Episode 120: Ed Park Devoted Health CEO on Medicare Advantage, Broker Trust, and Building Healthcare

Episode 124: Building Better Agents with Nate Brown

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.---# Chapters00:00 Welcome Back & Introducing Nate Brown01:19 Nate Brown Joins Agent Boost03:42 Building Relationships in Medicare Sales06:18 Why Old School Agents Still Win09:11 The Difference Between Great Agents & Average Agents12:44 Training, Leadership & Building Better Teams16:30 What’s Changed in Medicare Sales20:12 The Industry Is Getting Harder24:08 Why Diversification Matters More Than Ever28:40 Compliance, Pressure & Industry Challenges33:17 What Younger Agents Need To Understand38:22 Building Trust With Clients Long Term43:10 Why Relationships Still Matter Most48:36 The Future of Medicare Agents53:02 Final Thoughts & Advice For Agents---💻 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/

Episode 120: Ed Park Devoted Health CEO on Medicare Advantage, Broker Trust, and Building Healthcare

Devoted Health CEO, Ed Park on Building a Different Kind of Medicare Advantage Plan | Agent Boost Podcast at Medicarians 2026Live 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/00:00 Introduction from Medicarians 202600:35 Meet Devoted Health CEO Ed Park01:15 Broker feedback and the energy at Medicarians03:10 Why Devoted is standing out in a challenging market04:40 Devoted reaches 500,000 members05:30 Why the 500K member milestone matters06:35 Maintaining service while scaling fast07:45 Devoted’s mission and “prime directive”09:10 Why Devoted was built differently from the start11:20 Athenahealth, healthcare payment models, and the origin story13:15 Building an alternate universe healthcare system15:05 Organic growth vs acquisition growth17:00 Working with family and building with purpose19:00 The hardest decision in building Devoted21:15 What’s next for Devoted23:00 Building trust with brokers and members25:20 Why Devoted remains optimistic in a tough funding environment27:45 Healthcare waste and preventable hospitalizations30:00 GLP-1s, seniors, muscle loss, and unintended consequences32:20 Food, health data, and better member outcomes34:00 Weathering margin compression through the care model36:00 Agents as the tip of the spear38:30 Broker relationships, commissions, and long-term partnership41:00 Devoted’s future goals and “virtual blue zone” vision43:20 Final thoughts and appreciation for agents💻 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/

Episode 122: The Medicarians Story! ft. Jay Weintraub

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 Weintraub00:56 How Medicarians Got Started & The Origin Story03:15 Why Medicare Needed a Trade Show & Early Mistakes05:13 What Was Missing – Getting Agents in the Room06:38 Building a Neutral Platform That Works for Everyone07:48 Taking Feedback & How the Show Evolved09:07 Is the Medicare Industry More Complex Than Others?10:14 Selling Leeds Con & Staying in the Events Business11:32 Insurtech, Venture Capital & How Jay's Career Led to Medicarians13:26 Serving Agents, IMOs, Carriers and Vendors Under One Roof15:03 How ACA and Life Got Added to the Agenda16:08 What Most People Don't Know About Running a Live Event18:04 How to Prepare and Maximize Your Time at Medicarians21:18 The Two Shows Inside Medicarians – Agent Track vs. High Level Meetings22:37 Growth Goals & Where Medicarians Is Headed24:04 Why Medicarians Moves to Caesars Palace for 202727:18 The Hardest Part & The Most Rewarding Moment28:25 The Real Cost of Running an Event in Vegas29:11 How Jay Curates Content and Tracks for Every Attendee31:25 Closing – Why You Should Attend Medicarians 2027💻 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/

Episode 121: The Truth About Medicare Right Now ft. Jared Strock

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 202600:33 Introducing Jared Strock – Telos Actuarial & Medicare Market Insights01:54 Day 3 at Medicarians – Sentiment & Key Themes02:22 "Doing More With Less" – What Everyone Is Saying03:06 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 Mean06:43 The Pendulum – When Does MA Start Swinging Back?08:08 The New Normal for Carriers Going Forward09:49 Are MA Benefits Today Still Better Than 10 Years Ago?12:34 The Revenue Gap – How Distribution Is Trying to Fill the Hole14:59 Med Supp's Perfect Storm – Birthday Rule, GI & Rising Premiums17:55 Why Broker Commissions Are One of the Best Deals in Healthcare19:55 What Telos Actuarial Does & How They Help Carriers20:46 IBNR Reserves Explained23:39 Operation Gold Rush – The $4 Billion Med Supp Fraud Case24:46 What Does the Med Supp Market Look Like in 2027 and 2028?27:57 Jared's Growing Public Presence & Medicare Market Insights App31:17 AI in Insurance – Hype vs. Practical Reality33:52 Personal Connection Will Matter More as AI Grows37:03 What Jared Is Worried About and What He's Optimistic About39:21 What Mike Is Optimistic About – CMS Is Actually Listening40:56 Closing + Next Trip to Utah on the Table💻 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/

Episode 119: How to Sell Your Agency with the AmeriLife Deal Team

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