medicare
agent
independent
For many agents, there comes a time when you start weighing a key decision. Should you remain ACA-focused only, or expand your services to include Medicare Advantage (MA)? As your ACA clients age, a growing number will become eligible for Medicare, “turning 65.”
When this happens, you typically have two options:
Help clients transition into a Medicare Advantage plan, or
Refer them to someone else who can assist them.
If you’re already shifting clients from ACA to MA, it’s a good idea to assess your ACA book. Determine the potential number of clients you can convert to MA and set your quarterly or annual goals. It’s hard to hit a target if you aren’t tracking your numbers.
The following calculations are from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS). They are the national maximum for 2025 - 2026 Medicare broker compensation.
Set Your ACA-to-MA Conversion Goals with this Calculation
- Establish # of ACA clients (Agents of 2–4 years have 200–400 ACA clients)
- Estimate # turning 65 this year (20% of ACA clients will turn 65 this coming year)
- Set a realistic goal for conversions (50%–70%, average 60%)
- Calculate your potential
For 2025, Medicare Advantage pays:
- $611 for initial-year enrollment (national max, varies by state)
- $306 per year renewal (2025 CMS national base rate)
- $109 per Part D initial enrollment and $55 per renewal
Example:
Conservative Goal:
300 (ACA clients) X 20% (turning 65) = 60 ACA clients turning 65
60 (turning 65) X 60% (average conversion goal) = Goal of 36 ACA clients to convert to MA
36 X $611 (turning 65 is an initial-year enrollment) = $21,996
Your goal should be 39 clients converting from ACA to MA, creating $21,996 in income
Aggressive Goal:
400 (ACA clients) X 20% (turning 65) = 80 ACA clients turning 65
80 (turning 65) X 70% (average conversion goal) = Goal of 56 ACA clients to convert to MA
56 X $611 (turning 65 is an initial-year enrollment) = $34,216
Your goal should be 56 clients converting from ACA to MA, creating $34,216 in income
Plan to Reach Your Goal
- Identify your ACA clients who will be turning 65 in the next 6 months
- Set and track their Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)
- Provide them with the educational Medicare basics (non-sales)
- Collect your Scope of Appointment (SOA) and Permission to Contact (PTC) forms
- Keep in contact with a birthday card, calls, reminders, and follow-up opportunities
Once you've identified your goals with the target number of ACA clients to convert to Medicare Advantage, you can continue to look even deeper. Why is this transition so important, and how will it impact your bottom line? The answer lies in the numbers.
ACA enrollments do create a steady short-term growth for your book of business, but Medicare Advantage produces larger long-term growth. MA clients have a higher retention rate of 6 to 10 years, whereas agents typically retain an ACA client for only 2 to 3 years.
Want a clearer picture of what your book can look like? Understanding the numbers and formulating a plan makes it easier to set achievable goals, make future plans, and navigate the ever-changing insurance industry. The following is a 2025 Commission Comparison of ACA and MA to help understand your financial opportunities.
| Category | ACA Marketplace Plans | Medicare Advantage Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Commission | $20–$30 per member/month | $611 per member, initial year |
| Renewal Commission | Same as initial, if client stays | $306 per member, renewal year |
| Enrollment Process | Fast: 6–15 minutes | More Detailed: 30 min to 1 hour |
| Client Retention | Lower: 2–3 years | Higher: 6–10 years |
| Plan Complexity | Based on income and subsidies | Based on doctors, RX, and network |
| Compliance | No SOA or CMS training req. | SOA, CMS cert., strict compliance |
If you’re not selling Medicare, but are interested in getting licensed, reach out to a Marketer to learn about our proven step-by-step process. When you partner with Messer, you’ll have a team of skilled professionals who provide agents with the industry tools and resources for success.
There are tools to make it easier to move clients from ACA to Medicare Advantage. Enrollment tools such as Messer’s MyMFG allow you to keep all clients in the same database without logging in and out to move between platforms.
Visit MyMFG, the industry's leading quote-and-enrollment platform.
If you have an MA pipeline, but it feels like a firehose, turn that pressure into profit by referring your MA clients to Messer. We can help by providing your clients with a well-crafted plan tailored to meet their needs.
Refer ACA clients to Messer and receive a commission fee for each qualified client.
