Agent Boost Marketing Podcast

In Episode 124 of the Agent Boost Podcast, Dan and Mike sit down with Nate Brown, National Vice President of Sales at Agent Boost, to talk about what actually makes great Medicare agents stand out in today’s market.

This episode dives into leadership, relationship-building, training, diversification, compliance pressure, and why the insurance industry is becoming harder for average agents to survive in. Nate shares lessons from years in the field, what younger agents are missing, and why long-term trust still matters more than flashy marketing or shortcuts.

The conversation also covers how the Medicare industry is evolving, the increasing pressure agents are facing, and why the next generation of successful brokers will need to become more dynamic, adaptable, and relationship-focused than ever before.

If you're building an insurance business, growing an agency, or trying to become a better producer, this episode is packed with practical insights and honest conversations about what it takes to win long term.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back & Introducing Nate Brown

01:19 Nate Brown Joins Agent Boost

03:42 Building Relationships in Medicare Sales

06:18 Why Old School Agents Still Win

09:11 The Difference Between Great Agents & Average Agents

12:44 Training, Leadership & Building Better Teams

16:30 What’s Changed in Medicare Sales

20:12 The Industry Is Getting Harder

24:08 Why Diversification Matters More Than Ever

28:40 Compliance, Pressure & Industry Challenges

33:17 What Younger Agents Need To Understand

38:22 Building Trust With Clients Long Term

43:10 Why Relationships Still Matter Most

48:36 The Future of Medicare Agents

53:02 Final Thoughts & Advice For Agents

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Devoted Health CEO, Ed Park on Building a Different Kind of Medicare Advantage Plan | Agent Boost Podcast live from Medicarians 2026 at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, the Agent Boost Podcast sits down with the CEO of Devoted Health for a powerful conversation on growth, trust, broker partnerships, and what it takes to build a healthcare company differently.

In this episode, we talk about Devoted crossing 500,000 members, expanding into 29 states, and moving from a regional player to a national Medicare Advantage organization. We also dig into what makes Devoted’s model different, including its member-first mission, virtual care model, concierge-style support, broker relationships, and focus on improving the health and lives of American seniors.

The conversation covers healthcare waste, preventive care, GLP-1s, food and health data, broker trust, commission concerns, future expansion, and why Devoted believes the future of Medicare Advantage depends on better care, not just better benefits.

https://www.devoted.com/

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction from Medicarians 2026

00:35 Meet Devoted Health CEO Ed Park

01:15 Broker feedback and the energy at Medicarians

03:10 Why Devoted is standing out in a challenging market

04:40 Devoted reaches 500,000 members

05:30 Why the 500K member milestone matters

06:35 Maintaining service while scaling fast

07:45 Devoted’s mission and “prime directive”

09:10 Why Devoted was built differently from the start

11:20 Athenahealth, healthcare payment models, and the origin story

13:15 Building an alternate universe healthcare system

15:05 Organic growth vs acquisition growth

17:00 Working with family and building with purpose

19:00 The hardest decision in building Devoted

21:15 What’s next for Devoted

23:00 Building trust with brokers and members

25:20 Why Devoted remains optimistic in a tough funding environment

27:45 Healthcare waste and preventable hospitalizations

30:00 GLP-1s, seniors, muscle loss, and unintended consequences

32:20 Food, health data, and better member outcomes

34:00 Weathering margin compression through the care model

36:00 Agents as the tip of the spear

38:30 Broker relationships, commissions, and long-term partnership

41:00 Devoted’s future goals and “virtual blue zone” vision

43:20 Final thoughts and appreciation for agents

💻 Website: www.agentboost.com

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Recorded live on the floor at Medicarians Vegas 2026, Dan and Mike sit down with Jay Weintraub, the founder and driving force behind Medicarians, the industry's premier annual conference that has grown from 1,100 attendees to over 5,500 in just five years.

Jay pulls back the curtain on how Medicarians got started, what it was like buying a struggling conference and nearly getting it wrong, and what it actually takes to build a show that serves agents, carriers, IMOs, and vendors all under one roof. He shares the honest story of early mistakes, the feedback that shaped the event, and why getting the right people in the room changed everything.

Dan and Mike also dig into how to maximize your time at a show like this, what agents should be trying to accomplish before they ever set foot on the floor, why Medicarians moved to Caesars Palace for 2027, and what Jay sees for the future of the event and the industry.

If you've ever attended Medicarians or wondered what goes into building something like it, this is the episode.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome - Live from Medicarians Vegas 2026 & Introducing Jay Weintraub

00:56 How Medicarians Got Started & The Origin Story

03:15 Why Medicare Needed a Trade Show & Early Mistakes

05:13 What Was Missing - Getting Agents in the Room

06:38 Building a Neutral Platform That Works for Everyone

07:48 Taking Feedback & How the Show Evolved

09:07 Is the Medicare Industry More Complex Than Others?

10:14 Selling Leeds Con & Staying in the Events Business

11:32 Insurtech, Venture Capital & How Jay's Career Led to Medicarians

13:26 Serving Agents, IMOs, Carriers and Vendors Under One Roof

15:03 How ACA and Life Got Added to the Agenda

16:08 What Most People Don't Know About Running a Live Event

18:04 How to Prepare and Maximize Your Time at Medicarians

21:18 The Two Shows Inside Medicarians – Agent Track vs. High Level Meetings

22:37 Growth Goals & Where Medicarians Is Headed

24:04 Why Medicarians Moves to Caesars Palace for 2027

27:18 The Hardest Part & The Most Rewarding Moment

28:25 The Real Cost of Running an Event in Vegas

29:11 How Jay Curates Content and Tracks for Every Attendee

31:25 Closing – Why You Should Attend Medicarians 2027

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Recorded live on the floor at Medicarians Vegas 2026, Dan and Mike sit down with returning guest Jared Strock, actuary, owner of Telos Actuarial, and founder of the Medicare Market Insights newsletter, for one of the most data-rich conversations we've had on the podcast.

Jared breaks down what he's hearing from carriers, distributors, and industry insiders at the conference: less money in the system, tighter MLRs, shrinking benefits, and a market that's forcing everybody to do more with less. But it's not all doom and gloom. There are real signals of stabilization, and the carriers who've made smart strategic moves are starting to show it.

We dig into UnitedHealthcare's Q1 results and what their 9% enrollment drop actually means, why Medicare Supplement plans are under more pressure than most people realize, the $4 billion fraud case (Operation Gold Rush) that hit carriers, not the government, and what that means for rising premiums, why broker commissions are one of the best deals in healthcare and carriers have lost sight of that, how AI is (and isn't) being used at actuarial firms right now, and what Jared sees coming for the Med Supp and MA markets in 2027 and 2028.

Mike also pushes back on the industry narrative to abandon Medicare Advantage and chase annuities and explains exactly why Agent Boost's strategy is different.

If you want to understand what's actually happening beneath the surface of this industry right now, this is the episode.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome - Live from Medicarians Vegas 2026

00:33 Introducing Jared Strock - Telos Actuarial & Medicare Market Insights

01:54 Day 3 at Medicarians - Sentiment & Key Themes

02:22 "Doing More With Less" - What Everyone Is Saying

03:06 CMS Funding vs. Medical Inflation - Where the Gap Is04:13 Did Carriers Actually Profit From the MA Boom Years?

05:22 UnitedHealthcare Q1 Results & What the Numbers Mean

06:43 The Pendulum - When Does MA Start Swinging Back?

08:08 The New Normal for Carriers Going Forward

09:49 Are MA Benefits Today Still Better Than 10 Years Ago?

12:34 The Revenue Gap - How Distribution Is Trying to Fill the Hole

14:59 Med Supp's Perfect Storm - Birthday Rule, GI & Rising Premiums

17:55 Why Broker Commissions Are One of the Best Deals in Healthcare

19:55 What Telos Actuarial Does & How They Help Carriers

20:46 IBNR Reserves Explained

23:39 Operation Gold Rush - The $4 Billion Med Supp Fraud Case

24:46 What Does the Med Supp Market Look Like in 2027 and 2028?

27:57 Jared's Growing Public Presence & Medicare Market Insights App

31:17 AI in Insurance - Hype vs. Practical Reality

33:52 Personal Connection Will Matter More as AI Grows

37:03 What Jared Is Worried About and What He's Optimistic About

39:21 What Mike Is Optimistic About - CMS Is Actually Listening

40:56 Closing + Next Trip to Utah on the Table

💻 Website: www.agentboost.com

💰Get Contracted: https://agentboost.com/get-contracted

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In this episode, Dan and Mike Hardle sit down with Mike Tobitsch, Victoria Lucas, and Steve Smith from the AmeriLife Deal Team to break down how acquisitions actually work and why more agency owners are choosing to partner instead of going it alone.

The insurance industry is evolving fast. Growth is harder to sustain on your own, capital matters more than ever, and agents are starting to think long-term about building real enterprise value in their businesses.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why agency owners choose to sell or partner

• The biggest misconceptions about acquisitions

• What buyers are actually looking for

• What makes a business attractive and “buyable”

• How deal structures actually work

• Why selling doesn’t mean you’re done

• When to start thinking about a deal

• What the process looks like from start to finish

If you’re an agent or agency owner looking to grow, scale, and build something valuable long-term… this episode is for you.

💻 Website: www.agentboost.com

💰Get Contracted: https://agentboost.com/get-contracted

👨🏼‍🎓Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/606332946546184/

📬 Our Weekly Newsletter: https://agentboost.com/subscribe-to-our-newsletter/

00:00 Introduction 

03:00 Why Acquisitions Feel Like a Mystery 

06:30 Why Agency Owners Decide to Sell 

10:00 What Buyers Are Actually Looking For 

13:00 Why Selling Is a New Phase of Growth 

15:30 What Makes a Business Attractive 

20:30 Are Deals Still Happening? 

24:00 Strategic vs Financial Buyers 

29:00 How Deals Actually Start 

34:00 What the Deal Process Looks Like 

40:00 Building a Valuable Business 

49:00 Who Should Consider a Deal

In this episode, Dan and Mike Hardle sit down with Mike Tobitsch, Victoria Lucas, and Steve Smith from the AmeriLife Deal Team to break down how acquisitions actually work and why more agency owners are choosing to partner instead of going it alone.

The insurance industry is evolving fast. Growth is harder to sustain on your own, capital matters more than ever, and agents are starting to think long-term about building real enterprise value in their businesses.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why agency owners choose to sell or partner

• The biggest misconceptions about acquisitions

• What buyers are actually looking for

• What makes a business attractive and “buyable”

• How deal structures actually work

• Why selling doesn’t mean you’re done

• When to start thinking about a deal

• What the process looks like from start to finish

If you’re an agent or agency owner looking to grow, scale, and build something valuable long-term… this episode is for you.

00:00 Introduction 

03:00 Why Acquisitions Feel Like a Mystery 

06:30 Why Agency Owners Decide to Sell 

10:00 What Buyers Are Actually Looking For 

13:00 Why Selling Is a New Phase of Growth 

15:30 What Makes a Business Attractive 

20:30 Are Deals Still Happening? 

24:00 Strategic vs Financial Buyers 

29:00 How Deals Actually Start 

34:00 What the Deal Process Looks Like 

40:00 Building a Valuable Business 

49:00 Who Should Consider a Deal

In this episode, Dan Hardle and Jeff Gaston sit down with Mary Steele and Eric Almassy from Allstate Health Solutions to break down why more agents are selling Allstate in today’s market.

The insurance industry is shifting fast. ACA and Medicare are getting more complex, benefits are changing, and relying on one product just isn’t enough anymore.

Ready to grow your book? Connect with Mary Steele: 👉 https://calendly.com/mary_steele

The agents who are winning right now are the ones who:

• Build full portfolios
• Stack ancillary products
• Think long-term for their clients
• Adapt to market changes

In this episode, we cover:

• 3×12 plans and how they work
• The importance of field underwriting
• Why bundling products creates better outcomes
• How to combat medical inflation
• New product innovations from Allstate
• What agents need to do to stay competitive

If you’re an agent looking to grow, diversify, and stay ahead of the industry… this episode is for you.

In Episode 117 of the Agent Boost Podcast, Dan and Mike sit down with Carol Labrum, owner of ClearPath Insurance Solutions and founder of the “Medicare Moms.”

From starting in a grocery store booth while pregnant… to building a thriving, purpose-driven agency, Carol shares how she turned real-life skills into real business success.

This episode dives into:

• How moms are already equipped to succeed in insurance

• Building a flexible, high-income career

• Creating a culture that actually supports real life• Scaling an agency across states

• And what it really takes to grow in today’s Medicare market

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overlooked, or unsure where your next opportunity is, this one’s for you.

📩 Want to connect with Carol?

Visit: https://www.clearpathinsurancesolutions.com/

Email: [email protected]

Connect with us!

💻 Website: www.agentboost.com💰Get Contracted: https://agentboost.com/get-contracted👨🏼‍🎓Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/606332946546184/📬 Our Weekly Newsletter: https://agentboost.com/subscribe-to-our-newsletter/

00:00 – Intro & Meet Carol Labrum

00:02:14 – How She Got Started in Insurance

00:07:09 – Why Moms Thrive in This Industry

00:12:10 – Building a Flexible, Purpose-Driven Career

00:19:12 – Growing a Team & Agency

00:27:25 – Learning, Scaling & Standing Out

00:35:23 – Systems, Technology & Growth

00:43:25 – Vision, Challenges & What’s Next

00:48:54 – Who This Opportunity Is For + Final Thoughts

In this episode of the Agent Boost Podcast, Mike and Dan continue their conversation with Sam Melamed (CEO of NCD) to break down the current ACA marketplace landscape, what proposed changes could mean for agents, and why the healthcare system feels increasingly strained for consumers, carriers, and brokers alike.

They dive into the real challenges facing the ACA market, including affordability issues, alternative plan growth, marketing rule changes, and the uncertainty surrounding new marketplace regulations. The discussion also explores how AI could reshape healthcare costs, why agents must evolve beyond simple enrollments, and where ancillary products may become a major opportunity in the coming years.

If you're an insurance agent, agency owner, or industry professional trying to navigate the changing healthcare landscape, this episode is a must-watch.

Key topics include:

• Why the current ACA system isn’t working for many consumers

• Proposed marketplace regulation changes and potential legal challenges

• The rise of alternative coverage options like short-term and fixed indemnity plans

• How AI could impact healthcare costs and fraud detection

• Why many agents were trained to enroll rather than truly sell

• The growing opportunity for ancillary and supplemental products

• Why Google and Facebook may be the biggest winners in healthcare marketing

The insurance industry is evolving quickly, and the agents who adapt their strategy, diversify their product portfolio, and focus on real client needs will be the ones who succeed.

In Episode 115 of the Agent Boost Marketing Podcast, Mike and Dan Hardle sit down with Sam Melamed, CEO of NCD, to discuss the growing disruption across the Medicare industry.

They break down Medicare Advantage reimbursement changes, CMS policy pressure, carrier profitability challenges, plan exits, and benefit reductions already impacting agents and agencies.

The conversation also explores the ripple effects across Medicare Supplement (Med Supp) plans and Part D (PDP) drug plans, why broker commissions are disappearing, and why insurance agents and brokers may become more important than ever as Medicare grows more complex.

If you sell Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, ACA, or ancillary products, this episode explains the real forces shaping the industry heading toward 2027.