When ACA rates climb, your clients feel it the moment they open the renewal notice. The agents who come out of open enrollment stronger are the ones who reached clients first, re-shopped every case and had help behind them when volume spiked.
I'm Justin Brock. Brock has helped agents serve 250,000+ Medicare beneficiaries, and many of our partners write ACA business alongside Medicare. For the state-by-state numbers, read 2027 ACA Rate Increases by State on justinbrock.com. Some of those increases are double digits, such as the Illinois Department of Insurance's reported average. This piece is about the support side.
Why rate years test your upline
HealthCare.gov open enrollment runs November 1 to January 15, overlapping Medicare AEP for more than a month. If you write both, that is the busiest stretch of your year. You need an upline that can help with:
- Re-shop tools. Fast side-by-side comparisons that show the client's net cost after subsidy, not just the sticker price.
- Outreach templates. Compliant messages you can send before the renewal notice lands, so the panic call becomes a scheduled review.
- Case help. Someone to call when an application, subsidy calculation or carrier portal is not cooperating.
- Market updates. Which carriers changed their footprint in your states and what that means for your book.
Questions to ask an upline about ACA support
- What quoting and enrollment tools do you provide for ACA?
- How do you support agents during the overlap with Medicare AEP?
- Do you provide outreach templates for renewal season?
- Who helps with stuck applications or carrier issues?
- How do you keep agents updated on state and carrier changes?
Planning around registration rules
Federal marketplace registration rules have changed recently, so check your status early. Our companion piece on planning around ACA registration rules covers what to ask your upline.
How Brock helps
Brock supports agents who write across Medicare and other lines with tools, resources on our Agent Resources page and a team that answers during the busy season.
Want help planning your renewal season? Book a call with the Brock team.
Frequently asked questions
When is ACA open enrollment?
HealthCare.gov open enrollment runs from November 1 to January 15. That overlaps with the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, which ends December 7, so agents who write both lines should plan capacity, outreach and support well before November.
Should ACA clients auto-renew when rates go up?
Usually not without a review. A client's actual change depends on their plan, carrier, area, income and subsidy, so re-shopping and updating income often matters more than the headline rate. Contact clients before the renewal notice arrives and show them their net cost.
What should an upline provide for ACA renewals?
Look for re-shop and quoting tools that show net cost, compliant outreach templates, fast help with stuck applications and regular updates on carrier and state changes. Support during the overlap with Medicare AEP is especially important for agents who write both.
Can I write ACA and Medicare through the same upline?
Many agents do. It simplifies contracting, tools and support, and it helps you serve families and clients approaching 65. Ask any upline which lines they support, which tools apply to each and how they help during the weeks when ACA and Medicare enrollment overlap.