Quick Hits: Medicare, Scams, Longevity + Elderly Phone Time

If your 2026 start feels like dial-up internet… same.


The play right now isn’t some grand reinvention—it’s stacking quick wins that move you closer to the goal line fast:

  • Additional Premium campaign to lock in high rates from last year
  • Smart reallocations
  • Lock in some gains → safety

Then use these Quick Hits for content + client convos.

Here are your Quick Hits:

Older Americans are spending more time on their phones than younger cohorts

3 takeaways

  • Phones/tablets aren’t replacing TV for older adults—they’re adding to total daily screen time.
  • More screen time = more touchpoints for financial influence (good: education; bad: scams).
  • This is a distribution opportunity: bite-sized video + short emails + text-friendly content will land better than long PDFs.

We’re living longer… and retirement math is getting louder

Article: Life expectancy rises, but many can’t afford a longer retirement.
3 takeaways

  • Longevity risk is becoming the default risk—clients are afraid of outliving money.
  • The “retirement savings reality gap” is still massive, even before healthcare inflation shows up.
  • This strengthens the case for planning around income durability, not just accumulation.
    Action: Add one slide to every review: “If you live to 95, what breaks?” Then fix the breakpoints.

Medicare in 2026: the “details matter” year

Article: 9 Medicare changes to watch in 2026 (and what they mean).
3 takeaways

  • Costs and structure are shifting (premiums/deductibles + Part D design changes) and clients will feel it.
  • The prescription payment plan mechanics and Part D redesign details are where confusion (and bad decisions) happen.
  • “Review your plan annually” isn’t a platitude anymore—it’s basically required hygiene.
    Action: Run a 15-minute “Medicare changes refresher” segment for your radio show / seminar—then offer a simple checklist follow-up.

Scams in 2026: more sophisticated, more personal, more AI

Article: Biggest scams to watch for in 2026 (AARP).
3 takeaways

  • Scams are getting more targeted and believable—clients aren’t “dumb,” they’re being professionally manipulated.
  • The phone is now a primary attack surface for older adults (screen time + trust + urgency = bad combo).
  • Advisors who lead on safety earn disproportionate trust (and referrals).
    Action: Create a “Family Password” rule for clients: one secret phrase required before any money transfer request. Sounds goofy. Works.