The Broker Link

In this episode of The Broker Link , Cristal Bustillos from The Brokerage Inc. highlights the importance of Long-Term Care Awareness Month and why every advisor should be helping clients prepare for future care needs. Crystal discusses the rising costs of nursing homes and assisted living facilities and explains that Medicare and Medicaid offer limited coverage , leaving many families unprepared f...

In this episode of  The Broker Link , Mike Papuc  and Sonia Porras dive into the exclusive ACA partnership between UnitedHealthcare and Sanitas Clinics , a collaboration that's reshaping access to care in the San Antonio community. Focused on value-based care , this partnership aims to deliver comprehensive, culturally aligned healthcare — from preventive medicine to mental health services — to be...

In this episode of The Broker Link , host John Ross Hopkin sits down with Christapher Estep, Vice President of Sales Midwest at  Ameriflex to dive into the growing world of Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs) . Introduced in 2018, ICHRAs are transforming how employers offer health benefits — giving businesses the ability to set defined allowances while empowering employe...

In this episode of The Broker Link , Mike Papuc and Trey Owens dive into the heart of what keeps agents thriving— consistent communication and meaningful support . They discuss the importance of upline check-ins that aren't driven by an agenda but by a genuine desire to help agents grow. Trey shares insights from his experience with health insurance carriers, emphasizing that open communication is...

In this episode of The Broker Link , Cristal Bustillos from The Brokerage Inc. explores the growing importance of final expense insurance , especially for baby boomers nearing retirement. With rising funeral and burial costs, the demand for affordable and straightforward coverage continues to grow. Cristal explains how final expense insurance offers easy qualification, with many plans providing gu...

In this episode of The Broker Link , The Brokerage Inc. highlights the upcoming 2026 Kickoff Events designed to help agents gear up for both AEP and OEP. These in-person events will be hosted across multiple cities — Miami, Tampa, Houston, San Antonio, El Paso, Harlingen, Corpus Christi, and Dallas — bringing together local carrier reps, provider groups, and our Brokerage leadership team. Attendee...

In this episode of The Broker Link, Crystal Bustillos from The Brokerage Inc. discusses how the back-to-school season is the perfect time for agents to talk with parents about long-term financial planning—specifically life insurance. She highlights how juvenile life insurance can lock in low premiums, secure lifetime insurability, and build cash value for future expenses like college, a first home...

In this episode of The Broker Link , Josh Slattery breaks down key carrier updates that will impact Medicare Advantage and Part D plans in 2026. Highlights include: 🔄 Cigna's rebrand to HealthSpring Following its acquisition by HCSC , Cigna's Medicare Advantage and Part D plans will now be branded under HealthSpring . The focus will shift to HMO plans and expanded C-SNP offerings , with continued...

In this episode of The Broker Link , Josh Slattery shares insights on the upcoming Member Retention Program , designed to help insurance agents proactively retain clients amid rising plan terminations and cost increases. Josh highlights: The success of last year's retention campaign Why having a CRM and streamlined processes is critical Free tools available: direct mail, email templates, and QR co...

In this episode of The Broker Link, Josh Slattery dives into the 2026 Final Rule and its impact on the health insurance landscape. While this year's changes are more modest compared to previous updates, several important developments were discussed: GLP-1 Coverage & Debit Card Rules: Proposed changes to expand GLP-1 drug coverage for obesity and revise flex debit card use were not included in the...

In this episode of the Broker Link, Mike Papuc and JR Hopkin from our Health team dive into the growing momentum behind ICHRA — the Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement — and how it's reshaping the future of employer-sponsored benefits. With 175 million Americans currently covered through group plans and 25 million still uninsured, ICHRA presents a flexible, cost-controlled alterna...

In this episode, Crystal Bustillos from The Brokerage Inc. dives into the critical role life insurance plays in achieving financial independence and long-term security . She explains how life insurance not only provides peace of mind by covering funeral costs and lost income , but also offers living benefits through permanent policies like Whole Life or Indexed Universal Life . These policies can...

In this episode, we break down the CMS Final Rule for the 2025 Marketplace and what it means for agents, insurers, and consumers. Key highlights include: Past-due premium enforcement : Carriers may require payment of prior premiums before activating new coverage, with flexibility for state-specific rules. Standardized Open Enrollment : → 2026 : Nov 1 – Jan 15 → 2027 and beyond : Federal deadline o...

In this episode, we dive into the growing trend of non-commissionable Medicare Advantage plans and what it means for agents and the industry. Josh Slattery, Executive VP of The Brokerage Inc. and a seasoned expert in the Medicare space, explains that carriers are labeling certain plans as non-commissionable primarily to curb financial losses,   often driven by low profitability, plan redundancy ,...

In this episode, Cheryl Chapman, Annuities Specialist with 19 years of experience, joins Sherry Kelson, Director of the Life Team at The Brokerage Inc., to break down what agents need to know about annuities. Cheryl walks through the key requirements for selling annuities, including: A life and health license State-specific certifications Anti-money laundering (AML) training Errors & omissions (E&...

In this episode of The Broker Link ,  Mike Papuc and Trey Owens from the Health team at The Brokerage Inc., explore what it means to be truly independent as an insurance agent. They break down the importance of carefully reading and negotiating contracts, ensuring agents aren't locked into unfavorable terms that limit their growth.   Trey shares why being a 1099 agent is essential for long-term su...

In this episode, Chris Newberry from The Brokerage joins Cory Procter , founder of Pro Capital , to explore what it means to take a truly holistic approach to financial practice . Chris emphasizes that advisors must go beyond selling just Medicare or life insurance, advocating for a broader suite of services that meet clients' evolving financial needs. Cory shares his powerful personal journey fro...

In this special episode, Mike Smith of The Brokerage Inc. leads a timely and insightful panel discussion from the FMO Summit, joined by two distinguished guests: John Greene, Founder & Principal of Tri-Branch Resolution LLC, and Nick Uehlecke, Principal at Todd Strategy Group. Together, they unpack the latest legislative and regulatory developments surrounding the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid S...

In this episode of The Broker Link , Trey Owens and Mike Papuc dive into platform updates designed to simplify and enhance the onboarding experience for insurance agents. They address a common industry problem: agents often feel forgotten after joining. TBI is tackling this through ongoing support tools, including brief, twice-weekly training sessions and a personalized white glove contracting ser...

In this insightful episode, Crystal Bustillos joins the show to spotlight the often-overlooked topic of disability insurance , timed perfectly with Disability Insurance Awareness Month . Crystal emphasizes that a client's income is their most valuable financial asset , and protecting it should be a top priority. She breaks down the differences between short-term and long-term disability insurance...

This episode of the Broker Link podcast discusses the upcoming Life Symposium on May 20 at the new Flower Mound office. Chris Newberry and Crystal Bustillos from the Life team highlight new features like the Vive platform for term insurance, which allows agents to run quotes and apply directly. The symposium will cover various life insurance products, including term, IUL, long-term care, final exp...

Marketing & Sales Strategies to Maximize Event Success   In this episode of Broker Link , Cynthia Rosales , Regional Sales Director at The Brokerage Inc. , with 28 years of experience in Medicare sales, discussed the importance of differentiating between sales and educational events, emphasizing the need for reporting in sales events. She advised choosing venues where seniors gather, such as resta...

What Agents Really Want from an FMO   In this episode of Broker Link, Trey Owens from  The Brokerage Inc. sits down with experienced agent Lewis to explore what truly matters to agents when choosing an FMO (Field Marketing Organization) . Louis shares valuable insights from the field, warning agents to steer clear of FMOs offering "free leads" —often a red flag for low-quality support. Instead, he...

In this episode of  Broker Link , Cristal Bustillos with The Brokerage Inc. Life team dives into the critical role of life insurance in legacy planning. She breaks down how it helps manage estate taxes, facilitates charitable giving, and ensures a smooth wealth transfer. Cristal also explains how life insurance provides   liquidity for illiquid assets li ke family farms or businesses, helping fami...

The Brokerage Inc. is so excited to announce Yunior Santana is joining the company as a new Regional Sales Director in Florida.  Yunior is an experienced agent and agency owner in the Miami area and is a great addition to our sales team.  Yunior takes over for Carl-Philippe Denis, who has been promoted to Senior National Sales Director. In this episode of The Broker Link, get to know Yunior and wh...