Buddy Study Podcast

BuddyIns
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Careers

Buddy Study Podcast is a weekly study group style podcast for insurance professionals and financial planners focused on Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCi) for both individual and group benefits. Each episode is designed to help advisors better understand the complexities of LTC planning, stay current on products, and improve their sales and advisory process. Whether you’re new to LTCi or a seasoned specialist, Buddy Study Podcast delivers practical insights you can apply immediately. What you’ll hear on the show: Deep-dives into individual and group LTCi sales strategiesCase studies and real-world planning scenariosConversations with top LTCi specialists and industry leadersProduct and underwriting updates directly from insurance carriersBest practices to help you become more efficient, confident, and informed when advising clients The podcast is an extension of the popular Buddy Study Groups, a free, community-driven educational experience open to all financial professionals. 🗓 Weekly Study Group Schedule Individual LTCi Study Group: Tuesdays at 1 PM PT - https://www.addevent.com/event/Il19620844Group LTCi Study Group: Thursdays at 1 PM PT - https://www.addevent.com/event/vs19612672 There is no membership fee to participate. Our goal is simple: help insurance professionals better serve their clients by mastering long-term care planning. If you work with individuals, employers, or associations and want to stay up to date in the LTCi and group benefits space this podcast is for you.

  1. 2d ago

    Underwriting Sweet Spots for Individual LTCi

    Knowing which carrier to approach for a health-impaired client can be the difference between a placed case and a lost one. Learn how to match the right LTCi carrier to the right health profile, every time. In long-term care insurance, underwriting is where cases are won or lost. Knowing the general guidelines is not enough. The advisors and specialists who consistently place difficult cases are the ones who have built a mental library of carrier-specific underwriting sweet spots: the conditions, medications, and health profiles where one carrier will consider what others will not. In this episode of the Buddy Study Podcast, we dig into underwriting sweet spots for individual LTCi, covering the health conditions and medication scenarios that most commonly challenge advisors, and which carriers tend to offer the most flexibility in each category. We explore: What an underwriting sweet spot is and why building a personal library of them mattersWhy mastering sweet spots saves cases, improves placement ratios, and makes advisors more referableHeight and weight considerations, including carriers with no build chart or gender-separated chartsDiabetes underwriting across type 1, type 2, insulin dependency, and A1C thresholdsRecent surgeries, physical therapy, cortisone injections, and reduced waiting period optionsJoint replacements and how carrier flexibility scales with the number of joints replacedOff-label prescription medications and which carriers take a more liberal approachPacemakers, cancer history, mental health conditions, and recreational marijuana useTable rating, guaranteed issue, and non-insurance alternatives for hard-to-place casesThis episode is designed to help advisors: Identify the right carrier earlier in the sales process to avoid surprises and preserve client momentumPre-qualify more confidently when health history adds complexity to a caseBuild a personal underwriting sweet spot reference they can draw on for yearsBecome the go-to resource for referral partners who need a knowledgeable LTC planning specialistCHAPTER MARKERS 0:00 Welcome and Episode Overview  1:20 What Is an Underwriting Sweet Spot  2:07 Why Sweet Spots Matter: Saving Cases and Placement Ratios  6:55 Finding Opportunities Others Miss: The Referral Advantage  9:08 Height and Weight: Carriers With Lenient Build Charts  13:36 Diabetes: Type 1, Insulin Dependency, and A1C Thresholds  21:45 Recent Surgeries, PT, and Cortisone Injection Timelines  24:11 Joint Replacements: How Carrier Flexibility Scales  25:57 Medications and Off-Label Prescriptions: The Aetna Advantage  33:47 Pacemakers, Narcotic Use, and Cardiac Conditions  37:04 Mental Health, Marijuana, and Cancer History Considerations  38:42 Table Rating, Guaranteed Issue, and Non-Insurance Alternatives  45:29 Final Thoughts and Closing Takeaways 📅 Join the Weekly Buddy Study Groups This podcast is an extension of the Buddy Study Groups, a free educational community for financial professionals. Weekly Calls: Individual LTCi Study Group: Tuesdays at 1 PM PT Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/Il19620844 Group LTCi Study Group: Thursdays at 1 PM PT Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/vs19612672 No membership fee. Just education, collaboration, and better planning strategies. 🔎 About Buddy Study Podcast The Buddy Study Podcast helps insurance professionals and financial planners master Long-Term Care Insurance through case studies, expert interviews, and carrier product updates. Our goal is to help advisors become more confident, efficient, and knowledgeable when helping clients plan for long-term care.

    47 min

  2. Jun 11

    LTCi Objections and Overcoming Them

    Every client objection sounds reasonable until you realize most of them are walls, not reasons. Learn how to handle the most common long-term care insurance (LTCi) objections with confidence, without ever becoming combative. In this edition of the Buddy Study Podcast, we work through the objections every LTCi specialist hears in the field: cost, distrust of carriers, "I'll never use it," "my family will take care of me," and "I need to talk to my financial advisor." More importantly, we dig into why these objections surface, which ones are genuine concerns and which are defensive walls, and how advisors can dismantle them early through proactive education instead of pressure. We explore: The full landscape of common LTCi objections, from premium cost to outright denialWhy some objections are real concerns while others are defense mechanismsHow pre-education roots out misconceptions about Medicare, Medicaid, and self-fundingA collaborative approach to the "I need to talk to my financial advisor" objectionNavigating cultural objections where family caregiving is the expectationHow thoughtful product selection and hybrid LTC designs answer multiple objections at onceWhy finding the client's "why" is your most powerful follow-up and re-engagement toolThis episode is designed to help advisors: Recognize the psychology behind client resistanceAddress objections proactively, before clients ever voice themReframe conversations around funding professional care, not just buying a policyLead with empathy and consultation rather than combativenessWhether you are new to LTC planning or a seasoned specialist, this conversation offers practical, repeatable ways to save one more case and guide more clients toward a real plan. CHAPTER MARKERS 0:00 Welcome & Episode Overview 2:45 Surveying the Most Common LTCi Objections 6:05 Misconceptions: Medicare, Medicaid, and Self-Funding 6:55 Distrust in Carriers and Claims Denial Fears 8:04 Timing Objections: Too Old, Too Young 11:21 Killing Objections Early Through Pre-Education 15:05 Handling the "Talk to My Financial Advisor" Objection 20:06 Cultural Objections: Family Takes Care of Family 26:36 Refocusing on Funding Professional Care 28:48 Product Selection and Hybrid LTC Solutions 31:40 Finding the Client's "Why" 35:50 Be a Consultant, Not a Combatant 42:11 Final Thoughts & Advisor Takeaways 📅 Join the Weekly Buddy Study Groups This podcast is an extension of the Buddy Study Groups, a free educational community for financial professionals. Weekly Calls: Individual LTCi Study Group: Tuesdays at 1 PM PT Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/Il19620844 Group LTCi Study Group: Thursdays at 1 PM PT Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/vs19612672 No membership fee. Just education, collaboration, and better planning strategies. 🔎 About Buddy Study Podcast The Buddy Study Podcast helps insurance professionals and financial planners master Long-Term Care Insurance through case studies, expert interviews, and carrier product updates. Our goal is to help advisors become more confident, efficient, and knowledgeable when helping clients plan for long-term care.

    43 min

  3. May 25

    How to Identify and Close Group Cases

    Most advisors know group LTCi exists, but few know how to spot a viable case, start the conversation, or keep it moving when life gets in the way. Learn from a specialist who has made it his practice. In this episode of the Buddy Study Podcast, Gretchen Berry sits down with Dale Berry, a long-term care specialist who spent decades focused on individual planning before making a deliberate move into group cases. Dale shares the mindset, process, and practical tactics that have helped him identify strong prospects, build trust with HR contacts and benefits brokers, and close group cases that sometimes take two to three years to develop. This is a candid, practitioner-level conversation about what actually works in group LTCi, from the first qualifying call to the "final follow-up" email that consistently gets a response. We explore: How Dale identifies a viable group prospect and what signals he looks for before committing time to a proposalWhy a responsive, interested contact matters more than group sizeThe opening conversation with HR directors and benefits brokers who have never offered LTCiHow demographics, including gender composition, influence product fit and enrollment projectionsWhy employer funding is critical to participation and long-term case successHow to navigate a group that has stalled, and the subject-line strategy that reliably re-engages prospectsTransitioning groups from legacy Unum plans to today's hybrid productsThe difference between serving as an account manager versus a consultant during enrollmentHow Dale structures referral partnerships, including a straightforward 50/50 split on joint cases This episode is designed to help advisors: Recognize and qualify group LTCi opportunities within their existing book of businessBuild productive referral relationships with P&C agents, broker-dealers, and financial advisorsLead group case conversations with confidence, from first contact through closeUnderstand how the specialist role and the handoff model can expand practice revenue without adding complexity CHAPTER MARKERS 0:00 Welcome & Episode Overview 1:10 Dale's Background: From CNA to Group LTCi 2:39 Personal Story: Why This Work Matters 6:06 How to Identify a Viable Group Case 8:33 Opening the Conversation with HR and Benefits Brokers 10:02 Qualifying Questions Before Building a Proposal 11:11 Why Group Demographics, Especially Gender, Matter 13:14 CRM, Follow-Up Systems, and the Persistence Playbook 15:47 When a Case Gets Stuck: How to Re-Engage 18:38 Handling "Let's Revisit Next Year" Responses 21:27 Product Overview: Hybrid Plans and the Starter Plan Concept 23:30 Using the Buddy Calculator to Compare Plans and Carriers 31:05 Transitioning Groups Off Legacy Unum Plans 33:56 Best Markets Beyond School Districts 35:00 Employer Funding: Why It's the Key to Participation 40:43 The Specialist as Consultant During Enrollment 44:41 How Dale Structures Referral Splits: 50/50 Joint Cases 46:05 Dale's Closing Thoughts and How to Connect 📅 Join the Weekly Buddy Study Groups This podcast is an extension of the Buddy Study Groups, a free educational community for financial professionals. Weekly Calls: Individual LTCi Study Group: Tuesdays at 1 PM PT Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/Il19620844 Group LTCi Study Group: Thursdays at 1 PM PT Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/vs19612672 No membership fee. Just education, collaboration, and better planning strategies. 🔎 About Buddy Study Podcast The Buddy Study Podcast helps insurance professionals and financial planners master Long-Term Care Insurance through case studies, expert interviews, and carrier product updates. Our goal is to help advisors become more confident, efficient, and knowledgeable when helping clients plan for long-term care.

    50 min

  4. May 13

    How to Deal with Declines and Save Cases

    A decline doesn't have to end the conversation or the case. Learn how experienced LTCi specialists navigate underwriting setbacks, manage client emotions, and find the right pivot to keep long-term care planning on track. When a client gets declined for long-term care insurance, the risk isn't just losing the case, it's losing the client's confidence in the process entirely. In this episode of the Buddy Study Podcast, host Jason Dutra leads a practitioner-focused discussion on the full lifecycle of managing declines: from early field underwriting and expectation setting, to the emotional moment of decline, to advocating for clients and identifying the right pivot product. This is a boots-on-the-ground conversation featuring real case stories from working specialists, including examples involving couples, partial declines, undisclosed health history, medical record errors, and unexpected carrier decisions. We explore: Why field underwriting and pre-qualification are your first line of defense against a difficult declineHow to set client expectations before the application so a decline doesn't feel like a surpriseThe emotional psychology of declines and why clients sometimes react irrationally, including the "nuclear option" in couples casesHow to reframe the carrier's decision so clients don't feel personally rejected by their healthWhy anchoring clients to their original "why" is the key to keeping them engaged after a setbackReal case examples: Nationwide to Securian pivots, Global Atlantic to Equitrust, and creative hybrid product solutionsHow to be a genuine advocate, fighting carrier decisions, reviewing decline letters, and knowing carrier underwriting sweet spotsThis episode is designed to help advisors: Handle underwriting declines with confidence and a clear processKeep clients engaged and solution-focused after a setbackIdentify pivot products and carrier alternatives for difficult health profilesBuild the kind of trusted advisor relationship that makes clients want to stay in the processCHAPTER MARKERS 0:00 Welcome & Episode Overview 2:36 Field Underwriting: Your First Line of Defense 4:48 Setting Expectations Before the Application 8:10 The Psychology of Declines: Why Clients React Emotionally 11:03 Reframing the Carrier's Decision for Clients 13:02 Anchoring Clients Back to Their "Why" 17:11 Preparing Clients for Pivot Options Up Front 18:15 Understanding Decline Reasons and the Appeal Process 20:26 Case Stories: Real Declines and Successful Pivots 32:15 Knowing Your Carrier Underwriting Sweet Spots 38:04 Being an Advocate: Fighting for Your Clients 40:14 Advisor Takeaways & Closing Thoughts 📅 Join the Weekly Buddy Study Groups This podcast is an extension of the Buddy Study Groups, a free educational community for financial professionals. Weekly Calls: Individual LTCi Study Group: Tuesdays at 1 PM PT Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/Il19620844 Group LTCi Study Group: Thursdays at 1 PM PT Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/vs19612672 No membership fee. Just education, collaboration, and better planning strategies. 🔎 About Buddy Study Podcast The Buddy Study Podcast helps insurance professionals and financial planners master Long-Term Care Insurance through case studies, expert interviews, and carrier product updates. Our goal is to help advisors become more confident, efficient, and knowledgeable when helping clients plan for long-term care.

    53 min

  5. May 6

    Annuity LTCi Study Hall

    Your client has an old annuity sitting on the sidelines — not growing, not earmarked for anything. Learn how annuity LTCi can turn that idle asset into meaningful long-term care coverage, even for clients who can't qualify elsewhere. Annuity-based long-term care is one of the most underutilized tools in the LTCi planning toolkit — and one of the most accessible. In this Study Hall episode, host Jason Dutra and the Buddy Study group take a high-level tour of the annuity LTCi market: who it's designed for, why it works, and how to present it with confidence to the right clients. The conversation covers both the strategic framework and current carrier landscape, including deep discussion of EquiTrust Bridge, Nationwide Care Matters Annuity, One America Annuity Care, and Global Atlantic ForeCare — with real case studies from advisors in the room. We explore: The Pension Protection Act (PPA) and why the 1035 exchange into a 7702B LTC-qualified annuity is such a compelling tax play"Lazy annuity money" — how to identify existing annuities that are no longer serving a client's goals and reposition them for LTC coverageWhy annuity LTCi often delivers better value at older ages, and why it's well-suited for clients who are asset-heavy but income-lightThe critical difference between 7702B LTC riders and ADL doublers — and why it matters for tax treatment and home care coverageEquiTrust Bridge's guaranteed issue underwriting and how interview preparation can maximize a client's coverage tierNationwide Care Matters Annuity product deep-dive: simplified underwriting, leverage multipliers, international benefits, and the retroactive elimination periodHow carrier decline pathways are increasingly routing clients from hybrid products to annuity LTCi — and why advisors need to know thisThe referral partnership opportunity between LTCi specialists and annuity advisorsThis episode is designed to help advisors: Identify strong annuity LTCi candidates during client fact-findingUnderstand key product distinctions across the major carriers in this spacePresent the annuity LTCi concept in a way that keeps the long-term care purpose front and centerLeverage referral relationships with annuity specialists to expand planning opportunitiesCHAPTER MARKERS 0:00 Welcome & Episode Overview 1:42 Why You Need to Think Differently About the Annuity LTC Sale 2:39 Asset Repositioning and the Pension Protection Act 5:02 The PPA Explained: 1035 Exchange and Tax-Free LTC Benefits  7:07 Underwriting Advantages: Simplified and Guaranteed Issue Options 8:44 Case Study: Annuity LTC Value at Older Ages and Unisex Pricing 10:13 Who Financially Qualifies for Annuity LTCi 11:23 Agent Licensing: Annuity Suitability Training Requirements 12:23 Carrier Overview: One America, Global Atlantic, Nationwide, EquiTrust 14:55 7702B vs. ADL Doublers: Know What You're Selling 17:14 EquiTrust Bridge Deep Dive and Interview Prep Tips] 25:40 EquiTrust Coverage Tiers and Agent Portal Resources 28:16 Annuity LTC vs. Life Hybrid: Terminology and Key Differences 30:42 Nationwide Care Matters Annuity: Product Breakdown 38:30 Underwriting Details: 6 Questions, Multipliers, and Approval Rates 40:28 Market Momentum and What's Coming Next in Annuity LTCi 44:06 Trusting Your Carrier Specialists and Referral Partnerships 47:25 Handling Client Resistance to Annuities 49:42 Closing Thoughts and Study Hall Wrap-Up 📅 Join the Weekly Buddy Study Groups This podcast is an extension of the Buddy Study Groups, a free educational community for financial professionals. Weekly Calls: Individual LTCi Study Group: Tuesdays at 1 PM PT Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/Il19620844 Group LTCi Study Group: Thursdays at 1 PM PT Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/vs19612672 No membership fee. Just education, collaboration, and better planning strategies. 🔎 About Buddy Study Podcast The Buddy Study Podcast helps insurance professionals and financial planners master Long-Term Care Insurance through case studies, expert interviews, and carrier product updates. Our goal is to help advisors become more confident, efficient, and knowledgeable when helping clients plan for long-term care.

    51 min

  6. Apr 28

    Hybrid LTCi Study Hall

    Hybrid long-term care products are some of the most innovative and competitive in the LTCi space, but knowing which carrier fits which client requires more than running a spreadsheet. Learn how to navigate the hybrid market with confidence. In this Study Hall edition of the Buddy Study Podcast, Jason Dutra leads an open-forum deep dive into life/LTCi hybrid plans, specifically life insurance chassis products with extension of benefits riders. From product architecture and carrier competition to underwriting sweet spots and guaranteed premiums, this session is designed to sharpen your hybrid LTCi fluency and help you make better-informed carrier and product decisions for your clients. We explore: What makes hybrid LTCi distinct: innovation, competition, and flexibility as core market driversHow hybrid carriers are differentiating on benefits — retroactive elimination period payback, international coverage, cash indemnity, and indexed optionsThe pricing landscape: why carriers cluster closely and how repricing downward is reshaping market shareUnderwriting trade-offs between streamlined processes and leniency — and what that means for your clientsCarrier-specific underwriting sweet spots, including Bright House SmartCare and One AmericaHow annuity-based LTC hybrids compare to life-based products, and when age shifts the mathThe Mutual of Omaha rate increase conversation and what it illustrates about traditional vs. hybrid premium guaranteesHow to use Product Buddy to filter carrier and product type recommendations by client profileThis episode is designed to help advisors: Understand the structural differences between hybrid product types and when each appliesIdentify underwriting niches that could save impaired-risk clientsExplain the premium guarantee advantage of hybrid plans in rate increase conversationsUse available tools to match clients to the right product type fasterCHAPTER MARKERS 0:00 Welcome & Episode Overview 1:17 Defining Hybrid LTCi — Nomenclature and Scope 2:17 Why Hybrid: Innovation, Competition, and Flexibility 5:08 Carrier Competition and Pricing Dynamics 9:02 Joint Survivorship and Creative Product Structures 10:17 Underwriting Across Hybrid Carriers — The Trade-Off 12:50 New York Life AssetFlex & Captive Carrier Underwriting 15:10 Is Hybrid LTCi Priced Sustainably? Open Forum Discussion 18:36 Life vs. Annuity Hybrids — Comparing Product Chassis 26:02 Securian Secure Care 4 Update and Recent Market News 33:37 Underwriting Sweet Spots: Bright House and One America 38:59 Using Product Buddy to Match Clients to Carriers 42:09 Mutual of Omaha Rate Increases — What Advisors Need to Know 47:19 Guaranteed Premiums: Hybrid vs. Traditional LTCi 51:21 Closing Thoughts & Wrap-Up 47:19 Guaranteed Premiums: Hybrid vs. Traditional LTCi 51:21 Closing Thoughts & Wrap-Up Watch the video version: https://youtu.be/gtBpwhGzZhI?si=z0FhQaJU8l8TX5UY 📅 Join the Weekly Buddy Study Groups This podcast is an extension of the Buddy Study Groups, a free educational community for financial professionals. Weekly Calls: Individual LTCi Study Group: Tuesdays at 1 PM PT Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/Il19620844 Group LTCi Study Group: Thursdays at 1 PM PT Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/vs19612672 No membership fee. Just education, collaboration, and better planning strategies. 🔎 About Buddy Study Podcast The Buddy Study Podcast helps insurance professionals and financial planners master Long-Term Care Insurance through case studies, expert interviews, and carrier product updates. Our goal is to help advisors become more confident, efficient, and knowledgeable when helping clients plan for long-term care.

    52 min

  7. Apr 15

    LTC Partnership 101

    "I'll just qualify for Medicaid if I need care" sounds like a safety net until your clients learn what Medicaid actually covers, what it costs them in assets, and what it means for a surviving spouse. Learn how the LTC Partnership program changes the equation. Most advisors know the basics of long-term care planning, but many overlook one of the most powerful tools available for middle-class clients: the Long-Term Care Partnership program. This episode of the Buddy Study Podcast features LTCi specialist Rhonda Bills walking through Partnership 101, from its legislative origins to the practical asset protection it provides today. We explore: What the LTC Partnership program is and how it creates an agreement between private insurance and state MedicaidThe legislative timeline from the original four partnership states through the 2005 Deficit Reduction ActHow Medicaid spend-down rules work for married couples, including the community spouse asset allowanceWhy every dollar of partnership insurance paid equals a dollar of assets protected from Medicaid spend-downHow partnership-protected assets are also exempt from the Medicaid estate recovery lawWhich clients benefit most from partnership and where it may not be the right fitInflation protection requirements and how they connect to partnership qualificationPractical approaches for opening long-term care conversations with clients who are not actively seeking coverageThis episode is designed to help advisors: Explain the LTC Partnership program with confidence and clarityIdentify which clients are strong candidates for partnership-qualified policiesUse Medicaid spend-down realities to frame planning conversations without fear-based languageMove prospects toward a decision by anchoring on their personal "why"CHAPTER MARKERS 0:00 Welcome & Episode Overview 2:51 The Origins of the Partnership Program 5:02 The Deficit Reduction Act and Five-Year Look-Back 8:05 Partnership Expanded to All States 9:11 Requirements for Partnership Qualification 10:40 Inflation Protection and Age-Based Rules 12:33 Medicaid 101: What It Covers and What It Doesn't 16:11 Medicaid Spend-Down for Married Couples 22:59 How Partnership Protects Assets Dollar for Dollar 26:11 Medicaid Recovery Law and Partnership Exemption 27:20 Which Clients Benefit Most from Partnership 30:10 Short and Fat vs. Long and Lean Benefit Design 37:17 Moving Prospects Toward a Decision 45:50 Opening the Long-Term Care Conversation 📅 Join the Weekly Buddy Study Groups This podcast is an extension of the Buddy Study Groups, a free educational community for financial professionals. Weekly Calls: Individual LTCi Study Group: Tuesdays at 1 PM PT Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/Il19620844 Group LTCi Study Group: Thursdays at 1 PM PT Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/vs19612672 No membership fee. Just education, collaboration, and better planning strategies. 🔎 About Buddy Study Podcast The Buddy Study Podcast helps insurance professionals and financial planners master Long-Term Care Insurance through case studies, expert interviews, and carrier product updates. Our goal is to help advisors become more confident, efficient, and knowledgeable when helping clients plan for long-term care.

    52 min

  8. Apr 8

    Short-Term Care Study Hall

    Short-term care insurance is one of the fastest-growing segments in the LTCi market, but do you really understand what you're offering and who it's best for? The answer could reshape how you serve clients who fall outside traditional long-term care underwriting. In this Short-Term Care Study Hall edition of the Buddy Study Podcast, the group digs into the short-term care landscape with a market-level overview, carrier comparisons, and candid conversation about where these products shine and where advisors need to proceed with caution. Featuring insights from Linda Thalheimer's premium-to-benefit analysis and real-world positioning strategies, this session equips advisors with the knowledge to use short-term care as a strategic tool, not just a fallback. We explore: Why short-term care has emerged as both an affordability and underwriting solution for advisorsHow carriers like Aetna, Manhattan Life, Bankers Life, and Thrivent compare on benefits, underwriting, and valueThe rate increase reality: why advisors should set expectations early and sell responsiblyAetna's new Recovery Care Choice product and its $700/day maximum benefitKey underwriting sweet spots, including no build chart and insulin-dependent diabetic acceptanceUsing short-term care as a gap fill strategy to cover elimination periods on traditional or hybrid plansThe growing synergy between short-term care and the Medicare supplement marketGroup and retiree market opportunities developing on the carrier sideThis episode is designed to help advisors: Position short-term care appropriately based on client health, budget, and planning needsCompare carriers with confidence using benefit-per-premium-dollar analysisSet honest expectations around rate increase potential without undermining product valueIdentify new market opportunities in the senior, Medicare, and retiree group spaceChapter Markers 0:00 Welcome & Episode Overview 1:04 Why Short-Term Care Is Gaining Traction 3:18 Short-Term Care as a Starter Plan and Gap Filler 4:21 LTCi-Filed Products vs. Supplemental Health Filing 5:23 Product Design Levers and Rate Increase Risk 10:25 Carrier Comparison: Premium-to-Benefit Analysis 15:06 Underwriting Differences Across Carriers 18:04 Selling Responsibly: Buy What You Can Afford to Keep 20:15 Manhattan Life Age Range and Process Advantages 26:06 Aetna Recovery Care Choice Product Updates 33:15 Overcoming the "It's Only One Year" Objection 36:04 Short-Term Care as an Elimination Period Gap Fill 43:07 Group and Retiree Market Opportunities 47:17 Medicare Gaps and Final Advisor Takeaways 📅 Join the Weekly Buddy Study Groups This podcast is an extension of the Buddy Study Groups, a free educational community for financial professionals. Weekly Calls: Individual LTCi Study Group: Tuesdays at 1 PM PT Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/Il19620844 Group LTCi Study Group: Thursdays at 1 PM PT Add to Calendar 👉 https://www.addevent.com/event/vs19612672 No membership fee. Just education, collaboration, and better planning strategies. 🔎 About Buddy Study Podcast The Buddy Study Podcast helps insurance professionals and financial planners master Long-Term Care Insurance through case studies, expert interviews, and carrier product updates. Our goal is to help advisors become more confident, efficient, and knowledgeable when helping clients plan for long-term care.

    50 min
See All (19)

About

Buddy Study Podcast is a weekly study group style podcast for insurance professionals and financial planners focused on Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCi) for both individual and group benefits. Each episode is designed to help advisors better understand the complexities of LTC planning, stay current on products, and improve their sales and advisory process. Whether you’re new to LTCi or a seasoned specialist, Buddy Study Podcast delivers practical insights you can apply immediately. What you’ll hear on the show: Deep-dives into individual and group LTCi sales strategiesCase studies and real-world planning scenariosConversations with top LTCi specialists and industry leadersProduct and underwriting updates directly from insurance carriersBest practices to help you become more efficient, confident, and informed when advising clients The podcast is an extension of the popular Buddy Study Groups, a free, community-driven educational experience open to all financial professionals. 🗓 Weekly Study Group Schedule Individual LTCi Study Group: Tuesdays at 1 PM PT - https://www.addevent.com/event/Il19620844Group LTCi Study Group: Thursdays at 1 PM PT - https://www.addevent.com/event/vs19612672 There is no membership fee to participate. Our goal is simple: help insurance professionals better serve their clients by mastering long-term care planning. If you work with individuals, employers, or associations and want to stay up to date in the LTCi and group benefits space this podcast is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    BuddyIns
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Buddy Study Podcast
  • Show Website
    Buddy Study Podcast