The new AHIP 2021 training begins on June 22, 2020. This is an important requirement for all Medicare brokers that represent MAPD and PDP plans with most key insurance carriers. This certification generally must be satisfied before you are ready to sell for 2021.

• The WAP Team is proceeding with caution, and we are not ready to re-open our physical doors quite yet. For now, we will continue to serve our agent partners from remote home offices.
  We want to reassure our agents, agencies and partners that WAP is fully staffed and continues to conduct business without disruption to customer support; including sales, contracting, licensing, and enrollments and commission processing. 
• For the time being, agents will not have access to our facilities. We are assessing the situation and will continue to follow the state guidelines as well as take precautions to keep our employees, agents, agencies and partners safe. 

Big news! Starting in 2021, Medicare beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) will be allowed to enroll in Medicare Advantage plans. This is a significant change that will have major impacts on both the healthcare choices of ESRD patients and Medicare Advantage spending.

In November’s 2020 presidential election, we will most likely be choosing between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The candidate chosen to be our next president will have a big influence on the future of Medicare – so let’s see what each candidate has in mind.

Medicare beneficiaries who have been impacted by the COVID-19 emergency will have access to a new Special Enrollment Period (SEP). Not everyone will qualify for this enrollment period, but for those who do, this is an important election opportunity.

What should health insurance cover? There are some obvious answers – like doctor visits, hospital stays, essential lab tests and prescription drugs. Then there are some “nice to haves” – like grocery delivery, transportation to the doctor’s office and a gym membership. These extra services can certainly contribute to good health, but they aren’t normally covered by health insurance.

COVID-19 is disrupting daily life, but a new executive order should make it easier for some Arizonans to continue work. On March 26, Governor Ducey issued Executive Order 2020-17, Continuity of Work. This order should provide relief for insurance agents and other licensed professionals in the state of Arizona.

States around the country have issued shelter-in-place orders urging people to stay home to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These orders have led to some confusion over what is and what is not essential.

Western Asset Protection is dedicated to keeping the agent community and our senior community safe during this COVID-19 crisis, especially when it comes to compliance. Unfortunately, there has been a lot of misinformation and confusion surrounding COVID-19. We have been working closely with our compliance partners to stay up to date on any and all changes in our industry as information is released from Capitol Hill, CMS, FEMA and the Department of Insurance.