Key Takeaways

• Keeping your Medicare book of business intact in 2025 means proactively maintaining relationships, not just completing enrollments.

• A structured client retention system is no longer optional; it’s essential for long-term success and renewals.

You’ve Built a Solid Book—But Retention Is Where the Real ROI Lives

As a licensed agent selling Medicare plans, your book of business represents more than just income—it’s the foundation of your professional stability. You’ve worked hard to build trust, generate enrollments, and comply with every CMS regulation. But in 2025, building a book isn’t enough. Keeping it intact through proactive retention strategies is the true test of staying power.

Client attrition doesn’t just happen because a competitor offered something cheaper. Often, it happens because clients simply forget you exist. Let’s fix that.

1. Keep Showing Up—Even When It’s Not Enrollment Season

You know how noisy things get between October 15 and December 7. But retention doesn’t happen during AEP. It happens in the quieter months—when clients least expect to hear from you and most appreciate your presence.

What to do:

• Quarterly check-ins: These can be short and simple. A quick phone call or email asking how they’re doing goes a long way.

• Post-enrollment reviews: Reach out 30 to 60 days after enrollment to make sure your clients received their ID cards and understand how to use their benefits.

• Birthday and holiday touches: Automated birthday messages or handwritten holiday cards help maintain familiarity and warmth.

A regular, structured outreach calendar will keep your name top-of-mind all year.

2. Create a Clear Client Experience Roadmap

Clients are less likely to wander when they understand what to expect. Set up a standard client journey with clear communication touchpoints that span the entire year.

Key phases to map:

• Welcome phase: Immediately after enrollment, send a welcome packet or email outlining what comes next.

• Education phase: Throughout the year, send helpful content explaining how to use key benefits (like preventive services, mental health visits, or prescription refills).

• Annual review phase: Contact every client at least 60 days before AEP to schedule a plan review—even if you think they’ll stick with their current plan.

Consistency equals trust. When clients feel guided and supported, they’re less likely to switch.

3. Make Sure Clients Understand What They Have

Confusion breeds complaints. And in Medicare, a confused client is a vulnerable client.

Focus on ongoing education:

• Send short explainers about how their plan works, what it covers, and how to use it.

• Hold quarterly webinars or Q&A calls to answer general Medicare questions—especially before and after AEP.

• Share seasonal tips like where to get flu shots, how to request transportation, or when to schedule an annual wellness visit.

When clients understand how to use their plan, they feel confident—and they credit you for that clarity.

4. Treat Complaints as Golden Opportunities

Complaints are inevitable. But they’re also one of your best chances to strengthen loyalty.

If a client reaches out with a problem:

• Respond within 24 hours. Even if it’s just to say you’re working on it.

• Follow up until it’s resolved. Never assume the issue is closed until your client says it is.

• Track patterns. If multiple clients mention the same issue, use that insight to adjust your communication or onboarding.

A complaint addressed quickly often leads to stronger retention than a quiet, uneventful policy year.

5. Stay Ahead of Plan Changes—and Talk About Them First

In 2025, CMS continues to allow carriers to change plan details each year. This means your clients might face shifts in copays, pharmacy networks, or provider access.

Don’t let the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) be the only source of truth. You should be the one explaining what’s different and what it means.

Timeline:

• Start prepping in August. Begin reviewing ANOC documents and changes from plans you service.

• Reach out in September. This gives you a chance to prepare your clients before they’re inundated with marketing from other sources.

• Have a recommendation ready. If the plan still works, reassure them. If not, guide them through the switch.

Being the first to communicate change makes you the go-to expert.

6. Implement a System for Tracking Engagement and Outreach

If you’re relying on memory or a spreadsheet, you’re going to miss things. Automation isn’t just about speed—it’s about reliability.

Consider tracking:

• Contact history

• Plan start and renewal dates

• Notes on preferences or complaints

• Education content delivered

• Upcoming plan anniversaries or AEP eligibility

With the right CRM or automation tools, your outreach becomes scalable—and mistakes become rare.

7. Monitor Retention Metrics Like You Do Sales Metrics

You already track how many clients you enroll. Now start tracking how many stay. Retention should be one of your core performance indicators in 2025.

Metrics to review quarterly:

• Annual client retention rate (clients renewed vs. total clients)

• Retention by plan type or demographic

• Complaint resolution time

• Number of proactive outreach attempts

Use this data to see what’s working—and where you need to plug holes.

8. Don’t Just Sell During AEP—Re-Sell Your Value

Each AEP is a chance for clients to evaluate their current plan—and your value as their agent.

Even if a client stays on the same plan, they still need a reason to stick with you.

Remind them:

• That you’re available year-round

• That you helped them avoid potential pitfalls

• That you’re the reason they understood their benefits this past year

Make it a habit to reaffirm your value at every touchpoint, especially during AEP.

9. Build a Referral Engine from Your Existing Clients

Happy clients are your best advocates. Don’t wait for referrals—prompt them.

How to encourage it:

• After solving a problem, ask if they know anyone else who could use the same help.

• Include a referral CTA in your newsletters or thank-you notes.

• Offer non-monetary appreciation like thank-you calls or recognition (in line with CMS rules).

Referrals are easier to close and tend to stay longer—just like the people who sent them your way.

Your Book Won’t Keep Itself—But You Can

Your future revenue depends not only on how many people you enroll this year, but on how many stay with you next year and the one after that. In 2025, retention is no longer a back-end metric. It’s a front-end strategy.

That’s why we built BedrockMD—to help professionals like you automate outreach, track follow-ups, and stay relevant to your clients year-round. With our tools, you can focus on high-value conversations while we handle the repetitive stuff in the background.

Sign up today and see how we can help you keep the book you’ve worked so hard to build.