Insurance Business Babes

Joanna Wyckoff and Kathe Kline each work in the Medicare space, but they run their businesses very differently. Tune in each week to find out what they are talking about and how they can help your Medicare and ACA business grow. Do you want us to talk about something on the show? Send us an audio message (you are giving us permission to use it on the show) at https://s.bcast.fm/insurance-business-babes.

Insurance Business Babes is a business podcast hosted by Kathe Kline, with 109 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Kathe Kline hosts Insurance Business Babes, a business show with 109 episodes published.

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  Insurance Business Babes

  Growing Your Insurance Business the Right Way: LOAs, Hiring & Work-Life Balance

  Aug 10, 202626 min

  Joanna just landed her first Licensed Only Agent (LOA) and she's breaking down exactly how to do it right. In this episode of Insurance Business Babes, Joanna and Kathy dive deep into: What LOAs can (and can't) do with your book of business Client ownership, non-solicit agreements & protecting your Medicare agency Why she hired a licensed service assistant instead of a traditional LOA Bringing on a COO with military leadership experience Balancing rapid business growth as a single mom in the insurance industry The au pair decision that's changing her work-life balance before AEP Whether you're a Medicare agent scaling your team, considering your first LOA hire, or just trying to figure out how to build support systems that actually work. This episode is packed with real talk on hiring, trust, and running a growing insurance business without burning out. Tune in for an honest conversation about leadership, boundaries, and what it really takes to scale in the Medicare space. #InsuranceBusinessBabes #MedicareAgent #LOA #InsuranceAgency #WomenInInsurance #MedicareAdvantage #AEP #InsuranceLeadership #WorkLifeBalance #SmallBusinessHiring

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  Insurance Business Babes

  Special Guest Laura Winningham: How to Sell Deep, Handle Commission Cuts, and Stop Losing Cancer Policy Sales

  Aug 3, 202635 min

  Joanna's out this week, but Kathy is joined by a special guest, Laura Winningham, a dynamic Medicare and short-term care specialist Kathy met at one of Joanna's events. Laura brings a masterclass in mindset and sales strategy for agents navigating a shrinking-commission world. Laura opens with a message every agent needs right now: don't absorb commission cuts into your identity. Instead, pivot and the way you pivot is by selling deep to every client instead of being a "one-trick pony." She walks through her exact phone script for setting client expectations before ever quoting a plan, why she "sets the table" early so clients ask her for the gap coverage instead of the other way around, and how staying focused on one go-to product per category (instead of chasing every shiny new offering) builds real confidence and results. The conversation dives deep into a specific home healthcare/short-term care policy that pays out for prescription costs, physical therapy, and skilled nursing, including real client stories, how the prescription rebate actually works, and where agents commonly trip up on the claims process. Laura also shares the exact language she uses to reframe long-term care conversations, why she brings up cancer coverage again and again even after being told no, and the tough personal story that shaped how she talks to clients about calling out their own excuses, with love. In this episode: Why commission cuts shouldn't change how you run your business The exact phone script Laura uses to set client expectations before quoting a plan Why picking ONE go-to product per category beats offering "everything" How a home healthcare short-term care policy can pay clients back more than they pay in The claims process most agents don't explain to clients upfront Why Laura brings up cancer coverage on the first, second, and third "no" The mindset shift that turns objections into "let's get you enrolled" If you've ever hesitated to bring up a product a second time after a client said no, or you've been a one-product agent wondering how to start cross-selling, this episode is packed with real scripts and real stories you can use today. Follow Insurance Business Babes so you never miss an episode.

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  Insurance Business Babes

  Non-Commissionable Products Are Coming for MedSup Too | Here's How to Protect Your Book of Business

  Jul 27, 202631 min

  Kathy and Joanna catch up after a whirlwind few weeks, Platinum Pipeline 2.0 recap, a solo flight with baby Harmony, and Joanna finally opening her own short-term care policy after sitting on the advice for years. Then they get into the topic every Medicare agent needs to hear before AEP hits: non-commissionable products are no longer just a Medicare Advantage problem. Humana and UnitedHealthcare have already gone non-commissionable in parts of the country, Blue Cross Arizona is forcing agents to move contracts to get paid, and now MedSup carriers are starting to follow. Kathy and Joanna talk through what this actually means for independent agents, why "staying in your county" isn't a safe strategy anymore, and how diversifying by location and by product line is the only way to protect your income long-term. They also get real about the tools they've dropped (Connecture, RetireFlow), the workaround Kathy's using now that Medicare.gov data isn't reliable, and a compliance detail a lot of agents don't realize: you don't need a signed Scope of Appointment to talk about health products like dental, vision, or short-term care during a Medicare meeting. In this episode: Platinum Pipeline 2.0 recap, the speakers, the lessons, and what Joanna's implementing from it Why non-commissionable Medicare Advantage plans are just the beginning MedSup carriers going non-commissionable in states like New York Thinking beyond your county (or even your state) to protect your business Why Kathy dropped her "free quote" service using Health Sherpa and Medicare.gov The compliance rule most agents don't know about health product cross-selling Joanna's personal story on why every client, even MedSup clients, should be offered a cancer policy If you sell Medicare and you haven't thought about what happens when your best-selling plans stop paying commission, this episode is your wake-up call. Follow Insurance Business Babes so you never miss an episode.

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  Insurance Business Babes

  AEP Prep Starts NOW: AHIP Deadlines, COI Marketing & Filling Your Pipeline Before It's Too Late

  Jul 20, 202631 min

  It's July, which means AEP is closer than you think, and Kathy and Joanna are here to make sure you're not scrambling in October. In this episode, the Business Babes dive into everything Medicare agents need to be doing RIGHT NOW to prepare for the biggest season of the year. Joanna breaks down her no-nonsense approach to AHIP certification (skip the slides if you've already certified, but don't skip them if you fail), while Kathy shares why June and July are the most underrated months for building your pipeline. You'll hear real stories including Joanna's hospital scare in 2023 and the whirlwind birth of her daughter Harmony two days before Thanksgiving, that prove why "I'll do it later" is not a strategy. Kathy also unpacks her proven "Senior Moments" event formula: how a $120/month sandwich lunch and a rented room turned into years of consistent referrals, plus how to network with Centers of Influence (COIs) like doctors, home health agencies, and discharge nurses without coming off as pushy. Whether you're brand new to Medicare sales or a seasoned agent, this episode is packed with practical, low-cost strategies you can implement today, not in October. In this episode: Why June & July are your most important prep months AHIP vs. NABIP certification tips (and what to do if you fail) How to build a referral pipeline using COIs and joint events The "Senior Moments" event model that costs $150 and pays off for years How to work a table at a health fair without being "that" annoying agent Why consumer resource guides are a $1.50 investment that keeps paying off Real talk on preparing for the unexpected during AEP If you've been putting off your certifications or event planning, consider this your sign to knock it out today. Hosted by Kathy Klein & Joanna Wyckoff

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  Insurance Business Babes

  Should You Do Humana's MAI Program During AEP? (Plus: Why Every Medicare Agent Needs to Be a "Whole Person" Agent)

  Jul 12, 202632 min

  Kathy and Joanna break down Humana's new MAI (Member Appointment Initiative) program, the private, invite-only offer that pays agents to schedule primary care appointments and run HRA-style questions after enrollment. Sounds great on paper... until you realize it's asking for an extra "15-20 minutes" (that's never actually 15-20 minutes) smack in the middle of AEP, when every second is already spoken for. In this episode, they dig into: Why the MAI program's timing doesn't work for independent agents (and why call centers have it easier) The case for letting licensed staff not just licensed agents, help complete these appointments How to use Annual Notice of Change reviews in September to get ahead of AEP disruption "Hunting chickens, not eggs": Joanna's framework for turning client calls into physician referrals and centers of influence Why cross-selling short-term care, hospital indemnity, and dental isn't optional anymore, it's part of being a "whole person" agent The umbrella policy story that explains exactly why your clients need you to offer them everything, not just what they ask for If you've ever felt guilty about not bringing up a product because you didn't want to be "pushy", this episode will change how you think about it. New episodes of Insurance Business Babes drop regularly. Follow so you never miss an episode!

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