Check out our April newsletter!
“Serving Those that Serve Others”
(844) 696-3975 · AskHPM.com
Edition 4 ∙ Q2 2026
A TIME TO RESET, RECHARGE, AND REVIEW Post-Peak Peace
Welcome to Chill Time.
devote to strengthening those relationships. There’s no better way to work with clients than to drive out to them, sit with them, shoot the breeze, and address or solve any problems they’re encountering. Of course, it never hurts to use these in-person connections to inform your clients of ancillary products that will provide them with stronger coverage and protection. As you travel to meet with current, new, and prospective clients, consider expanding your territory. If you’re feeling a bit stuck in your current geographic area, you can explore adding new states to your business. Widening your reach this way can be ideal for retaining clients who are considering moving or who would love to refer you to friends and family who live far away.
Somehow, we all made it through another Open Enrollment Period and all the heavy lifting that goes along with it. I hope everyone reading this had a successful season and is ready to enjoy well- earned time away from the grind before you do it all again in a few short months. Above all, I hope you don’t feel the least bit guilty about booking a vacation, spending more time with your family, or slowing down to recharge your batteries before shifting back to work at full speed. Once you’ve had a chance to decompress, taking an objective look at the past few months is the best thing you can do. Review what worked, what didn’t, which initiatives were valuable, and which just ate time, money, and resources. Additionally, Q2 is the perfect time to review your CRM systems and enrollment systems, make any necessary upgrades, and refocus and refine your client attention goals for the future. The next three months are also ideal for agents to give themselves a brain upgrade. If you uncovered weak points in your business over the past six months, now is the time to spend a week or two brushing up on new training opportunities to take action against those weaknesses. Away from focusing on your education and internal metrics, your Q2 can always be used to go deeper into your client connections. If you have clients who are on the fence about certain things or newer ones you’d like to get to know better, you now have a precious hour to
And, of course, the Q2 downtime doesn’t last forever, as recertification season kicks off again in June.
I know I just filled an article supposedly about taking it easy with a laundry list of things you need to do over the next few months, but you can reach all of these benchmarks easily if you tackle them consistently throughout the quarter. The best way to avoid stress is to prepare for it, so it’s wise to chip away at things steadily when you have time, rather than let them pile up until the last minute. That said, please fit time off into your schedule right now. We work to live, not live to work. Things will be hectic again before we know it, so you owe it to yourself to get away and enjoy some real rest and relaxation. When it does come time to get back into gear, know that we’re here for you every step of the way. Never hesitate to reach out to us for anything that could help improve your book or business and make your selling easier and more comprehensive.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF OUR NEW NEWSLETTER? PLEASE CONTACT US AT SUPPORT@ASKHPM.COM WITH FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE CONTENT.
Until next time, enjoy your time away from work. You’ve earned every second of it!
—Justin Jacobs
(844) 696-3975 • 1
Metrics, Mastery, and Momentum WELCOME TO HQ 2.0!
Expanded Enrollment Content In response to greater demands for agency partners to have a one- stop resource for market activity, HQ 2.0 has consolidated a host of previously fragmented data to enable easier access to information on individual agents’ production, specific
Are you busy building your business or hindered by constantly hunting down numbers? As any agent or advisor reading this newsletter knows, spinning multiple plates while attempting to track down vital information at a moment’s notice is one of the greatest challenges of thriving in today’s marketplace. At HPM, we strive to reduce the need for agents to seek answers in multiple places and increase their ability to focus on what matters: serving their clients. Now, the direction, convenience, and relief agents seek are available at their fingertips through a single pane of glass. After several months of research and development, Health Plan Markets is excited to announce the official launch of HQ 2.0 at hq.askhpm.com . Now live and available to all direct and partner agents, this vastly revamped internal portal and knowledge base provides greater ease of use, increased transparency, and all the tools and data points agents need to make more informed decisions about their activities, growth, and opportunities for improvement. Here is a brief overview of some of the core features now available through this revitalized resource. Itemized Visibility and Enhanced Data Siloing Through HQ 2.0, agents can now enjoy greater visibility and transparency in commission statements, contracting
product analytics, HealthSherpa and HPM Shop enrollment trends, and more. This data can be filtered and exported based on individual recordkeeping needs. Optimized Agent Onboarding In today’s market, any opportunity to reduce the time spent on back- and-forth email communication is welcome. With HQ 2.0, users can now submit agent invitations to a partnered agent directly through the system. Additionally, new agents can begin their onboarding process directly in the HQ 2.0 portal. Greater Clarity on Commissions HPM understands the importance of providing a helpful framework for following commission data. HQ 2.0 enables agents to track commissions weekly through detailed breakdowns and deeper insights into key KPIs, including Medicare AEP and ACA OEP enrollment metrics. From Concept to Creation The transition to HQ 2.0 began in the summer of 2025, with beta testing conducted in Q4. As thrilled as we are to offer this portal, it is only as strong as the end-users’ experiences with it. If you’ve yet to experience the new site, we encourage you to explore it today. If you have any questions or would like to receive a live demo of HQ 2.0’s full functionality, please contact us at support@askhpm.com .
efforts, and ACA or HPM Shop enrollments. HPM prides itself on running commission statements weekly. HQ 2.0 has expanded this
information into a new dashboard that provides greater detail on agent production, which can now be downloaded as a CSV file for easy exporting into accounting software.
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THE CANCER CONVERSATION
An Agent’s Path to Client Reassurance
Being involved in the health care industry means attending many events, and it can be difficult to remember them all as the years go by. However, there’s one moment from an event that will stay with me forever, At one point during their presentation, the speaker asked, “Do you know anyone, including yourself, who has ever had cancer?” Everyone in the room raised their hands . That sight drove home two things for me: 1. Cancer is a critical health issue impacting the majority of Americans in some way. 2. Few people are prepared financially if they’re diagnosed with it. Most consumers understand and value the importance of having auto insurance in case of an accident, but how many people consider cancer insurance as an option? How many of them know that it even exists? If they’re diagnosed with cancer, how will their livelihood be affected?
With April being Cancer Control Month, I’d like to shine a spotlight on cancer insurance as an ancillary product you can offer clients to help preserve their economic standing and peace of mind. When a client purchases supplemental cancer insurance coverage, they receive funds that fill the gaps left by traditional health policies and help shield them from the risks and financial demands of receiving medical treatment costs and being out of work. A health insurance policy covers a client’s medical bills, but it doesn’t pay their mortgage, utilities, and other living expenses. That’s one of many reasons why cancer insurance can be so valuable to your clients. Cancer insurance is part of a host of ancillary products currently available, such as add- ons for vision, hospital indemnity, and critical illness plans. If you’re interested in selling these additional products, please contact us at contracting@askhpm.com for more information. —Justin Jacobs
That’s where agents can help.
FOCUS, FITNESS, AND FOLLOW-THROUGH
A Q2 PERFORMANCE PLAYBOOK
Consistency drives client confidence. Whether you’re working to lose weight or working to hit sales goals this quarter, consistency is key. You gain your clients’ trust by showing up consistently, responding to their needs dependably, and staying true to what they rely on you to deliver. If you’ve had to reschedule appointments due to issues on your end, work to develop ways to stay on a more reliable
Are you ready to run for the long haul, or are you entering Q2 low on inspiration or enthusiasm? If so, here are three thoughts to help you level up your sales game by being more present, consistent, and intentional.
You are how you look. If you went to visit a nutritionist and noticed they were obese as they entered the room, would you feel
course. Tasks become much easier to complete once they become regular habits, and your clients will notice your dependability.
uncomfortable taking their advice? It’s the same scenario with health plan agents. Yes, sales are important, but you should always remember that you’re selling a human product. Clients need to feel as confident in the in-person salesperson as they do in the product itself. Clients can feel when someone is rushed, depleted, or disconnected from their own well-being. We work in a stressful industry, and we’re all very aware of the demands placed upon us. That’s why it’s critical to mind your physical health as much as possible. Working to stay physically fit isn’t just good for you; it also shows your clients that you understand health care and practice what you preach (and sell).
Service begins with self. All success begins in the mind, and the
importance of positive thinking should never be overlooked. You can’t be of service to anyone, client or otherwise, unless you’re of service to yourself first. Starting your day with positive affirmations and gratitude can go a long way toward setting a clear path for the hours ahead. Even the minor act of journaling can help you focus on goals and accentuate the positive more often. Just as eating too many of the wrong foods can slow us down, a negative mindset can be a minefield in the sales world. Be kind to yourself first, and the rest will follow.
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Inside This Edition
“Serving Those that Serve Others”
1 2
Rest Before Results
The Next Step in Transparency, Tracking, and Trust
3
Champion Confidence Amid Critical Health Concerns A Personal Discipline Guide to Profit
4
The Q2 Market Outlook
THE CURRENT STATE OF ACA OPPORTUNITY, STABILITY, AND STRATEGIC GROWTH
4. Compliance and oversight have increased. With marketplace growth comes heightened CMS oversight. Consent documentation, SEP validation, and proper client attestations are critical. Agents who operate compliantly are protecting both their book and their long-term income stream. 5. Carrier participation is stable. Many states continue to see stable or increased carrier participation. Competition is driving improved pricing, broader provider networks, and stronger plan designs, which makes the ACA easier to position and sell. 6. Cross-selling opportunities continue to expand. The ACA should not be viewed as a standalone product. Hospital indemnity, critical illness, dental, vision, and accident coverage all create opportunities to increase household value while strengthening client relationships. The HPM Perspective The ACA marketplace is no longer seasonal or experimental. It is a mature, structured, and deeply integrated segment of the health insurance ecosystem. Agents who treat the ACA as a core business line — not a side hustle — are building durable, recurring revenue streams. For those not currently contracted, now is the time to evaluate how the ACA fits into your long-term growth strategy.
With Q2 now upon us, here are six factors to consider as you work to find greater success in the current marketplace: 1. Enrollment remains historically strong. Marketplace enrollment continues to reach record levels nationwide. Enhanced premium subsidies and expanded consumer awareness have significantly increased affordability. The ACA market is no longer viewed as a last resort — it is now a primary coverage option for millions of Americans.
Why This Matters for Agents • Larger year-round prospect pool • More subsidy-eligible middle- income clients
• Stronger retention opportunities • Stabilized renewal books
2. Subsidies continue to drive affordability. Enhanced Advanced Premium Tax Credits have expanded eligibility beyond traditional income caps. Many consumers now qualify for $0 or low-premium Silver and Bronze plans, making the ACA more competitive than ever. 3. SEP strategy is critical for year-round production. Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs) have transformed the ACA into a year-round opportunity. Loss of coverage, household changes, income fluctuations, and Medicaid redeterminations continue to create consistent enrollment opportunities beyond Open Enrollment.
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