In a year with heavy plan disruption, the challenge is not finding clients. It is serving all of them well before December 7. Every client who gets a termination or change notice may call someone. The question is whether you have the capacity to be that someone.
I'm Justin Brock. Brock has helped agents serve 250,000+ Medicare beneficiaries. For how we would work a record-disruption AEP, read A Record 3.8 Million MA Members Need a New Plan for 2027 on justinbrock.com. This piece is about using your upline to expand your capacity.
Where capacity runs out
- Scheduling. Back-to-back appointments with no room for follow-ups.
- Service calls. ID cards, drug questions and billing issues from existing clients.
- Paperwork. Pending applications and carrier requests.
- Follow-up. Clients who need a second conversation before deciding.
What your upline should provide
- Triage guidance. A simple way to sort your book so the most affected clients are called first: plan terminations, county exits, then major benefit changes.
- Scheduling and CRM tools. Online booking, reminders and follow-up tasks. See our tools.
- Case help. Someone to chase stuck applications so you can keep selling.
- Templates. Compliant outreach to reach affected clients before they call someone else.
- Quick updates. Mid-season changes communicated fast.
Questions to ask an upline
- How do you help agents prioritize their book before AEP?
- What scheduling and follow-up tools are included?
- Who handles pending applications during the busiest weeks?
- Do you provide outreach templates for disrupted clients?
How Brock helps
Brock helps agents plan AEP capacity with tools, live training and a team that handles case support during the season. See our companion piece on AEP support from your FMO and the AEP and SEP cheat sheet.
Want more capacity this AEP? Book a call with the Brock team.
Frequently asked questions
How do I prioritize clients during a high-disruption AEP?
Start with clients whose plans are terminating or leaving their county, then clients in areas with few remaining options, then clients facing major benefit or network changes. Book follow-ups before you hang up so nobody drifts into coverage they did not choose.
How can an FMO help with AEP capacity?
A good FMO provides triage guidance, scheduling and CRM tools, case help for pending applications, compliant outreach templates and quick updates on changes. Those let you spend more of your time in appointments instead of chasing paperwork.
Should I hire help for AEP?
If your volume is growing, service help can free you to focus on appointments. Licensing, training and compliance rules apply to anyone who talks with clients about plans, so plan early. Your upline can help you think through what to hand off.
When should agents start preparing for a disruptive AEP?
Start as soon as plan information and notices are available, ideally weeks before October 15. Review your book, identify affected clients, update tools and certifications and schedule outreach. Waiting until the season starts usually means losing clients to whoever calls first.