CMS sets a maximum (fair-market-value) commission each year — carriers can pay less, never more. Here are the verified 2026 rates and what actually lands in your pocket after renewals and chargebacks.
The 2026 national maximum is $694 for an initial MA enrollment and $347 for each renewal year. Rates are higher in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, California, and Washington D.C. These are FMV ceilings — your carrier or FMO may pay at or below them.
Standalone Part D drug plans pay far less: the 2026 national maximum is $114 initial / $57 renewal. PDPs are a service play and a door-opener, not an income driver.
The money is in persistency. A client who stays on the books pays you $347/year for years — your renewal income compounds while new initials add on top. Tracking which plans still pay (and which now pay $0) is the difference between a growing and a shrinking book. A commission tracker that flags $0-commission plans pays for itself in one AEP.
If a client disenrolls early, the carrier claws back the advanced commission — sometimes the full amount. Final-expense and quick-churn MA cases are the biggest risk. Estimate your exposure with the free chargeback calculator, and track the clawback window so a surprise debit never wrecks your cash flow.
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The 2026 CMS maximum is $694 for an initial Medicare Advantage enrollment and $347 per renewal year, with higher rates in CT, PA, NJ, CA, and D.C. Part D plans pay $114 initial / $57 renewal.
Yes — for as long as the client stays enrolled, you earn a renewal commission ($347/year for MA in 2026). This is why client retention and persistency drive long-term agent income.
If a client disenrolls early, the carrier reclaims (charges back) the advanced commission. Tracking the clawback window and persistency protects your cash flow.
Figures on this page are verified against U.S. government primary sources: