The Medicare Annual Election Period just ended, and chances are that you got an earful from clients about next year’s Medicare Part B premium. While the amount consumers pay for Medicare Part B goes up every year, the 2022 increase is unusually large—about 15 percent.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Medicare Advantage is a huge opportunity for agents. Nearly every senior over the age of 65 has health insurance, the majority through the federal Medicare program. And, among the Medicare population, 42 percent have coverage through a Medicare Advantage plan according to a recent report from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).

The annual election period for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans began on October 15, and with more people working past age 65, you may run into some individuals who are trying to determine whether they should sign up for Medicare or stay on their employer-sponsored health plan. To help them make that decision, CMS has created a checklist-style “Fact Sheet” that you may want to share with them.

Nobody likes getting older. In fact, many of us dread our birthdays, reasoning that there’s nothing to look forward to after age 21. At 40 we’re “over the hill”; at 50 we get our invitation to join AARP; and at 62 we’re eligible for Social Security, which would be nice if it wasn’t also referred to as “Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance.”