparing to market the course series and platform resources to agents searching for Medicare Advantage training.
This course series is extensive and has a lot of information. We are taking the time needed to ensure it is excellent before we fully open the doors. We appreciate your patience as we finalize this milestone.
Medicare Level 100 - Demo Video
Pricing reminder: Agent HQ Plus members get the full series included with membership. Agent HQ Light members can purchase individual courses at $19.99 or the full series for $199.00.
🧠Election Period IQ — Qualifier Tool
If you missed our launch announcement, Election Period IQ is a guided, compliance-focused platform built to help licensed agents identify and verify the right Medicare Election Period for their clients. The tool simplifies election period research, supports confident plan selection, and enables more accurate enrollments.
How to access it:
Agent HQ Light & Plus members — sign into your account and navigate to the dropdown menu to find the Election Period IQ page.
Non-members — visit electionperiodiq.com, create a free account, and access the tool from any device.
What's New in Election Period IQ — Since launch, we've added three significant enhancements to the qualifier tool's calculation engine:
✓ Live
⭐ 5-Star SEP
The system now identifies whether a 5-Star Plan is available in the beneficiary's service area, helping the agent know which plan to present for enrollment to utilize SEP-5ST.
✓ Live
🌪️SEP-DST (Disaster)
The tool walks agents through verifying SEP-DST eligibility and validates the declared disaster by State and County. Since each carrier recognizes different Federal and State disasters, agents are also required to select the plan in question and verify approved disasters against their answers.
⏳ In Progress
🫂SEP-INT (Integrated D-SNP)
We are working on compiling a comprehensive list of every state's Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MMCOs) and all FIDE, HIDE, and AIP D-SNP plans to fully develop the SEP-INT workflow. The tool currently functions, but cannot yet verify MMCO vs. D-SNP plan alignment to ensure full accuracy for this election period. We will update this as the data becomes available.
⚠️ Important Reminder:
The Election Period IQ Qualifier Tool does not make eligibility determinations for an enrollment. That determination is made by CMS and the carrier. This tool is a helpful guide, but its outputs are based solely on user inputs and are not based on verified beneficiary data. Agents should use this tool to understand how election periods work, but should not rely on it solely when determining enrollment eligibility for a client.
🌐Medicare Agent Resource Center (MARC)
MARC is your resource launchpad — a centralized hub of tools, documents, blueprints, and links built exclusively for Agent HQ Plus members. Here is a breakdown of what is available right now:
🔗 Quick Links
NIPR, Sircon, Medicare.gov, Medicare & You 2026 Handbook, CMS Forms List, Extra Help Application, IHS, VA, CHAMPVA & TRICARE info — all in one place.
💊 SPAP State List
A complete state-by-state list of State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs — program name, who it serves, phone number, and website — to help agents connect clients to savings.
📋Medigap GO Rights by State
A full spreadsheet of Medigap Guarantee Issue Rights by State — including birthday rules, switching windows, plan options, and carrier limits — for agents who sell Medicare Supplements.
📌Blueprints (Job-Aids)
15+ reference guides covering Medicare vs. Medicaid, Part D, Election Periods, SNPs, Sales Compliance (Telephonic & Field), Employer Coordination, Medigap Comparison, and more.
Medicare Card Blueprint (Job-Aid)
The Medicare Card Blueprint is a must-see job aid that breaks down the Medicare Card, available now to Agent HQ Plus members and to anyone who completes the Medicare Level 100 Core Foundation Series.
Plus a suite of additional resources to help you sell with confidence.
Training videos are coming to MARC in the near future. Once the platform is fully stood up, we will begin uploading how-to videos and sales training videos to build out a video training library. Stay tuned.
MARC is an Agent HQ Plus exclusive benefit.
📰Industry News
Here are five notable developments in the Medicare space this month that every agent should be aware of.
🏢UnitedHealthcare Cuts Prior Authorization Requirements by 30%
UnitedHealthcare announced it has reduced its prior authorization requirements by 30%. The company also championed an industry effort — launched April 24, 2026 — to standardize electronic prior authorization submission requirements, with more than 70% of UHC's prior authorizations moving to the new standardized submission process by year-end.
Why It Matters:
Prior authorization has been one of the most common client complaint areas in Medicare Advantage. This shift, combined with the new CMS rules requiring decisions within 72 hours for expedited requests, signals real movement. When clients ask about coverage denials and delays, this is a positive development worth noting.
Sources: UnitedHealth Group Newsroom — May 5, 2026
New Prior Authorization Decision Deadlines Now in Effect
CMS enacted Medicare Advantage and Part D policy changes under the 2026 final rule that strengthen prior authorization protections and clarify appeals processes. Plans are now restricted from reopening previously approved inpatient hospital admissions except in cases of clear error or fraud. Key provisions of the Interoperability and Prior Authorization Final Rule require impacted payers — including Medicare Advantage plans — to issue prior authorization decisions within 72 hours for expedited requests and seven calendar days for standard requests. Payers must provide specific reasons for denials and publicly report prior authorization metrics.
Why It Matters:
These are now in effect. When having care coordination conversations with clients, you can reassure them that faster, more transparent approval timelines are a legal requirement — not just a carrier promise.
Humana Grows MA Membership While UHC Contracts
Humana grew by over 1 million additional Medicare Advantage members, enrolling more than 7 million people, while UnitedHealthcare enrolled just under 9.4 million — down 9% from 10.3 million before open enrollment. Insurers including UnitedHealthcare, Elevance, Centene, and CVS all dropped members as they executed strategies to push unprofitable enrollees out of their plans.
Why It Matters:
Humana's growth comes alongside tighter distribution controls — including updated commission structures and non-commissionable plan changes effective April 2026. Agencies should review Humana's plan-level commissionability and hierarchy rules before projecting sales. Diversifying your carrier portfolio remains a strong strategy heading into the next AEP cycle.
Sources: Healthcare Dive — Feb. 24, 2026
CMS Proposes Sweeping Medicaid Spending Crackdown
On May 20, 2026, CMS proposed a sweeping crackdown on state Medicaid payment practices through a proposed rule that caps excessive state payment arrangements, potentially saving taxpayers more than $775 billion over 10 years.
Why It Matters:
For agents working the D-SNP and Dual Eligible space, changes to Medicaid funding structures can affect plan availability, premiums, and benefits over time. This is a proposed rule and not yet final, but it is worth monitoring — particularly as you advise clients who rely on Medicaid as a secondary payer.
Source: CMS.gov Press Release — May 20, 2026
Major Hospital Networks Dropping Medicare Advantage Plans
Major health systems have continued dropping Medicare Advantage plans in 2026. Mayo Clinic went out-of-network with most Medicare Advantage plans from UnitedHealthcare and Humana. Providence Clinical Network in California also went out-of-network with UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage plans. This is part of a broader trend of providers pushing back against MA administrative requirements and reimbursement rates.
Why It Matters:
Network disruption is becoming one of the most pressing client concerns heading into 2027. During plan presentations and reviews, proactively discussing provider networks — especially for clients who see specialists — is now a best practice, not just a nice-to-have. Make sure clients verify their doctors are in-network before enrolling.
Source: HealthLeaders Media
Also covered by: Minnesota Star Tribune, InsuranceNewsNet, UnitedHealthcare directly
🧭Looking Ahead
We are turning the corner. The heavy building phase is wrapping up, and the launch and growth phase is beginning. Here is what you can expect from us in the weeks ahead:
Blog Series Restart — Next Week
We are picking back up our blog series starting next week. We will resume "Why Training Is So Important for Agency Success" and begin shifting toward sales tips and Medicare knowledge content.
Medicare Level 100 — Final Review Complete
We will wrap up our beta testing and internal review process this week and prepare the course series for full launch and CE credit submission.
CE Credit Approval — Texas First
We are beginning the CE credit approval process with the State of Texas. We are not certain how long the approval timeline will take, but we are moving forward now and will expand to additional states after Texas.
Agency Outreach & Onboarding
We will begin networking with agencies that may need a structured Medicare onboarding training program for their new agents. If you know of an agency that could benefit — send them our way.
Platform Marketing Launch
We will begin marketing the training program, e-learning courses, and platform resources on social media — targeting agents looking for Medicare Advantage training and compliance support.
We know the road has not always been smooth, but we are proud of what we have built and excited about where we are going. Every piece — the Level 100 series, Election Period IQ, MARC, and what is still to come — is built with one goal in mind: helping agents make more confident, more compliant enrollments.
Thank you for joining us on this ride. The best is ahead.
Your Partners in Success,
Jay Sweat
Founder, Insurance Training HQ