Agent Survival Guide | Empowering Insurance Agents to Survive Today and Thrive Tomorrow
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Monday Jun 22, 2026
Monday Jun 22, 2026
Keep track of your AEP prep to-do checklist with help from Ritter's certification resources! Listen to find out how to access AHIP, NABIP, carrier MA and PDP certification, product training details, and more!
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🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!
📧Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!
💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.
Resources:
5 Things About the CMS 2027 MA and Part D Final Rule
2027 Medicare Advantage & Part D Certification Info
2027 NABIP Medicare Certification
eBooks & Guides for Insurance Agents
FAQs About NABIP Medicare Certification
Making Cross‑Selling Less Awkward for Insurance Agents ft. Demetri Simos and Dawn Myers
Ready-Made Marketing for Insurance Agents: Inside the Content Library
Ritter Insurance Marketing 2027 Certification Center
What Does 'Ready-to-Sell' Mean for Medicare Agents?
What is AHIP Certification and How Do I Get It?
References:
“Medicare Advantage Certification.” NABIP.Org, NABIP, www.nabiptraining.org/nabip/medicare , Accessed 9 May 2026.
“Medicare + Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Training.” Ahip.Org, AHIP, www.ahip.org/courses/medicare-fraud-waste-and-abuse-training , Accessed 9 May 2026.
“Miramar:Agent.” Miramar-Agent.Com, Miramar, https://miramar-agent.com/identity/login, Accessed 9 May 2026.
“Medicare Certification System.” pinpointglobal.com, Pinpoint Global, www.pinpointglobal.com/medicare-certification-system, Accessed 9 May 2026.
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Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
Wednesday Jun 10, 2026
Wednesday Jun 10, 2026
Learn more about the NABIP Medicare Advantage Certification. This program is another way agents can satisfy their Medicare & Fraud, Waste, and Abuse training requirements.
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Get Connected:
🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!
📧Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!
💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.
Resources:
5 Things About the CMS 2027 MA and Part D Final Rule
FAQs About NABIP Medicare Certification
Making Cross‑Selling Less Awkward for Insurance Agents ft. Demetri Simos and Dawn Myers
The Best Appointment Schedulers for Insurance Agents
References:
“NABIP Approved Carriers.” Nabip.org, NABIP, https://www.nabiptraining.org/nabip/carriers, Accessed 9 May 2026.
“NABIP Official Website.” Nabip.org, NABIP, https://nabip.org/, Accessed 9 May 2026.
“NABIP Online Learning Institute.” Nabip.org, NABIP, https://www.nabiptraining.org/, Accessed 9 May 2026.
“NABIP Professional Development.” Nabip.Org, NABIP, nabip.org/professional-development. Accessed 9 May 2026.
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Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
Friday Jun 05, 2026
Friday Jun 05, 2026
The Friday Five for June 5, 2026:
Certification Reminder
Pod Rec: Before Breakfast
TRICARE Resources for Agents
Clover Health Star Ratings
2027 MA and Part D Max Commissions
Get Connected:
🤝 Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!
📧 Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!
💌 Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.
Pod(cast) Rec(commendation): Before Breakfast:
Before Breakfast Podcast
Before Breakfast: Track your media
TRICARE Resources for Agents:
“TRICARE Plan Comparison Tool.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://www.tricare.mil/compareplans, Accessed 3 June 2026.
“TRICARE Dental Options Fact Sheet.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://tricare.mil/Publications/Fact-Sheets/dental_options, Accessed 3 June 2026.
“TRICARE Pharmacy Program Overview Fact Sheet.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://tricare.mil/Publications/Fact-Sheets/pharmacy_overview, Accessed 3 June 2026.
“TRICARE Plans Overview Fact Sheet.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://tricare.mil/Publications/Fact-Sheets/plans, Accessed 3 June 2026.
“TRICARE Qualifying Life Events Fact Sheet.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://tricare.mil/Publications/Fact-Sheets/qle, Accessed 3 June 2026.
“TRICARE Young Adult Program Fact Sheet.” Tricare.mil, TRICARE, https://tricare.mil/Publications/Fact-Sheets/young_adult, Accessed 3 June 2026.
Clover Health Star Ratings:
Casolo, Elizabeth. “Clover beats CMS in Medicare Advantage star ratings lawsuit.” Beckerspayer.com, Becker’s Payer Issues, 29 May 2026, https://www.beckerspayer.com/legal/clover-beats-cms-in-medicare-advantage-star-ratings-lawsuit/.
“Court tells CMS to redo Clover’s Star Rating. Here’s why it should be on your radar.” Risehealth.org, Rise Health, 29 May 2026, https://www.risehealth.org/insights-articles/article/court-tells-cms-to-redo-clovers-star-rating-heres-why-it-should-be-on-your-radar/.
“Clover Insurance v. HHS: S.D. of Georgia Holds 20 Star Ratings Measures Unlawful.” Crowell.com, Crowell, 29 May 2026, https://www.crowell.com/en/insights/client-alerts/clover-insurance-v-hhs-sd-of-georgia-holds-20-star-ratings-measures-unlawful.
WEBINAR: The Star Ratings Shakeup: Court Challenges CMS Measure Authority
2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Maximum Commissions:
2027 Maximum Broker Commissions for Medicare Advantage & Medicare Part D
Mulcahy, Gerard. “Contract Year 2027 Agent and Broker Compensation Rates, Referral/Finder’s Fees, Submissions, and Training and Testing Requirements.” cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 1 June 2026, https://www.ritterim.com/documents/cms-memos/memo-agent-broker-compensation-and-training-and-testing-requirements-cy2027.pdf.
Resources:
5 Takeaways from the 2027 CMS Marketplace Final Rule for Insurance Agents
CMS Update on BALANCE Model & Medicare GLP-1 Bridge
Introducing the Integrity Health Plan
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Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance
Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
Friday May 29, 2026
Friday May 29, 2026
The 2027 Marketplace Final Rule from CMS is here! Join Sarah as she pulls out takeaways for insurance agents selling ACA plans.
Get Connected:
🤝 Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!
📧 Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!
💌 Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.
Resources:
2027 ACA Final Rule Makes Strides to Reduce Premiums
Drug Story Podcast with Thomas Goetz
Drug Story: Ivermectin on 99% Invisible
How to Grow Your Insurance Business by 45%
Introducing the Integrity Health Plan
Mounjaro means something? Ffrom TBOY he Best One Yet
On ivermectin and parasites (and other things) on Drug Story
The Complete Guide on How to Sell Prescription Drug Plans
References:
“CMS Final Rules Lowers Costs, Cracks Down on Fraud, and Expands State Control.” Cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 15 May 2026, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-final-rule-lowers-costs-cracks-down-fraud-expands-state-control.
Minemyer, Paige. “CMS pulls back limits on non-standard ACA plans in final rule.” Fiercehealthcare.com, Fierce Healthcare, 15 May 2026, https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/regulatory/cms-pulls-back-limits-non-standard-aca-plans-final-rule.
“HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027 Final Rule.” Cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 15 May 2026, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/hhs-notice-benefit-payment-parameters-2027-final-rule.
“Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; and Basic Health Program.” Federalregister.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 20 May 2026, www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/05/20/2026-10050/patient-protection-and-affordable-care-act-hhs-notice-of-benefit-and-payment-parameters-for-2027-and. Accessed 26 May 2026.
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Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
Tuesday May 12, 2026
Tuesday May 12, 2026
Check out Ritter Insurance Marketing's Content Library for a simple way to Educate, Entertain, and Retain your clients. In this episode, we cover what the Content Library is, what it offers, and why you should be using it today!
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Get Connected:
🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!
📧Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!
💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.
Resources:
Content Library Homepage
Content Library Best Practices
Content Library: Medicare Basics
Content Library: Senior Travel Guides
Content Library: Cooking for Beginners
Content Library: A Happy, Healthy Christmas
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Ritter on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X, and YouTube
Sarah on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Threads
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
Monday May 11, 2026
Monday May 11, 2026
Not sure how to scale your business sustainably? We walk through specific equations agents and agencies can use (and tweak!) depending on how you'd like to grow.
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Get Connected:
🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!
📧Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!
💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.
Resources:
3 Easy Ways to Build Your Insurance Sales Territory
4 Ancillary Cross-Sales to Show Clients You Care
A Quick Guide to Cross-Selling Ancillary Insurance with Medicare Products
Ask Integrity
Developing an Agency - Your Guide to Getting Started
Best Practices for Training Downline Agents
The Complete Guide on How to Sell Final Expense Insurance
The Complete Guide to Selling Critical Illness Plans
Diversify Your Insurance Portfolio & Reap Real Rewards
How Ask Integrity Can Streamline Your Medicare Sales Appointments
How Insurance Agents Can Set SMART Goals to Succeed
How to Recruit Agents to Your Downline
The Insurance Agent’s Guide to Understanding Hospital Indemnity
IntegrityCONNECT
PlanEnroll
Remote Sales Tips for Insurance Agents
Making Cross‑Selling Less Awkward for Insurance Agents ft. Demetri Simos and Dawn Myers
The Advisor Approach: Cross-Selling by Fact-Finding
References:
"65 Customer Retention Statistics You Need to Know in 2025." SEMrush.com, SEM Rush, https://www.semrush.com/blog/customer-retention-stats/, Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
"Kellogg’s Cereal: How They Dominated the Breakfast Aisle" 42signals.com, 42 Signals, 16 Jun. 2025, https://www.42signals.com/blog/kelloggs-cereal-story-of-dominance/.
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Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance
Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
Tuesday Apr 14, 2026
Tuesday Apr 14, 2026
CMS recently published the 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Final Rule. Don’t miss the ASG Podcast top takeaways for insurance agents.
Get Connected:
🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!
📧Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!
💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.
Resources:
5 Takeaways from the CMS 2027 Marketplace Proposed Rule
2016 vs. 2026: The Insurance Edition
CMS CRUSH Initiative
CMS Final Rule on Fax & Snail Mail
CMS Improves Plan Transparency and Choice with 2027 MA and Part D Final Rule
Medicare GLP-1 Bridge Demonstration
References:
"2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Rate Announcement." cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 6 Apr. 2026, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2027-medicare-advantage-part-d-rate-announcement.
"Contract Year 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Final Rule." cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2 Apr. 2026, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/contract-year-2027-medicare-advantage-part-d-final-rule.
"Medicare Beneficiaries to See Simpler and More Flexible Plan Choices, Better Drug Coverage, Higher Quality and Lower Costs in 2027." cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2 Apr. 2026, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/medicare-beneficiaries-see-simpler-more-flexible-plan-choices-better-drug-coverage-higher-quality.
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Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
Wednesday Mar 11, 2026
Wednesday Mar 11, 2026
Don’t miss the 2nd round of Medicare Part D negotiated drug prices. Get the details on the prescriptions and savings for Medicare beneficiaries in 2027.
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Get Connected:
🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!
📧Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!
💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.
Resources:
CMS Announces Part D Savings & 2026 Maximum Fair Prices for First 10 Medicare-Negotiated Drugs
What the Inflation Reduction Act Means for Your Medicare & ACA Clients
References:
“CMS Delivers Savings for Seniors on 15 Major Drugs for Cancer and Chronic Disease.” Cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 25 Nov. 2025, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-delivers-savings-seniors-15-major-drugs-cancer-chronic-disease.
“Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program: Final Guidance, Implementation of Sections 1191 – 1198 of the Social Security Act for Initial Price Applicability Year 2028 and Manufacturer Effectuation of the Maximum Fair Price in 2026, 2027, and 2028.” Cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 30 Sep. 2025, https://www.cms.gov/files/document/ipay-2028-final-guidance.pdf.
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Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
Friday Mar 06, 2026
Friday Mar 06, 2026
The Friday Five for March 6, 2026:
CMS Updates Deadline for GENEROUS
CMS Makes Updates to Medicare.gov
CMS Deferment of Minnesota Federal Medicaid Funding
CMS DMEPOS Enrollment Moratorium
CMS CRUSH Request for Information
Get Connected:
🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!
📧Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!
💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.
CMS Updates Deadline for GENEROUS Participation:
"CMS Announces New Drug Payment Model to Strengthen Medicaid and Better Serve Vulnerable Americans" cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 6 Nov. 2025, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-announces-new-drug-payment-model-strengthen-medicaid-better-serve-vulnerable-americans.
"CMS to Lower Drug Costs and Improve Care by Extending Deadline for GENEROUS Model Application" cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2 Mar. 2026, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-lower-drug-costs-improve-care-extending-deadline-generous-model-application.
"GENEROUS (GENErating cost Reductions fOr U.S. Medicaid) Model" cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/generous, Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
"GENErating cost Reductions fOr U.S. Medicaid (GENEROUS) Model" cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 27 Feb. 2026, https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/files/generous-rfa.pdf.
CMS Makes Updates to Medicare.gov:
“Medicare.gov Enhanced Log In.” cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 3 Mar. 2026, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/medicare-gov-enhanced-log.
“Official Website.” Cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, https://www.medicare.gov/, Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
CMS CRUSH Initiative:
Submit Your Comment “Request for Information (RFI) Related to Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH).” Federalregister.gov, Federal Register, 27 Feb. 2026, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/02/27/2026-03968/request-for-information-rfi-related-to-comprehensive-regulations-to-uncover-suspicious-healthcare#open-comment.
“Trump Administration Prioritizes Affordability by Announcing Major Crackdown on Health Care Fraud.” Cms.gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 25 Feb. 2026, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-prioritizes-affordability-announcing-major-crackdown-health-care-fraud.
Resources:
2026 MA Enrollment, a NIPR Scam & Spring Coffee Menus
Instagram Basics for Insurance Agents
The Benefits of Selling Medicare Special Needs Plans
Using a SWOT Analysis to Review Your Insurance Business
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Ritter Insurance Marketing:
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Sarah J. Rueppel:
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Threads: https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
Friday Dec 05, 2025
Friday Dec 05, 2025
CMS recently published their 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Proposed Rule. In this week’s Friday Five episode, we talk initial takeaways and the impact on agents and beneficiaries.
Get Connected:
🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!
📧Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!
💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.
Resources:
2026 Medicare Cost Roundup
2026 Medicare Part A & B Premiums & Deductibles
Government & Insurers Reconsider Short-Term Limited Duration Product Changes
How the 2027 Medicare Advantage & Part D Proposed Rule Could Impact Insurance Agents & Beneficiaries
Prescription Drug Pricing: MFN & GENEROUS
The 2026 COLA Increase & How it Affects Your Clients
References:
Hagerstrom, Chris. “11 Key Changes in CMS’s Contract Year 2027 Proposed Rule That Agents Should Be Watching.” Jsaonline.Com, Jack Schroeder and Associates, LLC, 2 Dec. 2025, www.jsaonline.com/resources/blog/11-key-changes-in-cmss-contract-year-2027-proposed-rule-that-agents-should-be-watching/.
“Contract Year 2027 Policy & Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, & Medicare Cost Plan Program Proposed Rule.” Chamberhillstrategies.Com, Chamber Hill Strategies, 2 Dec. 2025, chamberhill.com/insights/cy2027-ma-part-d-proposed-rule/.
“Contract Year 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Proposed Rule.” CMS.Gov, CMS, 25 Nov. 2025, www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/contract-year-2027-medicare-advantage-part-d-proposed-rule.
Minemyer, Paige. “CMS Proposes Significant Overhauls to Medicare Advantage Star Ratings Metrics.” Fiercehealthcare.Com, Fierce Healthcare, 25 Nov. 2025, www.fiercehealthcare.com/regulatory/cms-proposes-significant-overhauls-medicare-advantage-star-ratings-metrics.
Singh, Vandana. “CMS Unveils 2027 Rule To Refocus Medicare Advantage On Outcomes.” Benzinga.Com, Benzinga, 26 Nov. 2025, www.benzinga.com/news/health-care/25/11/49083625/cms-unveils-2027-rule-to-refocus-medicare-advantage-on-outcomes.
“Medicare Program; Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, and Medicare Cost Plan Program.” Federalregister.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 28 Nov. 2025, www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/28/2025-21456/medicare-program-contract-year-2027-policy-and-technical-changes-to-the-medicare-advantage-program.
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Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel
Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
Tuesday Nov 25, 2025
Tuesday Nov 25, 2025
Special delivery… the official ASG Podcast guide to holiday toy shopping in 2025! We’ve done the research, now it’s time to report our findings. Which toy will come out at number one this year? You’ll have to listen to find out!
Agent Survival Guide Podcast Toy List 2025:
Bluey and Bingo Supermarket Playset: Amazon | Official Site | Target | Walmart
Cows in Space: Amazon | Official Site | Target | Walmart
DJ Furby: Amazon | Official Site | Target | Walmart
Maggie the Feed & Follow Cow: Amazon | Official Site | Target | Walmart
Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie MeowMazing Interactive Dollhouse: Amazon | Target | Walmart
Gui Gui Slime Kit: Amazon | Official Site | Target | Walmart
Jurassic Park Primal Hatch Interactive Toy: Amazon | Official Site | Walmart
Lovevery Play Kits: Amazon | Official Site | Target
Monopoly Scrabble: Amazon | Official Site | Walmart
Moose Match Mayhem: Amazon | Official Site | Target | Walmart
Nintendo Switch 2: Amazon | Official Site | Target | Walmart
Rubik's Cube Pulse Cube: Amazon | Official Site | Target | Walmart
Tamagotchi Paradise: Amazon | Official Site
Toniebox 2: Amazon | Official Site | Target | Walmart
UNO Show 'Em No Mercy: Amazon | Official Site | Target | Walmart
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Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel
Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.
Monday Nov 17, 2025
Monday Nov 17, 2025
🚨THIS JUST IN: 2025 Medicare Part A and B premium and deductible numbers are live! Listen for details on the cost of Medicare for your clients in coverage year 2026.
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🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!
📧Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You!
💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.
Resources:
2026 Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D Premiums
5 MORE Real-Life Medicare Sales Scenarios and How to Handle Them
5 Real-Life Medicare Sales Scenarios & How to Handle Them
5 Ways to Survive Enrollment Season 2026
Prescription Drug Pricing: MFN & GENEROUS
Stress Relief Tips to Get You Through AEP
References:
“2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums-deductibles. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
“CMS Fast Facts.” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Data, www.data.cms.gov/fact-sheet/cms-fast-facts. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
“Social Security Announces 2.8 Percent Benefit Increase for 2026 .” SSA, 24 Oct. 2025, www.blog.ssa.gov/social-security-announces-benefit-increase-for-2026/.
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Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
Wednesday Nov 12, 2025
Wednesday Nov 12, 2025
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!
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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, www.medpac.gov/wp-content/uploads/import_data/scrape_files/docs/default-source/reports/chapter-2-the-next-generation-of-medicare-beneficiaries-june-2015-report-.pdf. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
Crowder, Courtney. “Throwback: Pop Culture Trends of 2005.” Usatoday.Com, USA Today, 30 July 2015, www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/2015/07/30/pop-culture-trends/30739417/.
“Update to Medicare Deductible, Coinsurance and Premium Rates for 2006.” Cms.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Transmittals/downloads/R31GI.pdf. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
“Variation and Trends in Medigap Premiums.” Aspe.Hhs.Gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/migrated_legacy_files/43721/index.pdf. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
Hosch, William L. “YouTube.” Britannica.Com, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 19 Oct. 2025, www.britannica.com/topic/YouTube.
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Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
Friday Nov 07, 2025
Friday Nov 07, 2025
Feeling frustrated this enrollment season? This episode is for you! We’ve got some ideas to help you take a break, take care, and make it through AEP and OEP.
Get Connected:
🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!
💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.
Turn Self-Care Into a Game with the Finch App:
“Finch: Self-Care Pet - Apps on Google Play.” Google, www.play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.finch.finch. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
“Finch: Self-Care Pet App.” App Store, 7 Dec. 2024, www.apps.apple.com/us/app/finch-self-care-pet/id1528595748.
“Your New Self-Care Best Friend.” Finch, www.finchcare.com/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
‘Tis the Season for Holiday Flavors at Dunkin’ & Starbucks:
“Celebrate the season: Starbucks Holiday Menu Returns Nov. 6 with Festive Drinks, Cups and Treats.” About Starbucks, www.about.starbucks.com/stories/2025/celebrate-the-season-starbucks-holiday-menu-returns-nov-6-with-festive-drinks-cups-and-treats/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
“Dunkin’® Unwraps the Holidays with New Cookie Butter Cloud Latte, Berry Sangria Refresher and Bacon Jam Creations.” Dunkin’, 5 Nov. 2025, www.news.dunkindonuts.com/news/holiday-menu-2025.
“Dutch Bros® Cranks up the Cheer with 2025 Holiday Menu.” Dutch Bros® Cranks Up the Cheer with 2025 Holiday Menu | Dutch Bros, www.dutchbros.com/news-events/holiday-2025-drink-menu/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
“Starbucks Holiday Menu Returns Nov. 6.” About Starbucks, www.about.starbucks.com/stories/2025/starbucks-holiday-menu-returns-nov-6/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
“Starbucks Unveils Joyful Holiday Beverages: Starbucks Stories Asia.” About Starbucks, www.stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2025/starbucks-unveils-joyful-holiday-beverages/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Dictation Goes Modern with Sandbar’s Stream Ring:
Evans, Courtney. “Ex-Meta Founders Launch Smart Ring for Music & Notes.” CEO Today, 5 Nov. 2025, www.ceotodaymagazine.com/2025/11/ex-meta-smart-ring-music-voice-notes/.
Werth, Timothy Beck. “Former Meta Employees Launch Sandbar, a New Smart Ring Brand.” Mashable, Mashable, 5 Nov. 2025, www.mashable.com/article/meta-employees-launch-smart-ring-sandbar.
Mehta, Ivan. “Former Meta Employees Launch Stream, a Smart Ring That Takes Voice Notes and Controls Music.” TechCrunch, 5 Nov. 2025, www.techcrunch.com/2025/11/05/former-meta-employees-launch-stream-a-smart-ring-that-takes-voice-notes-and-controls-music/.
“Stream Ring: A Voice-First Ring for Capturing Thoughts and Building Ideas.” Sandbar, www.sandbar.com/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Chokkattu, Julian. “Whisper into This AI-Powered Smart Ring to Organize Your Thoughts.” Wired, Conde Nast, 5 Nov. 2025, www.wired.com/story/sandbar-stream-smart-ring/.
Google Maps Adds Landmarks & More AI Capabilities:
Mehta, Ivan. “Google Maps Bakes in Gemini to Improve Navigation and Hands-Free Use.” TechCrunch, 5 Nov. 2025, www.techcrunch.com/2025/11/05/google-maps-bakes-in-gemini-to-improve-navigation-and-hands-free-use/.
Moore, Amanda Leicht. “Google Maps Navigation Gets a Powerful Boost with Gemini.” Google, Google, 5 Nov. 2025, www.blog.google/products/maps/gemini-navigation-features-landmark-lens/.
“Google Maps Is Getting More Hands-Free for When You’re Driving.” CNET, www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/google-maps-is-getting-more-hands-free-for-when-youre-driving/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Field Notes on the Longest Government Shutdown Ever:
Solendar, Andrew, and Kate Santaliz. “A Group of House Democrats and Republicans Is Floating a Plan to End the Shutdown.” AXIOS, www.axios.com/2025/11/03/shutdown-aca-tax-credits-democrats-republicans. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
“Bacon, Suozzi, Hurd, Gottheimer Release Bipartisan Principles to Temporarily Extend and Reform Affordable Care Act Enhanced Premium Tax Credits.” U.S. Congressman Don Bacon, 3 Nov. 2025, www.bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2805.
Gringlas, Sam. “How an Enduring Debate over Healthcare Sparked a Now Record-Long Shutdown.” NPR, 5 Nov. 2025, www.npr.org/2025/11/05/nx-s1-5596472/government-shutdown-record-health-care-subsidies.
Beavins, Emma, et al. “How the Shutdown Impacts Healthcare: Legislators Float Bipartisan Plan to Extend, Reform Aca Tax Credits.” Fierce Healthcare, www.fiercehealthcare.com/regulatory/shutdown-tracker-cms-issues-billing-guidance-hhs-furloughs-32000-employees. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Recently Published Episodes:
5 Real-Life Medicare Sales Scenarios & How to Handle Them
Content Library: Cooking for Beginners ft. Jeff Snyder
How Insurance Agents Can Use AI Tools
How Storytelling Helps Agents Quickly Connect with Clients ft. Don Connelly
Stress Relief Tips to Get You Through AEP
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Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
Episode Transcript:
Welcome to the Agent Survival Guide Podcast Friday Five, which is either our weekly recap of what happened this week that agents should know about. Or in the case of this week, 5 items focusing on a particular theme.
I’m your host, Sarah Rueppel, and this week, we are talking about dealing with burnout, getting off the struggle bus, or to put it more eloquently, 5 ways to survive AEP 2026 even when everything feels like a dumpster on fire floating down the river with a smile on our face to mask the reality.
It’s been a rough enrollment season so far with all the changes and disruption going on. I know that it can feel like a lot, I certainly don’t want to sugarcoat that. What I do want to do, is talk about some solutions to help you take a break from the burnout, refresh, and make sure you’re taking care of yourself amidst all the commotion.
So let’s start with that last one, making sure you take care of yourself, and in true ASG Podcast fashion, we’re going to turn to an app, because we love technology. But we also love gamifying tasks because it adds a layer of fun and rewards you for doing things that you know you should be doing anyway, but sometimes we don’t do them because we’re too busy.
That’s where the Finch Self-Care Pet app can help.
The app is designed to gamify self-care and getting stuff done, across a range of categories, like self-kindness, calm, gratitude, productivity, and more.
Every user gets a little animal called a birb to take care of. It looks like a little bird. As you cross things off your to-do lists and keep checking back in, your birb grows and learns. It hatches micropets of its own. And you earn in-game currency called rainbow stones to purchase clothing for your birb, furniture for your birb’s room, and tickets to travel to new locations.
You decide what you want to achieve in a day, and you can place items in categories, or keep them uncategorized. As more time goes on, you’ll be able to gain insight from your habits, identifying which ones you’re really good at accomplishing, and which others need more work, and might need to be prioritized a little bit more.
And one thing in particular I love, is that you can add friends on the app.
Almost immediately after downloading Finch and trying it out, I thought it could be a great way to help my daughter establish daily routines and reward her for completing tasks.
We’ve been using it together for almost a month, and so far, we still both really like it. She has other friends from school that use it, and I’ve mentioned it to the team here, with some coworkers also downloading it and giving it a try.
We’ll be linking to the learn more about Finch page in the episode notes, so if you’re looking for a way to accomplish your to-dos while also taking care of yourself, or you’re trying to teach your child how to do that, I can’t recommend this app enough.
Number Four.
I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t be able to function without caffeine, and sometimes, stopping for a treat from either Starbucks or Dunkin’ is necessary.
Or maybe you just need to switch up your order with a new seasonal, limited-edition flavor. You are in luck because pumpkin spice has officially taken a backseat to peppermint mocha and its holiday friends!
Wednesday marked the beginning of the holiday menu’s return to Dunkin, and Starbucks hauled out the holly yesterday.
While I definitely identify as a Starbucks fan, I have to say that the Dunkin’ holiday cups feature super cute graphics that are very much channeling schoolhouse rock.
Peppermint Mocha everything and the Toasted White Chocolate Signature Latte are back for the season. New offerings include the Berry Sangria refresher the Cookie Butter Cloud Latte.
Dunkin Refreshers can be mixed with either green tea, black tea, lemonade, or sparkling water, the latter of which is always my go-to. And then the Cookie Butter Cloud Latte pairs the creamy sweetness of a latte topped with Cookie Butter cold foam and cookie crumbles. I think I’d enjoy the cold foam and crumbles on a cold brew or iced coffee, but if made according to the menu, I think it’ll be too sweet for me.
Over at Starbucks, Peppermint Mocha returns along with Toffee Nut Crunch and Gingerbread Latte. I’m a huge fan of the Gingerbread flavored ground coffee, so I’m very excited for all things Gingerbread.
New this year is the hazelnut praline mille-feuille oatmilk latte, and I’m going to be honest, I’m glad I order on the app most of the time, because I wouldn’t want to have to say the name of that drink out loud in line. It sounds so precocious.
Also, I’m more of a cold brew fan, so if that’s you as well, there are a few seasonal cold foams joining the menu. Gingerbread Cream, Peppermint Chocolate, Sugar Cookie Cream, and Caramel Brûlée Cream.
And if you’re lucky enough to have a Dutch Bros near you, they’ve had their holiday menu up and running since November 1st. Returning there, the candy cane mocha, which is their version of a peppermint mocha topped with crushed candy canes. They brought back the Hazelnut Truffle Mocha. And new this year, the Holiday Cookie Freeze which blends vanilla, sweet cream, and sprinkles, and then the mistletoe rebel which is the Dutch Bros energy drink blend mixed with raspberry and pomegranate.
Fun fact before we move on to our next topic, this week, we polled our marketing team on the official start date of the Holiday season. November first was the clear front-runner, which might be a hot take to some, or just an indicator that we have a lot of holiday spirit here at Ritter.
Number Three.
Sometimes, what your brain needs is a good old-fashioned distraction. For me, this usually means scrolling through the news, which led me to a very cool AI device that I will likely be adding to my Christmas wishlist - the Stream Ring from Sandbar.
The ring houses a small microphone for users to speak into throughout the day, essentially creating your own voice log. It also features a button that the company calls a mouse for voice, holding it to speak, and then tapping it to pause, return to music playback, and even control volume.
What you dictate into the ring is sent to the Stream app and converted into text, so you can capture thoughts on the fly, and then go back to read them on the Stream app.
I’ve always liked the idea of dictating notes, but not the idea of going back and listening to them or transcribing them. This combination of wearable and app takes a lot of friction out of that process, making a compelling and useful new tool.
The price point is set at two hundred forty-nine dollars for the silver ring and two hundred ninety-nine dollars for the gold version.
The Stream app has a free tier with unlimited notes but limited chats, The Pro version allows for unlimited interactions and early features for ten dollars a month. Each ring gets a three-month free subscription to the pro version to try it out.
Might seem like a super simple AI wearable, but I think this practical approach might see success where other AI wearables have failed. It would be nice if health monitoring benefits were included, but you have to start somewhere. I’m very curious to see how this wearable performs when it does become available, I’m not sure I’d jump on the preorder, but I’m also not sure that I won’t. Stay tuned.
Moving on to Number Two.
If you are a Google Maps user, good news! There are a few updates coming to the app, one that actually took me back to a fun exercise from the Technical Writing class I took in college.
Gemini AI has been more deeply integrated into the app, so navigation can now be truly hands-free. Users can ask questions and add conversational follow-up questions and get answers, all without touching your device.
You’ll also be able to report issues like roadwork or an accident by voice, rather than tapping a display screen. That’s super helpful, and the more people that are able to report those disruptions, the better the experience for all commuters.
Users will also be notified about upcoming issues even if you’re not actively navigating. This is a feature that Waze recently implemented, glad to see it coming to Google Maps as well. I enjoy having the map up on my screen, but if I’m listening to something, I don’t want turn-by-turn instructions interrupting my drive unless there’s something to be concerned about.
Google Maps has also added Lens capability to identify nearby landmarks and answer questions about them.
Landmarks will also now play a role in the directions you’ll hear while driving.
So back in my Technical Writing class, one of our in-class exercises was to write down directions on how to get to a destination. It was an exercise designed to highlight the proper order of directions, while also adding specific information, rather than obtuse observations.
So, instead of telling someone to turn left at the tree that looks like a dinosaur, you’d tell them they’ll see Riley’s Restaurant, and make a right just after the restaurant.
Google Maps will now do the same thing, you’ll see landmarks highlighted on your map and hear the voice direction telling you to turn right after Riley’s Restaurant. So, it follows the same pattern of order, but gives users both a visual and voice instruction.
This is something I find super-helpful when I’m navigating a new area, because as much as I appreciate a countdown in the number of feet before a turn, 300 feet feels different depending on the speed you’re traveling at.
And now, coming in at Number One this week:
Make sure you’re following along with our show to stay as updated as possible on what’s going on in the industry. We’re usually tracking quite a few different stories, one of the biggest right now, the current thirty-eight day government shutdown, which is now the longest shutdown in the history of the United States.
We are monitoring this so closely, not because we love the politics around any of this, actively do not love that, but there are issues that affect agents and your clients.
Democrats have so far held their ground on reopening the government, calling for an extension to be made on the enhanced premium tax credits set to expire at the end of 2025.
Some republicans are voicing concerns from their own constituents on the subject of subsidies. And then there are things like SNAP benefits and other government resources that are affected by the shutdown because of furloughs and a lack of funding.
What I choose to focus on here, is that there are people on both sides of Congress who really are trying to have conversations and find ways to compromise, even if it seems like no one wants to report on that.
Earlier this week, FierceHealthcare and Axios both reported on a bipartisan proposal that seeks a two-year extension as well as other considerations. I won’t call out the exact details of that proposal here, because they’ll likely change between now and any sort of implementation.
But I do want to quote the statement put out by the representatives who put together that proposal, quote, “Congress is gridlocked, and too many Americans have lost faith that we can work together. But here’s the truth: Democrats and Republicans can sit down, listen to one another and find common ground, especially when it comes to lowering healthcare costs. We may not agree on every ideal outcome, but we’ve identified a fair, reasonable path forward on the future of the Affordable Care Act’s Enhanced Premium Tax Credits. Compromise isn’t rocket science and it shouldn’t be treated like a weakness,” end quote.
And I’m going to read that one more time because of how much I like it, quote, “compromise isn’t rocket science and it shouldn’t be treated like a weakness,” end quote.
The statement and proposal came from Don Bacon, Tom Suozzi, Jeff Hurd, and Josh Gottheimer, and I don’t think I’m alone when I say that I hope other members of Congress are listening and willing to start those conversations.
We’ll continue to track this story and report back with developments.
Again, make sure you’re following along with us for help staying upbeat and motivated during this time, help taking a break and stepping back from things for a minute to take care of yourself, and of course, important industry updates, like whether or not the subsidies will be extended for coverage year 2026.
That being said, I hope you have a great weekend, stay healthy and stay safe out there, and don’t forget to take some time for yourself this weekend. You deserve it! We’ll see you next week.
Saturday Nov 01, 2025
Saturday Nov 01, 2025
Have you heard? The definition of Short-Term Limited Duration Insurance has changed. We unpack what it means for insurance agents!
Read the text version
🤝Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!
💌Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.
Resources:
CMS & HHS Expand ACA Catastrophic Coverage Enrollment
ICHRA vs. QSEHRA vs. Group Health Plans: Sales Opportunities for Insurance Agents
Judge Vacates HHS MA Commissions Lawsuit
Ritter Insurance Marketing Carrier Partners
The Fight for ACA Enhanced Premium Tax Credits
References:
“Public Health Service Act.” Govinfo.Gov, govinfo.gov, www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-8773/pdf/COMPS-8773.pdf. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
“Short-Term Health Insurance Availability and Limits by State.” Healthinsurance.Org, healthinsurance.org, 15 Aug. 2025, www.healthinsurance.org/short-term-health-insurance/.
“Short-Term Health Insurance: How It Works and Who It’s For.” Healthinsurance.Org, healthinsurance.org, 30 Sept. 2025, www.healthinsurance.org/short-term-health-insurance/.
“Short-Term, Limited-Duration Insurance and Independent, Noncoordinated Excepted Benefits Coverage.” Federalregister.Gov, Federal Register, 3 Apr. 2024, www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/03/2024-06551/short-term-limited-duration-insurance-and-independent-noncoordinated-excepted-benefits-coverage.
“Statement of U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury Regarding Short-Term, Limited Duration Insurance.” Cms.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7 Aug. 2025, www.cms.gov/files/document/statement-regarding-short-term-limited-duration-insurance.pdf.
“What Is Individual Health Insurance?” Healthinsurance.Org, healthinsurance.org, 14 Feb. 2025, www.healthinsurance.org/glossary/individual-health-insurance/.
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