What's the biggest frustration Medicare agents have when helping clients enroll?
Answered by 59 licensed agents
1. The Medicare enrollment system can be complicated and slow but we are at the mercy of the Social Security Adminustration. I can’t make it move any faster.
2. Because the Medicare enrollment system is difficult, clients tend to procrastinate and underestimate the amount of time needed to put plans in place.
3. Clients tend to make poor choices on their own, based on insufficient education, and come to me later to fix things, but those things can’t always be fixed. My services cost my clients nothing, so they should consult with me first to make better-educated decisions and avoid expensive and often-irreversible mistakes.
4. Medicare is very political and the politicians don’t have enough education or care for how their new rules, laws and budget changes affect their constituents until after the changes are made and those changes are hurting real people.
5. Medicare insurance agents are under-appreciated by insurance companies and government officials, so we are constantly fighting for our commissions while also staying current with ever-changing licensing, certifications and continuing education requirements.
Answered by Barbara Barnes, CMIP® on July 1, 2025
Agent Licensed in PA
Voss Speros here, Greek god of Medicare. If Medicare's all Greek to you, you're in luck, I'm Greek.
The question I got today is, what's the biggest frustration Medicare agents have when helping clients enroll?
There's a lot of frustrations on that. One, clients see commercials on TV and they're like, "I want that." They come to you and they're like, "I want that." And you're looking at it like, oh, it's not in your county, or oh, you don't qualify for that. Well, why not? So then you have to go in and explain what the commercials are about, what it's talking about, what the benefits are, how it's all broken down and works. People just don't want to hear that. They just want what they want because they saw it and it says for everybody.
There's also the enrollment process, going through finding a plan that works best for what they need, and then the doctors aren't in that one. So then at that point it's another conversation. Well, you can have this, but you can't have that. You might have to change your doctors. "I don't want to change my doctors." All right, well, then we can do this, but you have to change your drugs. "I don't want to change anything. I just want this other thing." So it's all a back and forth when finding plans.
Luckily, in Arizona, there's a lot of dentist places to pick from. For sure, everything's on the supplemental side. People are like, "I want to go back to original Medicare and a supplement." I'm like, all right, that's great, let's fill out the forms. There's qualifying questions for that. There's medical underwritten qualifying questions. If you've been in skilled nursing in the last 90 days, that's a disqualifier. You can't get it. In the flyer, boom, sorry. If you have major health issues, you're going down the list. Oh, there's some of this qualifier. "But I wanted this, this is what I need, I was told." I'm like, I'm sorry.
And then there's people that go on and then a supplement, and there is, for the first time, you get a 12 month grace period to try it out. And then after that, you're supposed to go, and then if you want to go back on the supplemental plan, you can. And then that's sometimes a struggle as well, depending on how you exit the first time. In the beginning, if you didn't do it right and talk to a broker and have them help you, and you just dropped your plan, then it might not work out the best in the long run.
So there's a lot of frustration things when helping people out with insurance. It's not everything. There's a lot of give and take on everything. A little pull, a little talk, a little move it around, try to figure it out. But it's okay, that's what we do.
So every year we go through a lot of training starting July, August, September to get ready for open enrollment to see what's new and what's going on. If you have any questions, if you are frustrated with your plan, let us know and we'll see what we can do.
Answered by Voss Speros on June 30, 2026
Broker Licensed in AZ, CA, CO & 20 other states
The biggest frustration Medicare agents have when helping clients enroll, in my opinion, is that oftentimes they go into it with the wrong concept. My clients, in the beginning, they're still pretty healthy. They're just turning 65 oftentimes, and so they are wanting to make decisions based on being healthy.
I think that's backwards. It's going about it the wrong way. What I recommend they do is think, if something bad happens, how do I want it to work? You're limited on different plans and what kind of coverage you have, so you need to know Medicare 101. You need to know the basics. What are your options? Do you want to be able to go to any doctor you want to? Do you want to be able to go without getting a referral? Well, there's certain ways of going about that.
Also, a lot of people misunderstand what different things are. There's supplements, there's Medicare Advantage programs, but something that people think is that PPOs are supplements. They are not. They're completely different. And they're fine if you are going to your doctor in the program, but it's a preferred provider organization. It's not a supplement. So with that, if you do not go to a doctor in the organization, unlike what people think, you end up actually having to pay extra money to go to these doctors. A lot of them aren't expecting to pay 50% or more of the bill when they choose to go outside of the organization.
So there's different parameters of what you have an agent like myself do. And again, my name is Dan, Daniel Maisel Insurance Solutions, as a Medicare agent and broker. I work for my clients, not for the insurance companies that I represent. In Southern California here, I have over 65 plans. When you represent those, you're trying to help people find what they want. Do they want to be able to go to some of the major facilities in Southern California, for example? Do they want to be able to go to Loma Linda University Hospitals, or City of Hope, Cedars Sinai, or USC Keck, or many of the other renowned hospitals? Well, then you better have the right insurance that will cover them there. Otherwise, when you do get sick, and unfortunately as we get older we tend to eventually have something go wrong, we want to be able to go there.
Answered by Daniel Maisel on June 30, 2026
Broker Licensed in CA, AZ, MI & NV, OH, TN & WA
Answered by Adam Ashby on January 20, 2026
Broker Licensed in CO, GA, IL & 6 other states
Answered by Diane Andree on April 20, 2025
Agent Licensed in NY
The worst is when helping a client switch from a Medicare Advantage plan to a Medicare Supplement plan. If the client doesn't qualify for a guaranteed issue enrollment period, it can be very challenging to find them a supplement plan that will accept them if they have many health problems.
The other is when you find the best Medicare Advantage plan to fit the client's needs but some of the client's doctors do not accept the plan. At that time, we have to go down the list from best to least best to find a good fit.
Answered by Diana Garner on August 4, 2025
Broker Licensed in KY, FL, IN, OH & TN
Answered by Michelle de Guzman on July 13, 2026
Broker Licensed in TX, AZ, CA & 10 other states
A few things agents consistently struggle with:
Clients getting conflicting information from TV ads, friends, or call centers.
There's also a lot of explanation that goes into the difference between Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage Plans and Supplemental Plans.
I like to go at your pace and slow things down, break it into simple steps, and make you feel safe, heard, and taken care of. Making sure that you can make an informed decision is most important for you and me.
Answered by Françoise Mueller on June 1, 2026
Broker Licensed in UT, AL, AZ & 33 other states
Answered by John Lopez on April 19, 2025
Broker Licensed in DE, MD, NC, NJ, NY & PA
Answered by James Hale on March 19, 2026
Broker Licensed in GA, AL, LA, OH & TX
Answered by Celeste McGrath on June 22, 2026
Broker Licensed in GA, FL, NC & SC
If their income is low and they can't afford it, then a Medicare advantage plan is their better choice.
However, I feel compelled to explain the risks with Medicare advantage plans. A lot of agents. Just try to sell them on. You get this for free. You get that for free. Well, there's nothing for free. You're paying for it somewhere
Answered by Gary Henderson on April 19, 2025
Agent Licensed in TX, AK, AL & 46 other states
Answered by Andrew Norton on May 29, 2025
Broker Licensed in PA, CA, CT & 9 other states
As an independent Medicare agent I find the biggest frustration is the same as for the Medicare Beneficiary... CONFUSION!!!
There are so many moving parts, plans and even vocabulary that is so totally different from what we know during our working lives. The uptake of new information is usually tainted by the paradigm of what health insurance was like previously at your job.
So, when you retire it is natural to believe that Medicare is just a health insurance plan for retirees. But unlike the group coverage of your work years, Medicare is like buying a custom made outfit. And that outfit needs to be refit on an annual basis because of changes to Formularies, Networks and plans.
Getting new Beneficiaries and my clients enough information to make an informed decision is a responsibility that I take seriously in the extreme. Also, I know that the advise that I give about plans can help save someone's life. I hope and pray that I can have a great and positive impact on providing advice that creates health and wealth in all the states that I serve.
Thanks again for your question and God bless!
Answered by Tony Carlton on November 1, 2025
Agent Licensed in MO, GA, MD & 6 other states
Answered by Steven Bleicher on June 15, 2025
Broker Licensed in AZ
Answered by Kelli Callihan Ostrander on July 10, 2025
Agent Licensed in VA, FL, NC & WV
Answered by Eric Palmer on May 5, 2025
Agent Licensed in AR, MO & TN
Answered by Russel Coley on June 22, 2026
Broker Licensed in NC, GA, SC & WV
Answered by Sonya Chandler on May 21, 2025
Agent Licensed in NY, AZ, FL & 5 other states
Answered by Brenda Trejos on June 16, 2025
Broker Licensed in CA, AR, AZ & 28 other states
Once people realize how much time I have spent studying Medicare and all of the rules and all of the Insurance Carriers who provide Plans…they start to trust me more than the limited research they have done and then they listen. And that is enormously satisfying.
Answered by John L Herman Jr on March 29, 2025
Broker Licensed in MD, DE & PA
Hi, it's Medicare Misty. We are doing Medicare Minutes here to answer any questions you have. There's no dumb question; we know this is tough. I've been doing Medicare for over 20 years, I'm in 45 states, and I have over 50 agents.
One of the questions I got today is about the biggest frustration Medicare agents face when helping clients enroll. I think it's a frustration I hear from you guys all the time regarding the tools. There should be a tool now where you can do more. We have texting capability on most tools, but voice capability is really what a lot of seniors want. They want to figure out how to use a text and how to open it up, and that can be very frustrating for you all.
A lot of people would rather come in person because they weren't raised on technology. I believe that's the biggest frustration we have for you, because that's the frustration you face all the time: the technology. But don't worry, Medicare Misty has all those technologies to help you get enrolled over the phone or in our office. I'm in 45 states, so I would love to help!
Answered by Misty Bolt on May 7, 2025
Agent Licensed in TN, AL, AR & 46 other states
'Diagnosis without Prognosis is Malpractice'
Answered by Thermon Holliday on September 14, 2025
Agent Licensed in CA, GA, NV, OR & TX
This often includes confusion about Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap, focusing only on premiums, and not fully understanding networks, costs, or plan rules.
Answered by Mary Brown on April 20, 2026
Broker Licensed in NJ, DE, FL & NC, OH, PA & TX
Answered by Meghan Blankenship on November 16, 2025
Broker Licensed in FL, MD & OH
Answered by Jose Felix Arevalo on November 24, 2025
Broker Licensed in TX
Answered by Gary Church on June 20, 2025
Broker Licensed in CA, AZ, NV & TX
Answered by Stella Hattox on June 30, 2025
Broker Licensed in TX, AR, AZ & 17 other states
Answered by Sandy Nelson-Tittsworth, CMIP on April 6, 2026
Broker Licensed in FL, AL, AZ & 8 other states
Answered by Jacquie Wolf on April 8, 2025
Broker Licensed in NY
Answered by Christopher Hepburn on May 24, 2025
Agent Licensed in PA
Answered by Adam Ernst on December 1, 2025
Agent Licensed in NC, SC & TN
Answered by James Wareheim on November 17, 2025
Agent Licensed in FL, GA, NC, NV & SC
Answered by Mark Maliwauki on May 25, 2025
Broker Licensed in ID, AZ, CA & 13 other states
Answered by Enoch Vega on January 11, 2026
Broker Licensed in NV, AZ, CA & 6 other states
Answered by Rick Boyd on June 17, 2025
Broker Licensed in KY, AZ, CA & OH, TN, TX & UT
Answered by William Scott on June 23, 2025
Broker Licensed in GA, CO, NC, OH, SC & TX
Answered by Kyra Baldwin on February 10, 2026
Agent Licensed in MI
Answered by Charla Brotherton on June 22, 2025
Agent Licensed in TX
Answered by Gregg Matheny on March 25, 2025
Agent Licensed in AZ & UT
Answered by Joel Montilla, Esq. on April 9, 2025
Broker Licensed in FL
Answered by Maci Mishler on June 9, 2025
Broker Licensed in NE, AR, KS & MO, ND, OK & TX
Answered by Carol Thompson on May 11, 2025
Broker Licensed in FL, LA, MI & NC, SC, VA & WI
Answered by Mike Fries on July 28, 2025
Broker Licensed in CA
Answered by Blaine Shipe on November 27, 2025
Broker Licensed in AZ, CA, CO & VA
Answered by Kim Mitchell-Hargis on May 20, 2025
Broker Licensed in TN, FL & KY
Answered by LeAnn Pedersen on October 27, 2025
Broker Licensed in MN
Then throw Irma on top of it, and you’ve got a real alphabet soup.
Answered by Ellen Diehl on December 17, 2025
Broker Licensed in GA
Answered by Michael Wehner on September 8, 2025
Agent Licensed in IN, KY, NC, OH, PA & SC
Answered by Christine Gross on August 19, 2025
Agent Licensed in NH
Answered by Jermaine Williams on September 2, 2025
Broker Licensed in TX, AL, AR & 12 other states
Answered by Gary Coleshill on August 20, 2025
Broker Licensed in AZ & CA
Answered by Donald Brown on July 6, 2026
Broker Licensed in OH & FL
Answered by Jonathan Potter on March 2, 2026
Broker Licensed in UT, AZ, CA & 14 other states
Getting all of their medications by name and mg.
and the doctors.
Answered by Vickie Simpson on July 7, 2026
Broker Licensed in AL, GA, KY, MS, SC & TN
Answered by Luke Rhoads on August 5, 2025
Broker Licensed in OK
Each person has unique issues. Fortunately for my Agency I represent many different companies, so I usually have a solution.
I do also live in a small town, so there are not as many programs available as in larger Communities.
Answered by Pat Papson on November 14, 2025
Agent Licensed in NM
Answered by Jamie Herrick on April 6, 2025
Agent Licensed in WI
Answered by Terri Reagin on August 18, 2025
Broker Licensed in OK, AR, CO & 6 other states
Tags: Agent Interview New To Medicare
Agents: Share Your Expertise
Have insights or experiences related to this topic? Help others by sharing your knowledge and answering this question.
Seniors: Ask a Question of Your Own
Questions are generally answered within 1 to 3 business days. Receive valuable perspectives from multiple licensed agents and brokers.
Ask a Question

























































