First Things First: What You Need to Get Started as a Medicare Agent

Getting started as a Medicare agent can feel like assembling a plane mid-flight—licenses, certifications, carriers, leads, compliance… where do you begin? This session walks through the essential building blocks you need to launch with confidence. We’ll cover licensing and AHIP, choosing carriers and uplines, setting up your basic tech stack, and building simple daily habits that actually lead to results. Whether you’re brand new or still trying to get your footing, you’ll leave with a clear roadmap—and fewer “am I missing something?” moments.

Frankie Villeneuve

Agent Success Specialist

IFC National Marketing

Medicare 101

Before you can explain Medicare, you have to understand it—and yes, all those letters matter. This session breaks down the fundamentals in plain English: Parts A, B, C, and D, enrollment periods, penalties, and the differences between Medicare Advantage and MedSupp. We’ll also walk through how prescription drug coverage fits in and the most common questions new agents hear from clients. If you’re still translating acronyms in your head, this is your starting line.

Frankie Villeneuve

Agent Success Specialist

IFC National Marketing

What Does It All Mean? How Medicare Agents Can Deploy This Knowledge

Knowing Medicare is one thing—helping a confused client make a decision is another. This session bridges the gap between knowledge and real-world conversations. Learn how to structure an appointment, explain options without overwhelming clients, and guide people to confident decisions. We’ll walk through real scenarios, simple frameworks, and ways to sound like a pro—even if you’re still new. Because the goal isn’t to sound smart—it’s to be understood.

Frankie Villeneuve

Agent Success Specialist

IFC National Marketing

Needs Analysis: Why It’s Vital & How to Do It

The best agents don’t start with plans—they start with people. A strong needs analysis helps you understand your client’s doctors, prescriptions, budget, and priorities before you recommend anything. In this session, you’ll learn what questions to ask, how to ask them naturally, and how to document your process for both better outcomes and compliance protection. Bonus: when you do this well, clients trust you more—and sales get easier.

Frankie Villeneuve

Agent Success Specialist

IFC National Marketing

ACA Health Summit Welcome

Arthur Barlow

President & CEO

Compass Insurance Advisors

The CMS 2027 MA/PD Proposed Rule: What It Means For Agents, FMOs, & Our Industry

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will have recently issued its final ruling when Medicarians 2026 takes place, and agents, principals, and distributors nationwide will be wondering the same questions: What are the latest regulation changes, and what do they mean for you? Hear directly from major influencers and of the 2027 Rule, and their expert analysis of what to expect, prepare for, and switch up for your book of business in the coming year.

Amanda Brewton

Owner

Medicare Answers Now

Jameson Keller

CCO

NCD

Jean Lentsch

Compliance Officer

Western Asset Protection

Dwane McFerrin

SVP, Medicare Solutions

Senior Market Sales

Life & Annuities Forum Welcome

Kent Jacquay

Founder

Ansurex

The Latest ACA Industry Changes and How to Adapt

The ACA landscape is evolving rapidly, with new regulations, market shifts, and policy updates reshaping how organizations operate. This panel will break down the latest ACA industry changes and explore what they mean for stakeholder professionals. Our experts will share practical insights on compliance, emerging trends, and proven strategies to adapt successfully, and the new proposed ruling for plan year 2027.

Heidi Castaneda

AVP of Small Employer & Individual Products

Select Health

Lauren Jenkins

CEO

Native Oklahoma Insurance

Dean Mohs

Division Director, Strategic Stakeholder Engagement & Operations

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Mike Papuc

Health National Sales Director

The Brokerage

Kehinde Rayemo

Research Analyst

CMS

The Importance & Opportunity of Expanding into Annuities

Your Medicare clients trust you with one of the biggest decisions of retirement—their healthcare. Many of them are also quietly wondering if their savings will last as long as they do. That’s where annuities come in. This session explores why more Medicare agents are expanding into annuity conversations and how doing so can strengthen both your client relationships and your revenue stability. We’ll cover the types of clients who are natural fits, how to introduce income-planning discussions without sounding like a financial planner overnight, and how annuities can complement Medicare, MedSupp, and long-term care strategies. You’ll also learn how agents are getting started with minimal friction, what compliance guardrails to keep in mind, and how adding annuities can turn one-time enrollments into long-term planning relationships. Because protecting your clients’ health is important—but helping protect their retirement income might be what keeps them with you for decades.

Mitch Anderson

Owner

Rochester Senior Solutions

Bob Dehncke

Owner

Dehncke Insurance Services

Jessica Dunn

National Director

Care Planning Connect

Michael Gende

Regional Sales Manager

GTL

The Rise of Non-Commissioned Products: What Agents Need to Know

More and more products in the senior market are coming with little—or no—commission attached. From certain PDP strategies and value-based care programs to emerging benefit structures and service-driven offerings, agents are increasingly being asked to support clients in ways that don’t always tie directly to a paycheck. So what’s going on—and how do you build a sustainable business when not every product pays? This session takes a clear-eyed look at why non-commissioned products are gaining traction, where they’re showing up in real client scenarios, and how agents are adapting their workflows, service models, and compensation expectations. We’ll discuss when these products still make strategic sense, how they can strengthen retention and referrals, and how to balance doing right by your clients with doing right by your bottom line. Come for the reality check—leave with a plan.

Michael Blea

Chief Growth Officer

SCAN Health Plan

Amanda Brewton

Owner

Medicare Answers Now

Michael Cho

Founding Partner

Ally Consulting Partners

Jared Strock

Principal & Consulting Actuary

Telos Actuarial

Building Your Base From Medicare Clients

You already have your best growth engine—it’s the clients in your book right now. This session focuses on how Medicare agents can turn existing relationships into a stronger, more stable business foundation. We’ll cover practical strategies for deepening client connections beyond the initial enrollment: annual review systems, referral pipelines that actually produce, cross-selling opportunities that feel natural, and ways to stay top-of-mind all year (without becoming the agent who emails too much). You’ll also learn how top producers use their Medicare base to expand into related products and services, build predictable renewal revenue, and reduce the pressure to constantly chase new leads. If you’re looking to grow smarter—not just louder—this session will show you how to turn today’s clients into tomorrow’s strongest business asset.

James Brenneis

Owner

Trinity Insurance Partners

Jim Codney

Chief Sales Officer

The Annuity Link

Aaron Niedorf

EVP of Sales

IFC National Marketing, An Integrity Company

Emmanuel Villasenor

Owner

Futuro Insurance

ACA – What Do We Do Now?

Presented By

Come join us to take a look at where we currently are in the ACA market and where we are going. What is the responsibility of the agent and how can Messer Financial Group help?

Micah Mathews

VP, Marketing

Messer Financial Group

Jeff Street

Executive, VP

Messer Financial Group

The View from State Regulators

Federal rules may set the framework, but state regulators are increasingly shaping how Medicare products are marketed, sold, and administered. In this session, current and former state insurance regulators share their perspective on the issues drawing the most scrutiny today—from marketing practices and broker oversight to complaints, audits, and coordination with CMS. What are states watching more closely? Where are enforcement priorities shifting? And how should carriers and distribution partners prepare for a regulatory environment that is becoming more active, more coordinated, and occasionally less predictable? Expect candid insights into what regulators wish plans and FMOs understood—and what tends to trigger unwanted attention.

JillAllison Opell

Partner

Foley & Lardner LLP

Morgan Tilleman

Partner

Foley & Lardner LLP

Elite ACA Cross-selling & Increasing Client Value

This panel dives into ACA cross-selling strategies that drive stronger relationships, higher retention, and long-term growth. Industry leaders will share proven approaches for identifying cross-sell opportunities, aligning ACA solutions with broader benefit offerings, and delivering measurable value that clients actually recognize. Walk away with practical insights you can apply immediately to elevate your client strategy and maximize lifetime value.

Ryan Fajkowski

Brand Awareness and Strategic Partnerships

Lucie Health Marketplace

Aaron Goddard

President

Allstate Health Solutions

Benjamin Harrison

CRO

NCD

Kerry Van Iseghem

CEO

O’Neill Marketing

Mike Zundel

VP, Carrier Sales

United HealthOne

What Do Retirees Really Want?

Presented By

You’re already at the kitchen table with Americans from all walks of life. Once you’ve helped them with their healthcare decision, wouldn’t it be great to help them with more? That’s the topic of this session, understanding what retirees truly want in retirement, and how to start that important conversation that leads to sales.

John Terry

Director of Training

Legacy Marketing Group

Evolution of the Broker: Serving Clients’ Needs Beyond Medicare

Presented By

Between exits, disruptions, changes to compensation, and increased regulatory scrutiny, Medicare agents have been weathering the perfect storm — all while being asked to do more by carriers and clients. Many have been left wondering about the longevity of their careers in Medicare, and what they can do with the books they’ve spent years building. The fact of the matter is that your clients have health benefit needs far beyond Medicare, and they’d rather work with an advisor they know and trust. For those willing to evolve to meet these needs by learning new products and building new skills, the future is bright. This panel will teach you about industry changes that are making this role shift inevitable, why today’s Medicare brokers are in an advantageous position, and provide concrete next steps for building out your services beyond Medicare.

Brent Crawley

CEO

The Premier Agency

Michael Henderson

Founder

Tapestry Insurance Group LLC

Jesse Hendon

Head of Ancillary & Life Products

Spark Advisors

Veronica Neal

President

Keystone Advisors

Innovation in Putting the Senior First in Medicare Sales, Advertising, Enrollment, & Marketing

Putting the senior first” has become both a regulatory expectation and a legal standard applied to marketing, enrollment, and distribution practices. But what does that mean in practice? This session explores how carriers and FMOs are redesigning sales processes, advertising review, call handling, and enrollment workflows to meet evolving CMS and state expectations while still supporting growth. We’ll discuss where innovation is happening, where it’s creating new risk, and how legal and compliance teams can help build systems that are defensible, scalable, and aligned with the spirit—not just the letter—of current rules.

Gabe Isaacson

Chief Strategy Officer

Integrity

Ryan Jessell

Sr. VP, Business Development

Health Plan One

Landscape of Annuity Products

Presented By

What does the current landscape of annuity products look like—and where do Medicare agents fit in? This session offers a clear, practical overview of today’s annuity options, from fixed and indexed products to income-focused strategies that pair naturally with retirement and Medicare planning. We’ll break down what each type is designed to do, which clients are strong candidates, and how agents are incorporating annuity conversations into Medicare appointments without turning them into full-blown financial planning seminars. You’ll leave with a working understanding of the major product categories, how they’re evolving in today’s interest-rate environment, and how to identify opportunities within your existing book of business. No actuarial degree required—just a willingness to expand your toolkit.

Marie-Laure Chandumont

Managing Director

Barclays

Ryan Dietz

Manager, Competitive Intelligence

F&G

Paul Garofoli

Regional VP

The Standard

Kent Jacquay

Founder

Ansurex

Rudy Mehl

Head of Sales & Distribution

Farmers Life Insurance

Preparing for the Future Changes & Challenges of OE

Open Enrollment is becoming more complex each year, with evolving regulations, rising employee expectations, and increasing operational demands. This panel will explore the future changes and challenges shaping OE and how organizations can prepare now to stay ahead. Industry experts will discuss emerging trends, technology considerations, communication strategies, and best practices for building a more efficient, compliant, and employee-friendly OE experience. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to navigate uncertainty and confidently plan for what’s next.

Josh Brooker

CVO & Co-Founder

SnapHealth

George Kalogeropoulos

CEO

HealthSherpa

Andrea Krisztal

VP of Sales, Individual & Family Plans, West Region

UnitedHealthcare

James Napoli

Managing Partner

Diceros Law

B. Ronnell Nolan, HIA

CEO

Health Agents for America (HAFA)

New Revenue, Less Friction: The Medicare Cross-Sell Playbook

Medicare insurers and distribution continue to seek growth that makes enrollment stickier. We will discuss how to turn disruption into opportunity with a more thoughtful cross-sell strategy. Explore with us the needs current offerings miss, challenges with existing products, the supplemental health and life coverages that deepen loyalty, and potential solutions to mitigate lapsation and retention exposure. Learn how to leverage existing information and relationships to streamline enrollment into additional products of real value. Whether you want incremental gains next quarter or bold new ideas, you will leave with options to consider and deploy.

Gaylan Hendricks

CEO

Senior Security Benefits

Nick Ortner

Senior Consulting Actuary

Milliman

Mike Story

National Sales Director

Physicians Mutual

Marketing & Regulations: What Agents Need to Know From Day One

Medicare marketing comes with rules—and learning them early can save you from big headaches later. This session covers the basics: what you can and can’t say, how to use leads responsibly, how events work, and where agents commonly get into trouble. We’ll also talk about simple, compliant ways to market yourself without feeling like you’re walking on eggshells. The goal isn’t to scare you—it’s to help you build a business the right way from the start.

Rebecca Davis

Founder

KannonBall Insurance Solutions

Todd Villeneuve

Managing Partner

IFC National Marketing

Audrey Villeneuve

Regional Sales Director- Health & Marketing

IFC National Marketing

Election Year Considerations: What Campaign Cycles Mean for Medicare Advantage

Election cycles bring more than campaign ads—they often bring policy shifts, public scrutiny, and sudden changes in enforcement tone. This session examines how presidential and congressional election dynamics historically affect Medicare Advantage, including rulemaking priorities, oversight activity, and public messaging around plan performance and broker compensation. For legal and compliance leaders, the question isn’t whether the environment will change, but how quickly. We’ll explore what to watch in 2026, how to prepare for potential policy pivots, and why election-year uncertainty tends to reach distribution first.

Thomas Kornfield

CEO & Founder

MAST Health Policy Solutions

Landscape of Life Products

Your Medicare clients aren’t just thinking about healthcare—they’re thinking about legacy, final expenses, income protection for a spouse, and how to avoid leaving a financial burden behind. The life insurance landscape has evolved significantly, and Medicare agents are uniquely positioned to step into these conversations. This session provides a practical overview of today’s life products, from final expense and simplified issue to term, whole life, and hybrid solutions. We’ll break down what problems each category solves, which Medicare clients are natural fits, and how underwriting has changed in the digital age. You’ll also learn how agents are introducing life discussions organically within Medicare reviews—without derailing the appointment or overwhelming the client. If you’ve been wondering how life fits into your practice (and how to do it confidently and compliantly), this session will give you a clear roadmap.

Jay Csipkes

VP of Sales and Marketing

American-Amicable Group

Eric Izquierdo

President

InTouch Financial Group

Todd Tippets

President

Standard Life & Casualty, a ManhattanLife Company

Marc Wheeler

Managing Partner

Strategic Options

Essentials of ICHRA

ICHRA is one of the fastest-growing employer benefit strategies—and if you work with clients who are still employed at 65 (or spouses who are), you’re going to keep hearing about it. But what is an ICHRA, who’s using it, and where do Medicare agents fit in without wandering into compliance quicksand? This session breaks down the fundamentals in plain, practical terms: how ICHRAs work, why employers are adopting them, and how they intersect with Medicare decisions for working seniors. You’ll learn when an ICHRA can trigger important enrollment choices, what questions to ask employer-covered clients, and how to position yourself as a knowledgeable resource without becoming the company’s unofficial HR department. Expect real-world scenarios, clear guardrails, and takeaways you can use immediately in client conversations.

Louis DeStefano

CGO

Oscar Health

Carey Gruenbaum

CEO & Founder

The Big Plan

Rohit Nuwal

Partner

TELUS Global Ventures

Lauren Sweda

CGO

NexBen

Post-Enrollment Legal Risks: When Liability Doesn’t End After the Sale

For carriers and FMOs, regulatory exposure doesn’t stop once the application is submitted. Complaints, appeals, data issues, marketing reviews, and post-enrollment audits can all create liability long after a policy is written. This session looks at the growing focus on post-enrollment oversight, including beneficiary complaints, agent conduct, TPMO accountability, and downstream entity risk. We’ll discuss where enforcement actions are trending, how documentation and monitoring practices are evolving, and what legal teams should be doing now to reduce exposure later—because in today’s environment, the sale is often just the beginning.

Helaine Fingold

Partner

Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

CMS – Current and Future State of the ACA Health Industry

Peter Nelson

Deputy Administrator & Director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO)

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Marketing For Life & Annuity

Selling life and annuities often isn’t about finding new clients—it’s about talking differently to the ones you already have. So how do you market these products in a way that feels natural, compliant, and effective for a Medicare-focused business? This session dives into real-world strategies agents are using to introduce life and annuity conversations without turning every appointment into a financial seminar. We’ll cover timing (when to bring it up), messaging (how to frame it so clients listen), and marketing channels that work—and how to do this all compliantly. You’ll also learn how to position protection and income planning as part of a broader retirement conversation, not a hard pivot. Expect practical scripts, workflow ideas, and examples you can put into action right away—because the right marketing approach makes these products feel like a natural next step, not an awkward add-on.

Tyrone Clark

CEO & Founder

Brokers Choice Of America

Kent Jacquay

Founder

Ansurex

Oscar Mink

Life Insurance Director

Compass Insurance Advisors

Economics: How Exactly Do You Make Money as an Agent?

You’ve heard about commissions and renewals—but how does it all actually work? This session breaks down the economics of a Medicare business in real terms: how agents get paid, what renewals mean, how chargebacks happen, and why retention matters more than you think. We’ll walk through realistic income scenarios so you can understand how consistency—not just closing—builds long-term income. Spoiler: this is not a “get rich quick” model—but it can be a very stable one.

Mike Mathweg

CEO

We Know Medicare

Frankie Villeneuve

Agent Success Specialist

IFC National Marketing

Todd Villeneuve

Managing Partner

IFC National Marketing

Old School, New Growth: Rebuilding Residual Income Through Smart Diversification

This panel focuses on a fundamental shift underway in distribution economics: moving away from front-end–heavy models toward durable, renewal-driven growth. As commission compression, MA headwinds, and persistency pressures reshape the landscape, agents and marketers are rediscovering “old school” principles—strong first-year value paired with meaningful trails, diversified product portfolios, and deeper advisory relationships. The discussion will explore why diversification is no longer optional, how ancillary and guaranteed-issue products are filling real consumer needs, and how building renewal blocks on top of existing business creates exponential, long-term value rather than a “hamster-on-a-wheel” sales cycle.

Justin Brock

CEO & Founder

Brock

Brian Luben

VP, Health Distribution

AmeriLife

David Minaya

Principal/SVP

Senior Healthcare Direct

Steve Patton

SVP Simplified Solutions

AmeriLife

Jamie Sarno

VP, MedSupps & Health Specialty Products

AmeriLife

Andrew Saul

Regional Sales Director

Physicians Mutual

Maximizing Every U65 and ACA Prospect: Solutions for Everyone!

The under-65 (U65) market is more diverse than ever, with prospects facing a wide range of needs, various stages of life, and coverage challenges. This session will explore comprehensive solutions for every U65 prospect, from ACA plans and supplemental coverage to alternative and transitional options. Industry experts will share strategies for matching the right solutions to the right individuals, improving enrollment outcomes, and creating a more personalized, value-driven experience. Attendees will gain practical insights to better serve U65 prospects while driving business growth and retention.

Arthur Barlow

President & CEO

Compass Insurance Advisors

Cross-Selling: A Key to Growth

Medicare is just the beginning. Many clients also need dental, vision, hospital indemnity, or life insurance—and helping them with these needs can strengthen your relationship and grow your income. This session shows how to introduce additional products naturally (without turning into “that agent”), when to bring them up, and how to keep the conversation client-focused. Done right, cross-selling isn’t pushy—it’s helpful. And it’s one of the fastest ways to build a stronger, more resilient book of business.

Michael Gende

Regional Sales Manager

GTL

Chris Orestis

President

Retirement Genius

Todd Villeneuve

Managing Partner

IFC National Marketing

Associations Spotlight

Behind the Medicare, life, & annuities industries are a number of professional associations working to support agents, advocate for the field, and shape the policies that affect how you do business. In this session, representatives from leading industry associations will share what they do, how they support agents, and why their work matters.

Nicole LePetri

Director of Health Public Policy & Engagement

NABIP

Kevin Mayeux

CEO

NAIFA

B. Ronnell Nolan, HIA

CEO

Health Agents for America (HAFA)

Kim O'Brien

CEO

The Federation of Americans for Consumer Choice (FACC)

Understanding the Importance of Medical Groups in Your Provider Growth Strategy

Strong relationships with local medical groups can transform your Medicare business—from better-informed enrollments to stronger referrals and improved retention. But how do you actually build those relationships in a way that’s helpful, compliant, and welcomed by providers? This session walks through the real-world mechanics of working with physician groups, clinics, and care teams: how to introduce yourself, what value agents can offer (education, plan clarity, patient support), and how to avoid stepping on regulatory landmines. We’ll discuss how medical groups think about plans, networks, and patient outcomes, and how agents can align with those priorities to create win-win partnerships. You’ll leave with practical outreach ideas, conversation starters, and a clearer sense of how collaborating with providers can make you a more trusted—and more effective—Medicare advisor.

Melissa M. Gutierrez

VP of Growth and Retention

Optum

Jo Nelson

VP, Sales

AGA, An Integrity Company

Jill V. Selby

SVP, Marketing

Regal Medical Group

Miriam Vega

CEO & Founder

Mint Insurance Agency

Extended Care: Picking Up Where Medicare Leaves Off

Medicare covers a lot—but when it comes to long-term and extended care, the gaps can be wide and expensive. This session helps Medicare agents confidently navigate those gaps and introduce solutions that protect clients’ health, savings, and families. We’ll walk through what Medicare does and doesn’t cover, how extended-care needs typically unfold, and which products (short-term care, long-term care, hybrid life/LTC, recovery care) are gaining traction with today’s retirees. You’ll learn when to raise the conversation, how to position it without scaring clients off, and how agents are integrating extended-care planning into annual reviews and retirement discussions. Because one of the most valuable things you can offer clients isn’t just the right plan today—it’s a plan for what happens if they need care tomorrow.

Dennis Rinner

Director of Strategic Accounts

GoldenCare, An Integrity Company

Demetri Simos

Asst. VP, Sales

GTL

Todd Tippets

President

Standard Life & Casualty, a ManhattanLife Company

Fraud In The ACA Marketplace

Join representatives from the Department of Justice to disucss how to recognize fraudulent activity in the industry, how to report it, protections for whistleblowers, let's all be part of the solution

Arthur Barlow

President & CEO

Compass Insurance Advisors

Ricardo Carcas

Assistant Special Agent in Charge

Office of Investigations, Department of Health Human Services (HHS)

Wrapping Up

Review and respond

Frankie Villeneuve

Agent Success Specialist

IFC National Marketing

ICHRA & Other Alternative Solutions

This session will break down how defined contribution approaches empower employers to control costs while giving employees greater choice and tax advantages. Learn how these alternative funding models can complement or replace traditional group health plans to meet today’s evolving workforce needs.

Arthur Barlow

President & CEO

Compass Insurance Advisors

Peter Nelson

Deputy Administrator & Director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO)

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Holly Perry

COO & Co-Founder

Great Vista

Brad Rocque

VP, Enterprise Accounts 

eHealth

Brian Whorley

CEO & Founder

Paytient

Hawley Woods

Strategic Partner

Wellthcare

Best Practices For Growing & Retaining Your Book of Business

In Medicare, growth gets the spotlight—but retention pays the bills. This session focuses on building a book of business that not only grows year over year, but sticks. We’ll cover the core drivers of sustainable growth: smarter lead selection, consistent follow-up systems, cross-selling ancillaries strategically, and building referral pipelines that don’t dry up after AEP. Just as importantly, we’ll dive into retention tactics that reduce churn—annual review workflows, proactive communication calendars, service models that scale, and how to prevent the “I just saw a TV ad…” client call every fall. You’ll walk away with concrete systems, metrics to track (beyond total apps), and practical ways to increase lifetime client value—so your business grows steadily instead of feeling like it resets every January.

Neka Doe-White

CEO

The Possibilities Group

Zachary Freeman

Insurance Agent

Ann M Wiley Insurance

Angela Palo

COO & Co-Owner

Pinnacle Financial Services

Richard Rash

Owner

Health Options USA

Leveraging AI without Losing the Human Touch

We go through the concepts of being a medicare or health insurance sales agent and how most are operating their practices today, to how you deepen that client relationship through a variety of holistic planning conversations and why holistic planning can open you up for more life, annuity, and LTC conversations. From there we talk about ways you can leverage AI To not only deepen and mine your book but to help you prospect and grow your practice as well.

James Mills

CEO & Founder

Ironvest Financial Partners

Welcome to Day 1 of Medicarians

Welcome to the first official day of Medicarians 2026!

Jay Weintraub

CEO & Co-founder

Connectiv

A Conversation with CMS

Join senior leadership from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for a focused conversation on the policies shaping Medicare and the individual market. Hear direct insight into how CMS is thinking about growth, access, and accountability—and what it means for agents and the industry moving forward.

John Brooks

Deputy Administrator & Chief Policy and Regulatory Officer

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Peter Nelson

Deputy Administrator & Director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO)

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Jay Weintraub

CEO & Co-founder

Connectiv

Transforming Medicare Advantage: A Fireside Chat

Medicare Advantage is in the middle of one of its most significant shifts in years—rising utilization, changing reimbursement, evolving benefits, and new regulatory pressures are forcing plans and agents alike to adapt quickly. Join industry leader Dawn Maroney, CEO of Alignment Health Plan for an in-depth, candid conversation about where MA is headed and what those changes mean for agents on the front lines. From plan design and supplemental benefits to distribution strategy and member experience, this fireside chat will explore how Medicare Advantage is being reshaped—and how agents can stay informed, adaptable, and competitive in the process. Expect big-picture perspective, practical insights, and a chance to hear directly from one of the most influential voices in the space about what’s changing, what’s coming, and how to prepare for the next phase of MA.

Dawn Maroney

CEO

Alignment Health Plan

Marissa Plescia

Reporter

MedCity News

Sachin Says

Sachin H. Jain, MD, MBA is President and CEO of SCAN, where he has led the company through immense growth, diversification, and emerging efforts to reduce healthcare disparities. Known for his powerful insights into how the U.S. healthcare system operates writ large, Dr. Jain will join our stage to describe his vision for SCAN and the state of forces in Medicare today.

Martin Graf, PhD

Senior Partner, Health & Life Sciences

Oliver Wyman

Sachin Jain, MD

President & CEO

SCAN Group & SCAN Health Plan

The Future of Healthcare: ICHRA & Consumer Choice

The way Americans access health coverage is shifting—from employer-selected group plans to models that put more choice directly in the hands of individuals. ICHRA (Individual Coverage HRA) is at the center of that shift. Hear from Mark Bertolini, CEO of Oscar Health, how ICHRAs are changing the employer benefits landscape, expanding consumer decision-making, and creating new crossover opportunities for agents who understand both the under-65 and Medicare markets. What does greater “consumer choice” really mean in practice? How are employers leveraging ICHRA to control costs while offering flexibility? And where do Medicare agents fit when employees age into eligibility while covered under an ICHRA? Join us for a lively, bold conversation.

Mark Bertolini

CEO

Oscar Health

Sam Melamed

CEO

NCD

The New Broker Advantage: New Value for Clients. New Revenue for You.

Coverage is not the same as care — and today's brokers are absorbing that gap without compensation. In this session, Renee Balcom, Founder & CEO of Scroll.care, shows how agents and brokers can step into the role of Care Navigation Advisor, add a vetted care marketplace to their client experience, and build a new stream of recurring revenue — without adding complexity to their business.

Renée Balcom

CEO & Founder

Scroll.care

Childfree Estate Planning with Childfree Trust®

25% of the US are Childfree or Permanently Childless, yet estate planning is centered around next-of-kin. We will discuss the particular challenges in estate planning for people without kids, and in particular, what to do when you don't have someone to appoint as your Medical POA, Financial POA, Executor and Trustee.

Jay Zigmont, PhD, MBA, CFP

Founder

Childfree Trust

Health Plans on the Brink: When Giants Fall and Regionals Fight to Survive

Presented By

The dynamics of government-sponsored health markets are shifting. Reimbursement pressure, regulatory changes, and evolving growth expectations are exposing gaps not just within organizations, but across the broader distribution ecosystem. This panel, led by e123 President Brendan McLoughlin, will explore how health plans and FMOs are adapting to these pressures together. The conversation will focus on where misalignment slows growth, where partnership accelerates it, and how leading organizations are tightening coordination across strategy, operations, and distribution. In a more volatile market, success is no longer driven by any single player. It is determined by how well the ecosystem performs as a whole.

Pete Blasi

CEO

My Senior Healthplan

Brendan McLoughlin

President

e123

Greg Robbins

CEO

Synergy Insurance Affiliates

Joe Tretola

CEO

Reliasure Insurance Services

Breaking Through a Tough Market: The $100K Growth Plan

Presented By

Discover how to propel your Medicare/health business to new heights with the support of meaningful resources and tools. This dynamic panel discussion will explore four key pillars - Strong Foundation, Real People, Training, and Tech Platforms, that enable independent agents/agencies to optimize their growth and achieve success. Hear from industry leaders, engage in interactive conversations, and walk away with actionable insights to transform challenges into opportunities. Don’t miss this chance to learn, connect, and turn the “impossible” into possible!

Maria Carrizosa

Director of Growth, East & FL

The Baldwin Group

Tim Matthews

Director of Growth, West

The Baldwin Group

Blake McCoy

Executive Director, Health

The Baldwin Group

Sam Riley

Senior Director of Business Strategy

The Baldwin Group

Devin Stanley

Director of Growth

The Baldwin Group

Strategic Cross-Selling for Client Protection and Agency Growth

Presented By

Joanne Giardini-Russell, CEO of Giardini Medicare and one of the insurance industry's most followed TikTok creators with nearly 100,000 followers, will share proven strategies for building comprehensive coverage portfolios for your Medicare clients. With over a decade of agency leadership experience, Joanne has developed a systematic ancillary cross-selling approach that delivers two critical outcomes: robust risk protection for clients and sustainable revenue diversification for agents facing industry disruption. In this session, you'll learn practical tactics to identify coverage gaps, present ancillary products effectively, and create a service model that strengthens client relationships while protecting your business from commission volatility. Walk away with immediately actionable strategies to enhance your clients' coverage and grow your income.

Joanne Giardini-Russell

Vice President

Giardini Medicare

Medicare Marketing at a Crossroads: Preparing for Tomorrow’s CMS Requirements

CMS oversight of marketing, TPMOs, and lead generation continues to tighten—and agents are often the ones left adjusting in real time. This session looks ahead at likely regulatory direction: call recording expectations, disclaimer use, lead vendor scrutiny, text/email consent, and what’s coming for digital marketing. You’ll get concrete examples of what to change now versus what to monitor, plus guidance on building a marketing approach that won’t need a total overhaul every October.

Helaine Fingold

Partner

Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

Customer Loyalty & Retention: The Long-Term Growth Lever

Presented By

In Medicare’s new climate of quality over quantity, building a robust retention strategy is essential to your long-term success. That means delivering a customer experience that wows clients, ensures they won’t leave, and increases the likelihood that they’ll refer new business. But between existing service obligations, staying on top of plan changes, and trying to grow their book, most brokers are already stretched too thin. How is meaningful retention possible? This session addresses fundamental shifts in consumer behavior and expectations, how broker behavior and responsibilities must evolve, and tools brokers can leverage to deliver world-class service across their entire books — in a cost-effective, scalable way. A book of wildly happy, loyal clients is key to futureproofing your Medicare career; our panelists will share how they’ve done it.

Caleb Campbell

Head of Sales

Spark Advisors

Brock Emery

CEO & Partner

Emery Insurance Group

Sandra Ochoa

CEO & Founder

Vemax Insurance Agency

Dustin VanDuine

Director of Strategic Relations

Rick Young Insurance

Part D Remedy: Turning Commission Collapse into Recurring Revenue

Four of the six remaining Part D carriers now pay agents zero. But agents with HeyMOE (Medicare Open Enrollment) aren't just surviving the commission collapse — they're turning it into recurring, passive revenue! Discover how one agent converted 500 Part D clients into a work-free income stream, and how you can too.

Melinda Caughill

Co-Founder

HeyMoe

The Operator’s Guide to Voice AI: Practical Automation for Medicare

As Medicare organizations scale, the fear of "AI gone wrong" often stalls innovation. Join Brian Wright to learn how to implement Voice AI through a controlled, operator-centric rollout. Using the Powervox framework, you’ll discover how to integrate a hardened AI product into your existing tech stack. This session focuses on achieving rapid efficiency and scale while maintaining the high quality and compliance that the Medicare market demands.

Brian Wright

Principal

Powervox

Set the Tempo: Master Market Disruption with Member-Level Insights

Presented By

Medicare enrollment is simply an introductory note. In a market defined by disruption and complexity, sustainable growth belongs to organizations that hear the signal and move with precision. Secure, accurate and accessible data doesn’t just inform, it orchestrates action. In this session, discover what happens when insights are delivered with clarity, context and member-level focus. When teams shift from reacting to anticipating opportunity, they act with confidence and conduct what comes next. When you understand the rhythm of your market, you don’t just respond…You set the tempo. That’s Active Analytics. Clarity that Orchestrates Action.

Aaron Davis

Product Director

ConnectureDRX

Brent Hess

CRO

ConnectureDRX

Andrew Tutaj

President

ConnectureDRX

Agencies Find A Way: Navigating and Thriving Through Disruption

Presented By

Agencies play a key role in helping Americans by offering unbiased guidance across a diverse set of product options. When market factors necessitate changes to plans, the role of the agent becomes even more important in the ecosystem. Our panel will explore how agencies can navigate and thrive during times of disruption to adapt, innovate and strengthen client relationships to not only navigate disruption – but emerge stronger because of it!

Chase Gruening

CEO & Founder

Gruening Health & Wealth, COACHG

Ryan Kimble

President

Integrity Health

Bill Kiray

VP, Partner Engagement

Integrity

Ryan Kocher

SVP

Integrity Health

Anna Patrick

VP, Sales Enablement & Tech Adoption

Integrity

Craig Ritter

CEO

Ritter Insurance Marketing, An Integrity Company

Preparing for Growth in the Age of AI – Without Losing the Heart of Your Business

Presented By

AI is rapidly reshaping how insurance organizations operate, from automating back-office workflows like commissions, contracting, and CRM updates to empowering agents with more time for meaningful client relationships. In this session, you’ll learn how forward-thinking teams are already benefiting from AI today, and what practical steps you can take now to stay competitive, future-proof your business, and grow without losing the human heart that sets you apart.

John Winner

CEO

Kizen

M&A and Capital Raising: Positioning Your Business for Growth

Whether you want to scale, sell, or simply stop being the only person who knows where everything is, this session breaks down how Medicare agencies are valued and financed right now. We’ll cover what buyers and investors are looking for (renewal stability, retention rates, compliance history, tech stack), how agencies are structuring acquisitions, and how to prepare your business for a future transaction—even if that future is five years away. Expect practical guidance on cleaning up data, building transferable revenue, and avoiding the classic “my book is worth a fortune” reality check.

Matthew Cornish

Managing Director

Solomon Partners

Tom Goila

Partner, Head of Originations, & Co-Head of Healthcare

Comvest Credit Partners

Michael Hilf

CEO & Co-Founder

Healthcare Funding Partners

Ben Pajak

CEO

HealthPlanOne

Eric Pederson

Chief Business Development Officer

Integrity

State of Supplemental Benefits

Supplemental benefits have become a major enrollment driver—but they’re also expensive for plans to maintain. This session explores where benefits may expand, contract, or shift, and how agents should set realistic expectations with clients. Translation: what’s sticking around, what might quietly disappear, and how to talk about it without causing panic.

Dan Edelmann

Senior Director

EyeMed

Brian Goetsch

Senior Partner

Healthscape Advisors

Joshua Meeks

VP, Individual Medicare

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Karl Ulfers

CEO & Co-Founder

DUOS

Caitlin Walsdorf

Partner

Healthscape Advisors

Empowering Caregivers, Protecting Seniors, & Unlocking a New Income Stream

Behind every senior living alone is someone worrying about them. This session explores how to ease that burden with proactive technology that helps families stay connected, supports safer independent living, and creates a meaningful new income stream for those serving this growing market.

David Baer

President

Nomo Smart Care

The Moments That Matter: Rethinking Engagement in Aging and Caregiving

Most decisions regarding health, financial planning, and legacy don’t happen at the point of sale. They happen in the middle of caregiving, loss, and real life. This session explores how showing up in those moments creates earlier engagement, stronger trust, and new opportunities for carriers and agents to better serve a rapidly growing aging population.

Paul Richardson

CEO & Co-Founder

Tumbleweed

Speed to Lead: The Secret to Sales Success

Presented By

Getting the attention of a targeted prospect is a major milestone in the sales process. However the next steps are what really drive the business. Speed to Lead specifically impacts conversion rates. Faster responses always outperform delayed processes and programs. This session will share ways to strategically elevate Speed to Lead, review the key metrics, and help sales and marketing teams surpass their conversion, pipeline, and revenue growth goals.

Zach Miller

CRO

Vanillasoft

Jeannie Zaemes

SVP, Marketing

Vanillasoft

Medicare in 2026: Growth Is (Not) Good?

For years, growth in Medicare Advantage was assumed to be a positive signal. Today, rapid expansion can attract as much scrutiny as praise. This session explores the tension between enrollment growth, utilization pressure, regulatory oversight, and political attention. When does growth become a risk factor? How are CMS, OIG, and state regulators viewing aggressive expansion? And what does this mean for compliance, capital planning, and distribution strategy? Legal and executive leaders will discuss how to balance market opportunity with the reality that in the current environment, bigger sometimes means more visible.

Gregory Berger

Partner

Oliver Wyman

Financial Market Reactions to Compliance & CMS Activity

Regulatory action doesn’t just affect operations—it moves markets. CMS rules, enforcement actions, star rating changes, and litigation can all influence investor confidence, valuation, and capital strategy for publicly traded plans and private distribution organizations alike. This session looks at how compliance and regulatory developments are interpreted by analysts, investors, and lenders, and why legal and compliance leaders are increasingly part of financial risk discussions. When CMS speaks, markets listen—and sometimes react faster than anyone expected.

Grace Merrill

Director, Co-Head of Healthcare Practice

Capstone

Turning Commission Operations into a Growth Engine

As Medicare organizations grow, commission structures become increasingly complex and harder to manage. Discover how AI can help uncover revenue, scale producer base, and provide real-time insights. Grow your business and profits with confidence.

Qiyun Cai

CEO & Co-Founder

Fintary

AI Robots: The Next Frontier in Treating Behavioral Health Disorders

More than 50 million Americans are thought to have behavior health conditions, yet as many as 70% do not receive treatment. Individuals with untreated behavior health conditions incur 2.5 to 6.2 times higher healthcare costs than those without. The scientific literature shows the benefits of live animal companions for treating behavioral health disorders. However, for many people with behavior health disorders, it is not safe or practical to care for a live animal. Tombot will review the science behind emotional attachment objects, and discuss the current state of AI robots is filling this need.

Tom Stevens

Founder

TomBot

Homecare Hub’s On-Demand Residential Housing & Care Platform to Place Complex Patients

Vipan Nikore, MD

CEO

Homecare Hub

Advocacy on the Front Lines: United to Defend and Future-Proof the Agent Model

Presented By

As regulatory pressure, margin compression, and structural shifts intensify, the independent agent channel faces unprecedented tests—yet this is also a moment of unprecedented opportunity for bold defense and collective action. This panel, sponsored by AmeriLife and moderated by NAIFA, reveals how advocacy organizations, carriers, distributors, IMOs, and frontline agents are actively fighting back: shaping smarter policies, uniting the channel, and delivering real wins that preserve the long- term health of independent distribution and client choice. Discover proven strategies and allied groups turning advocacy into measurable results—and leave equipped with concrete steps you can take today to amplify your voice, engage decisively, and build a resilient, thriving business for the long haul. Together, we're not just defending the agent model—we're strengthening it for the future.

Diane Boyle

SVP, Government Relations

NAIFA

Carroll Golden

Executive Director of Knowledge Centers

NAIFA

Bryan Keeven

President, Health Distribution-Product

AmeriLife

Ryan Kimble

President

Integrity Health

Josh Slattery

EVP

The Brokerage Inc

Engineered for Success: What the Top 5% of Agents Do Differently

Presented By

If you are a top-performing agent and find client service demands limit your ability to grow, this session is for you. Dr. Hale’s research shows that the top five percent of agents have unique capabilities and subsequently, unique needs. While many high-performing agents reach capacity for sales and service after a few hundred clients, some continue to grow their business without sacrificing retention. This session will show you how to scale your business using our research-backed system while improving client satisfaction and quality - elevating the industry as a whole. Rise to the next level and learn how Advocate Health Advisors’ Client Care team is revolutionizing broker support. Imagine taking your next vacation knowing a trusted professional is helping manage your client calls—so you can return truly refreshed!

Darwin Hale

CEO & Founder

Advocate Health Advisors

State of the State & Case Study: What’s Leading Plans to Decommission Products

Why are plans exiting counties, shrinking networks, or pulling products mid-cycle? We’ll examine the real drivers: utilization spikes, margin pressure, star ratings, and regulatory changes. More importantly, we’ll discuss what this means for your renewals and how to prepare clients when plans disappear or benefits shift dramatically. Expect practical tips on monitoring carrier signals, diversifying your portfolio, and avoiding last-minute scramble mode during AEP.

Alexis Levy

Senior Partner

Healthscape Advisors

Lee Stuck

SVP, Analytics & Insights

Chartis

ACA for Beginners & Integrating It Into Your Business

New to the ACA space or looking for a clear refresher? This beginner-friendly session breaks down the fundamentals of the Affordable Care Act in a simple, practical way. This session will cover key concepts, helping attendees build a strong foundation and gain confidence navigating the ACA landscape. Whether you’re new to the industry or expanding your business into ACA for the first time, this session provides the knowledge you need to get started successfully.

Arthur Barlow

President & CEO

Compass Insurance Advisors

New Broker Models: Changing Agent Perceptions & Incentives

From team-based agencies to virtual service centers, the way Medicare is sold is evolving. This session explores new models agents are using to scale: centralized service teams, tech-driven workflows, and partnerships that expand reach without burning out producers. If you’re trying to grow without cloning yourself, this session will resonate.

Melinda Caughill

Co-Founder

HeyMoe

Samantha George

CEO & Founder

Mystic Consulting

Joe Kanatzar

VP, Medicare Growth

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina

Todd Villeneuve

Managing Partner

IFC National Marketing

Leveraging AI for Regulatory Oversight & Sales Enablement

AI is rapidly entering the Medicare ecosystem, from call monitoring and marketing review to agent coaching, complaint analysis, and enrollment support. For legal and compliance leaders, the challenge is balancing efficiency with accountability. This session explores how carriers and FMOs are using AI to strengthen oversight, improve documentation, and detect risk earlier—while also addressing questions around auditability, bias, data use, and regulatory acceptance. We’ll discuss where AI is already proving valuable, where caution is warranted, and why the next wave of compliance tools may look less like policy manuals and more like dashboards.

Tommy Brazie

Sr. Director & Account Executive, Customer Success

Anna, LLC

Amanda Pennington

VP, Sales Enablement

UnitedHealthcare

Your Lead Budget Is on Fire — You Just Can’t See the Smoke

Your lead budget is on fire — and your blended CPA number is hiding the smoke. This session pulls back the curtain on what your CPA is actually hiding, introduces a pre-purchase and post-purchase intelligence framework, and gives you a method to find the waste in your own portfolio.

Jessica Grover

CEO

RiskLync

Session Presented By Saidi Health

Marcus Greene

CEO

Saidi

Senior Life Pharmacy: A New Kind of Pharmacy for Medicare Members

Our mail order blister packaging system improves adherence to medications, leading to better patient health, fewer Emergency Department visits and Hospitalizations, and greater retention of Medicare members.

Dr. Allen Lee

CEO

Senior Life Pharmacy

Knowing Isn’t Enough: Bridging the Caregiver Gap

Awareness without guidance can leave families feeling helpless. Sarah’s caregiving journey revealed that gap, and FutureCare was created to bridge it.

Sarah Steele

Chief Experience Officer

FutureCare Solutions Group

Beyond Traditional Benefits: How Thatch Is Reimagining ICHRA for the Modern Workforce

Presented By

This session explores how rising costs, volatility, and structural challenges are breaking the traditional group health model and why employers are increasingly turning to ICHRA as a modern alternative. We’ll show how Thatch reimagines ICHRA through a consumer-first, defined contribution approach that delivers greater flexibility, transparency, and choice for employees. Attendees will learn how leading organizations are using ICHRA to improve employee experience and build more sustainable benefits programs for the modern workforce.

Chris Ellis

CEO

Thatch

How to (Actually) Use AI to Grow your Agency

Presented By

The best agencies are using AI to get their time back. Growing a brokerage has become harder as regulatory and plan changes increase administrative burdens, limiting both service and scale. We’ll share real examples from the 2026 AEP and OE of how AI can be used compliantly to better serve both clients and brokers. We’ll also answer key questions about growth in an AI-driven world—drawing on Gyde’s experience using AI to partially automate nearly 20% of renewals.

Kevin Brown

FMO Principal

Wealth Alliance Group

Brandon Clay

Chief Brand Officer

EnrollHere

Jagger Esch

CEO & President

Elite Insurance Partners

Sam Wiener

COO & Co-Founder

Gyde

The Future of MedSupp: Carriers’ Perspective

Hear directly from carriers about where MedSupp fits into their long-term strategy. We’ll discuss pricing trends, product changes, and how carriers are evaluating distribution partners in a shifting market. Always helpful to know what the people setting rates are thinking.

Jim Codney

Chief Sales Officer

The Annuity Link

Melissa Gwennap

Director, MedSupps

Humana

Mary Anna Jones

AVP, National Sales Distribution

Wellabe

Bryan Vinegar

VP, Broker Sales

Healthspring

The CMS Compliance is Right!

CMS is watching and getting compliance right has never been more important. This panel breaks down today’s CMS compliance expectations, what’s changed, and how to avoid costly missteps. Hear from industry leaders on practical strategies to stay compliant while still growing your ACA business and delivering a strong client experience.

Rogelyn D. McLean

Senior Advisor, Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

ICHRA & Medicare

As ICHRAs (Individual Coverage HRAs) gain traction among employers, Medicare and ACA agents are increasingly running into the same client question: “How does this affect my coverage options?” Whether it’s a working senior turning 65, a spouse on a different timeline, or a small employer shifting away from group plans, ICHRA is showing up right in the middle of real enrollment decisions.
This session breaks down how ICHRAs actually work and where they intersect with both Medicare and ACA planning. We’ll cover key scenarios agents are seeing today—premium reimbursement mechanics, eligibility timing, SEP implications, and what happens when Medicare-eligible individuals are offered an ICHRA. Just as importantly, we’ll discuss where agents can confidently advise, where caution is needed, and how to stay compliant while still being helpful.
If you work across (or bump into) both markets, this session will give you the clarity, guardrails, and practical language to navigate ICHRA conversations without guessing—or Googling mid-appointment.

Gabe Isaacson

Chief Strategy Officer

Integrity

Lindsey Miller

Director of Market Strategy

Softheon

Bret Voith

CSO

NCD

The Future of the Medicare Agent in the Age of AI

As AI reshapes how people seek information and make decisions, will human agents still matter? This session offers research-backed frameworks to help agents and agency leaders evaluate what it would take for AI to replace producers in their markets, product lines, and customer segments. Rather than debating if displacement is coming, we’ll explore the conditions that make human guidance essential, and where AI might gain ground.

Ori Ben-Yishai

Partner

Viewpoint Ventures

Telemarketing, Texts, and Beyond: Opportunities & Risks in the Next Generation of Communicating with With Seniors

From TCPA rules to texting compliance, communication with seniors is under the microscope. This session walks through what’s allowed, what’s risky, and how to modernize outreach without triggering complaints—or fines. Expect real examples of compliant texting, call strategies, and consent management that still generate appointments.

Jeff Piotrowski

CCO

CSG

Isaac Shloss

Chief Product Officer

Contact Center Compliance

Eric Troutman

Partner

Troutman AMIN LLP

Chris van Roden

Director of Market Development & Strategic Accounts

ActiveProspect

How to Approach the Conversation About Long-Term Care with Your Clients

Clients assume Medicare covers long-term care. You know it doesn’t. So how do you bridge that gap without creating panic—or losing the sale? John Wheeler walks through today’s LTC options, hybrid solutions, and when to introduce the conversation in a Medicare relationship. Learn how agents are positioning LTC planning as part of retirement protection rather than a separate, awkward conversation.

John W. Wheeler, Jr.

Executive Senior Partner

Totus Wealth Management

Growing Your BOB With or Without eAPTC’s

As the ACA market continues to evolve, agencies must find smart, sustainable ways to grow their book of business—whether or not enhanced APTCs (eAPTCs) remain in place. This panel will examine proven strategies for driving growth in both subsidized and unsubsidized segments, adapting sales and retention approaches, and maintaining profitability amid policy uncertainty. Industry leaders will share insights on diversification, client education, and long-term planning to help you scale your BOB confidently in any market environment.

Mike Cardoso

ACA Training & Development

American Online Benefits Group

Jordyne Cerullo

Director, Agency Sales

HealthSherpa

JC Moreno

National Director of ACA

AmeriLife

Alexandra Nguyen

Senior Leader of FMO Distribution

Florida Blue

Nate Watters

Chief Sales Officer

Ambetter

Medicare Supplemental Payors: We Need to Talk About Your $4 Billion Fraud Problem

Operation Gold Rush exposed a $13 billion fraud scheme—but while Medicare suspended payments, supplemental payors kept paying the remaining 20%. This session exposes how the gap between Medicare's fraud controls and supplemental payments created a $4 billion problem, and reveals the coordination strategies that can protect your organization from funding fraud.

Isaac Bledsoe

Director of Strategic Projects & Initiatives

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Patrick Neubert

Commander

U.S. Public Health Service

Welcome to Day 2 of Medicarians

Welcome to the second day of Medicarians 2026!

Jay Weintraub

CEO & Co-founder

Connectiv

Breakfast with George Dippel

Start your morning with data, insight, and a clearer picture of where the Medicare market is actually heading. Join George Dippel, President of Deft Research, for a candid, numbers-driven conversation about the trends shaping enrollment, consumer behavior, and plan performance across Medicare Advantage and beyond. What are seniors really prioritizing when they shop? How is switching behavior evolving? What does the latest research say about retention, shopping intensity, and benefit sensitivity? And where are the biggest growth opportunities hiding? George will break down the latest findings and translate them into practical implications for agents and agencies.

George Dippel

President

Deft Research

ICHRA Foundations: Learn, Understand, Succeed

Presented By

**CE Credit Class for Purchase!** From the HRA Council: Get grounded in what every broker, agent, and advisor needs to know to succeed with ICHRAs. This dynamic 3-hour course blends expert instruction, real-world case studies, and interactive practice to equip participants with a strong working knowledge of the Individual Coverage HRA (ICHRA) and how it compares to traditional group plans. Whether you’re new to ICHRAs or looking to solidify your understanding, this course provides a firm foundation to help you evaluate and advise clients confidently. Attendees must purchase this CE course via this link: https://buy.stripe.com/00w00jfo5bHH1Ew8jT18c03

Annette Bechtold

Leadership Advisor & Growth Consultant

HRA Council

Powering Performance Through Smarter Agent Management

Presented By

Managing compensation for both internal and external agents can be a complex and resource‑intensive challenge. Organizations must balance accuracy, transparency, compliance, and scalability—often across diverse agent hierarchies and incentive structures. Join us to discover what strategies industry veterans have used to help organizations reduce administrative burden, improve compensation accuracy, and confidently manage agent performance at scale.

J. Phillip Butts

Director, Product Training & Enablement

SAP

Aimee Downes Papierniak

Broker Operations Technical Analyst

Medica

Ben Gomez

Principal

Ranger Consulting Services

State Regulators Take the Stage: What Insurance Commissioners Expect from Agents in the Next Decade

This panel brings together regulatory leadership and industry insight for a timely conversation on the forces shaping today’s insurance landscape. Moderated by the CEO of a leading industry association, the session will feature two Department of Insurance Commissioners sharing perspectives from the front lines of regulation and consumer protection.

Ned Gaines

Insurance Commissioner

State of Nevada

Glen Mulready

Commissioner

Oklahoma Department of Insurance

B. Ronnell Nolan, HIA

CEO

Health Agents for America (HAFA)

Fireside Chat with Ed Park

Medicare Advantage continues to evolve—and few leaders have been closer to that evolution than Ed Park, CEO and co-founder of Devoted Health. In this candid fireside chat, Ed will share his perspective on where MA is heading, what’s changing inside health plans right now, and how those shifts affect agents, members, and the broader distribution ecosystem.

Ed Park

CEO & Co-Founder

Devoted Health

Arundhati Parmar

VP & Editor-in-Chief

MedCity News

Break the AEP Marketing Bottleneck — With Full Audit Control

Every AEP, CMS tightens the rules and compresses the timelines — and this year, margin pressure is making every content decision costlier to get wrong. See how Aproove's atomic workflow approach helps Medicare teams handle massive regulated projects faster while building the defensible audit trail that protects you if a regulator comes calling.

Curt Black

CEO

Aproove

Complete Commission Control

Tracking commissions shouldn't feel like juggling chainsaws.

Evan MacGuffie

CEO

ComTrack

The Future of Producer Lifecycle: Aligning Hierarchies, Contracting, Compliance, & Growth

Presented By

Producer lifecycle management is undergoing a fundamental transformation as carriers, agencies, and technology providers seek more efficient, compliant, and scalable ways to manage distribution. At the center of this evolution is the growing complexity of hierarchy management—how organizations structure, manage, and optimize their producer networks to drive growth while maintaining compliance. This panel brings together diverse perspectives across our ecosystem to explore how innovation is reshaping both the producer journey and the hierarchies that support it—from onboarding and contracting to appointment management, and ongoing compliance. Featuring leaders from AmeriLife, AgentSync, and Canidium, the discussion will highlight how each stakeholder approaches the producer lifecycle. Panelists will share strategies for improving visibility across complex downlines, accelerating speed to market, reducing administrative friction, and enabling more dynamic, data-driven distribution models. Attendees will gain practical insights into connecting people, processes, and technology to build more agile, transparent, and scalable producer ecosystems.

Jessica Brown

SVP, Marketing

AgentSync Inc.

Suraj Manikundalam

Head of Product

AgentySync

Christina Ragone

SVP, Health Distribution Operations

AmeriLife

Don Rahn

Insurance & Financial Services, Practice Lead

Canidium, LLC

After the Enrollment: What 4M+ Voice AI Calls With Seniors Tell Us About the Future of Retention

Presented By

The same telephonic model that let your distribution scale is now putting your book at risk. Member churn is up across the industry, LTV is compressing, and most agencies still have no systematic answer for what happens after enrollment. But AI is changing what retention looks like in Medicare — and the agencies seeing it firsthand are pulling ahead. Join this session for a clear picture of where AI moves the needle on retention and where it doesn't — with data from 4M+ voice AI member care calls across onboarding, benefits activation, at-risk outreach, and always-on inbound service.

Alex Doonanco

Co-Founder & CEO

careCycle

Everybody Wants to Be an Insurtech. Almost Nobody Wants to Do the Hard Part

Presented By

From a hospital room to Amazon to rebuilding one of the most consequential industries in the country — Lee Bossio has spent his career finding broken systems and rebuilding them. In this talk, the CEO of MPA shares what most people get wrong about becoming an insurtech, why AI won't replace licensed professionals, and what the hard part actually looks like

Lee Bossio

CEO

MPA

Barry Karfunkel

Founder

AdirVentures

Managing Financial Longevity Risk for an Aging Population

Presented By

All Baby Boomers will be 65 or older by 2030-- agents and advisors who utilize holistic strategies to help clients manage the financial risks of aging and declining health will be in the best position to differentiate themselves in the market and grow with the realities of an aging population. Join a panel of subject matter experts discussing financial strategies and tools to mitigate the financial risks of longevity.

Marc Glickman

CEO & Founder

BuddyIns

Bill Gordon

Senior Wealth Advisor

Cypress Wealth Services

Kevin Mechtley

President

SILAC Insurance Company

Chris Orestis

President

Retirement Genius

Jonas Roeser

CEO & Co-Founder

Agent Review

The Rebirth of MedSupp: Navigating MedSupp at a Crossroads

MedSupp is gaining renewed attention—but with rising costs and changing demographics, where is it really headed? This session examines enrollment trends, pricing pressures, and how agents are repositioning MedSupp in a market dominated by MA. Expect practical guidance on when MedSupp shines—and when it doesn’t.

Chris Kolowich

VP, Partner Engagement

Integrity

Alexandra Nguyen

Senior Leader of FMO Distribution

Florida Blue

Nick Ortner

Senior Consulting Actuary

Milliman

Alex Uhm

VP & GM, Medicare

Blue Cross Blue Shield of California

The Smart Medicare Playbook: Engage, Educate, Protect & Retain

Medicare has outgrown once-a-year communication for digitally isolated populations. Learn how simple video, SMS, and postcard education workflows protect vulnerable seniors from confusion and scams—while boosting engagement, retention, and long-term client value.

Paul Scallan

Founder

AgentzSEE

Anticipatory AI: The Future of Medicare Brokers

Be your clients' hero year round. Anticipatory AI keeps your customers one step ahead of every health event, maximizes every entitlement, and helps manage their care and save them money. Stop being a once-a-year phone call — and start building lasting relationships and recurring revenue.

Allen Kamer

CEO & Co-Founder

Navigage

The Smarter Service: Solving the Last Mile of Tech Adoption & Digital Literacy

Learn how our one-on-one tech concierge team bridges the gap between innovation and everyday use by supporting older adults and care teams with social care to ensure the technology designed to help is actually adopted, used, and delivering value.

Terry Dry

Co-Founder & CEO

The Smarter Service

AI: The Ultimate Multiplier for Agents and Agencies to Scale Smarter

Presented By

AI is the ultimate leverage tool for agents and agencies ready to scale smarter. In this discussion, we’ll break down how to use AI to 10X enrollments, increase client retention, and grow revenue without increasing administrative costs. You’ll learn how AI can automate personalized plan recommendations, analyze your book of business, and optimize CMS-regulated campaigns with precision and compliance in mind. Using LivmorIQ as a real-world example, we’ll demonstrate how AI can power agents and agencies to multiply their impact not their overhead.

John Gourdin

CEO

SoundadviceMD

David Kohel

CEO

Livmor Inc.

Make Every Agent Your Best Agent: Closing the Enrollment Gap Between Your Top and Average Performers

Presented By

Your top agents are enrolling at 40%, so why is the rest of your team stuck at 20%? In this session, learn how top brokerages are ditching manual call spot-checks and using AI to analyze 100% of calls — uncovering what their best agents do differently and coaching the rest of the team to match. Walk away with a practical playbook for closing your team's enrollment gap, strengthening CMS compliance, and unlocking the revenue you're leaving on the table every single call.

Paul Dornier

CEO & Co-Founder

Alpharun

Henry Dornier

President & Co-Founder

Alpharun

Navigating PDP Distribution in a World without Compensation

With compensation changes affecting Part D, agents are rethinking how PDP fits into their workflow. This session explores service models, cross-selling strategies, and realistic approaches to supporting clients while maintaining profitability. We’ll also discuss how carriers and FMOs are adapting—and what that means for you.

Jonathan Bodwell

Owner

Bodwell Insurance Solutions

Mark Hunter

CDO

Senior Market Sales

Josh Musick

CEO

Medicare School

Chad Wells

CMO & Founder

Wells Growth Advisors

Financial Security Strategies for Aging and Declining Health in Realtime

Presented By

Baby Boomers have started turning 80, and the demographic, economic and political impact of an aging population will completely transform the realities of aging and declining health. What can people do if they have not adequately prepared for the realities of longevity risk? Join a panel of subject matter experts discussing financial strategies and tools people can access to specifically help them manage these realities in real-time with real-results.

Dan LaBert

SVP, Strategic Accounts

Coventry

Chris Orestis

President

Retirement Genius

Melanie Parks

VP of National Field Sales

Longbridge Financial

Carmen Perry

VP of Provider Engagement

Paradigm Senior Services

Jon Thomas

VP, National and Strategic Accounts

Amada Senior Care

Will I Still Have a Job? Distribution Leaders Share Future Outlooks, Wisdom, & Strategies for Agents

Between AI, regulation, and market shifts, agents are understandably wondering what the future holds. Distribution leaders share candid perspectives on where the industry is heading, what skills agents will need most, and how to stay competitive. Short answer: yes, you’ll still have a job—but it might require a few new tricks.

Ricardo Diaz

Medicare Director

Futuro Insurance

Leigha Hayes

Regional Sales Director

The Brokerage Inc.

Jason Mackey

Advisor & Managing Partner

M & A Prime Benefits

Craig Taylor

President & Co-Founder

Advisor Share

Agency Pilot: Transform Your Insurance Agency

Agency Pilot is the all-in-one platform built specifically for insurance agencies. It combines a dialer, Lead Exchange, CRM, AI voice agents, commission tracking, and compliance scoring in a single system so your team can stop managing software and start closing more business.

Joe Tretola

CEO

Reliasure Insurance Services

Side by Side: How AI Turns Benefits Complexity into Competitive Advantage

Renewal season doesn’t have to be a defensive conversation. Too often, brokers are asked to justify “more of the same” — without a clear way to show how a benefits package truly stacks up against the competition. What if you could walk into a renewal meeting with a clear, apples-to-apples comparison that tells a stronger story?

Natasha Alexeeva

CEO

Friendly Inc.

Innovate your ACA and Cross-Selling Efficiency with AgentNav – The Professional ACA Broker Platform

AgentNav is a first-of-its-kind platform built for professional brokers in ACA, STM, Ancillary, Medicare, and Life. Increase the efficiency of your elite agency or agent business with CRM, Quoting, Texting, Emailing, OE Autopilot AI, Policy Tracking/Reconciliation, Enrollment, Client Follow-up Automation, and many more features. Ultimately, AgentNav amplifies your success within one intuitive and cutting-edge platform.

Arthur Barlow

President & CEO

Compass Insurance Advisors

Bridging the Gap: Medicare & ICHRAs

Presented By

**CE Credit Class for Purchase!** From the HRA Council: When Medicare and ICHRAs collide, confusion often follows. This course demystifies how these two systems interact—what’s allowed, what’s not, and how to stay compliant.Agents will learn how Medicare eligibility and enrollment affect ICHRA participation, employer compliance rules, and where the opportunities lie for collaboration between group and Medicare specialists. **Attendees must purchase this CE course via this link: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm8wPek18vvfvm9nX18c04

Annette Bechtold

Leadership Advisor & Growth Consultant

HRA Council

Affordable, Scalable, Effective Nutrition For Medicare Populations

Nutrition and hydration are important underlying drivers of LTC and medical claims resulting in the development and progression diet-related conditions like heart and kidney disease and diabetes as well as impaired immunity, osteoporosis, malnourishment, under nutrition, and dehydration. Targeted nutrition intervention, hydration and medication reminders can prevent claims and reduce severity and duration of claims that occur. Savor Health’s clinically validated digital dietitian, Ina(R), offers scalable, affordable, safe, effective and compassionate nutrition support.

Susan Bratton

CEO & Founder

Savor Health

SeniorCenterAgents: The Future of AI Lead Intelligence

Imagine! One platform for every side of the business: publishers, agencies, agents, and more connected for the first time!

Troy Fisher

CEO

Senior Center Agents.com

Building an Agency Backoffice for Today

Using automated tools to put your commissions and compliance on autopilot. Presented by InsureTrek and Dinero

Kyle Hess

Head of Product

InsureTrek & Dinero Commissions

Demystifying FQHCs: Unlocking Opportunity Within the Safety-Net System

FQHCs are often perceived as “Medicaid-only,” yet millions of Medicare and dual-eligible patients rely on them as their primary source of care. This session explores how plans, brokers, and innovators can better partner with FQHCs to support aging adults and build more equitable, patient-centered experiences. Our shared goal is to strengthen collaboration between FQHCs, brokers, and Medicare plans by creating more aligned, compliant, and culturally responsive pathways that improve access, retention, and patient experience for aging and dual-eligible populations.

Briana Cardoza

Chief Business Development Officer

TrueCare

Johanna Cazares

CGO

Alcar Health

Theresa “Missy” Nitescu, MS, RDN

COO

Northeast Valley Health Corporation

Jaime Rosales

CEO & Founder

JAR Insurance Services

The Future of MA: End of Business As Usual

Presented By

After years of intense disruption, the Medicare Advantage market is finally stabilizing. But pressure on agents is only growing. Increasingly complex plans and benefits are making it harder for agents to stay up to date across their books, while rising expectations for virtual support are requiring new ways of working. Meanwhile, the industry is pressing agents to do more to support enrollment quality, retention, and engagement. So how can agents navigate this new reality? Hosted by James Jiang, CEO of Spark, this panel brings together diverse industry perspectives to examine where MA is headed. They’ll discuss how agents can evolve their role to add more value across the healthcare system — and grow their business. Business as usual is over. This session will help agents understand what comes next.

Calvin Bagley

Founder & President

Nuvo Health & The Medicare Store

Jen Cohen-Smith

SVP, Medicare

Healthfirst

James Jiang

CEO & Co-Founder

Spark Advisors

Nick Tatge

Head of Carrier Relations

Spark Advisors

Mike Zehrer

Managing Director of Marketing & Growth Strategy

BCBS Michigan

The Rise of DSNPs & CSNPs, MCHO, & SHOs

Special needs plans are expanding quickly, especially in dual-eligible markets. This session covers where growth is happening, how plan designs are evolving, and how agents can better identify eligible clients. We’ll also talk about working with community partners, avoiding compliance pitfalls, and positioning yourself as the go-to agent for complex cases.

Dr. Romelyn Dones

Senior Director of Medicare, MLTC and MAP Sales

MetroPlus Health

Manny Felix

Senior Manager, Medicaid Sales

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona

Greg LaManna

Chief Duals Integration Officer

Wellcare

Monte Speicher

VP, Retail Sales & Marketing

AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies

Isaac Swaiman

Senior Expert

McKinsey & Company

How to Build Trustworthy ACA Lead Sources

With increased scrutiny and evolving regulations in the ACA space, building reliable lead sources while staying compliant has never been more critical. This panel will explore how to identify, develop, and maintain trustworthy ACA lead sources without putting your business at risk. Industry experts will discuss compliance best practices, vendor vetting, consent requirements, and strategies for protecting both your clients and your reputation. Attendees will leave with practical guidance to generate quality leads confidently while meeting today’s regulatory standards.

Arthur Barlow

President & CEO

Compass Insurance Advisors

Madeline Deagle

President

Connexion Point

Ben Hochstetler

SVP, Marketing

Quote.com

Michael Howard

CEO

HIC Agency Inc

Eric Troutman

Partner

Troutman AMIN LLP

Marketing Deep Dive

Marketing your Medicare business isn’t just about getting your name out there—it’s about getting in front of the right people, in the right way, at the right time. In this session, we’ll break down the most effective marketing strategies agents are using today, from leads and referrals to community events, digital outreach, and retention-driven marketing. You’ll learn what’s producing real results (and what’s quietly wasting money), how to stay compliant while still standing out, and how to build a marketing approach that works year-round—not just during AEP. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to level up, this session will give you practical ideas you can actually use when you get back to your business.

Todd Villeneuve

Managing Partner

IFC National Marketing

Maximizing the Potential of the Medicare Relationship

A Medicare enrollment isn’t the end of the relationship—it’s the beginning. The most successful agents know how to turn a one-time transaction into a long-term client connection that drives retention, referrals, and additional opportunities. In this session, we’ll explore how to deepen your relationships beyond the initial sale: building effective annual review processes, staying meaningfully in touch throughout the year, identifying evolving client needs, and creating natural opportunities for cross-selling and referrals. We’ll also discuss how strong relationships lead to better client outcomes—and a more stable, predictable business. Because in Medicare, your real growth doesn’t just come from new clients—it comes from the ones who already trust you.

Frankie Villeneuve

Agent Success Specialist

IFC National Marketing

Beyond Volume: Why Most Medicare Leads Fail – And What Actually Works Now

The traditional Medicare lead model is breaking. For years, the industry has optimized for volume - more leads, lower CPL, faster throughput. But rising acquisition costs, compliance pressure, plan consolidation, and poor retention are exposing a hard truth: most leads don’t work, and scaling more of them only makes the problem worse. At the same time, agents, call centers, and carriers are shifting their expectations. They don’t want more leads - they want better ones. Higher intent. Better alignment. Real conversion. Real retention. This panel brings together leaders from across the Medicare lead ecosystem to challenge outdated assumptions about “quality” and redefine what actually drives performance today. The discussion will go beyond CPL and even beyond CPA to examine what really matters: intent, timing, funnel design, and downstream outcomes. Panelists will share how they are:

-Filtering out low-intent consumers before they ever become leads
-Using friction, messaging, and data to improve conversion and efficiency
-Measuring success through retention and lifetime value - not just sales
-Rethinking the relationship between lead buyers and sellers

We’ll also tackle the bigger question: can the industry move toward shared standards for lead quality - or will misaligned incentives keep everyone stuck?

Patrick Murphy

CEO & President

LeadScorz

Graylon Perkins

VP of Lead Performance

Qualfon

Mark Seghers

CEO & Co-Founder

Inspire Health Tech

Jordan Yospe

Senior Director, Marketing Channels & Operations

Integrity

Ancillary Products That are On the Rise

Hospital indemnity, DVH, cancer, recovery care—ancillaries are increasingly filling the gaps left by MA and MedSupp. This session covers which products are growing fastest, how agents are packaging them into conversations without overwhelming clients, and which combinations actually stick. Expect real-world scripting tips, compliance reminders, and ideas for integrating ancillaries into reviews so they feel like solutions—not add-ons.

Bob Dehncke

Owner

Dehncke Insurance Services

Shelby Gartner

VP of Sales

Scamnetic

Michael Gende

Regional Sales Manager

GTL

Brokers Selling PACE: The Inside Story

PACE is popping up in more markets—and more client conversations—but most agents still aren’t sure where they fit. This session goes beyond theory into the real mechanics: how agents actually get involved, how referrals and enrollments work, what compensation structures look like, and which clients truly benefit (frail seniors, duals, caregiver-driven decisions, etc.). You’ll hear from brokers already working with PACE programs about what surprised them, what slowed them down, and how they positioned it alongside MA and D-SNP conversations. If you’ve ever had a client ask about PACE and thought, “I should probably know more about that,” this is your session.

Michael Blea

Chief Growth Officer

SCAN Health Plan

Matt Huray

Chief Growth Officer

InnovAge

Lisa LaMagna

Strategy Lead

Generations Now

Jaime Rosales

CEO & Founder

JAR Insurance Services

Sérgio Viana

Sr. Director, Independent Channels

WelbeHealth

ACA Industry Insights, Growth, and Opportunity from Kaiser

Gain a unique perspective on the ACA market through insights from Kaiser, one of the industry’s most influential voices. This panel will explore current ACA trends, market dynamics, and emerging opportunities for growth, drawing on data-driven insights and real-world experience. Walk away with a clearer view of where the industry is headed and how to position yourself for continued success.

Cynthia Cox

Vice President

Kaiser Family Foundation

Pivoting In a Changing Medicare Advantage Landscape

Medicare Advantage (MA) faces a tighter future with slower payment growth, forcing insurers to cut benefits, raise premiums, and reduce plan options for 2026-2027. The impact is already being felt in commissions. Major carriers such as Humana, UnitedHealthCare, Aetna, Elevance and Cigna have cut commissions to manage costs and control enrollment in less profitable or high-cost plans. This has put pressure on both distributors income and their Agents / Brokers (Brokers). The Broker has a unique relationship with their clients; it is common for clients to ask the individual for their opinion on what Medicare Supplement or MA plan they would recommend. That request is an expression of the trust they place in the advice. We refer to it as Inherent Trust. The future of the Medicare Supplement Professional is elevating their practice to offer advice of subjects that impact both the current and future of their client’s families. Concurrent with this is formulating partnerships with their client’s Centers of Influence (COI) with the intent of building a viable referral network. This is done by understanding that COIs are in the business of offering advice and are willing to create those partnerships if they know the Medicare Supplement individuals are speaking their language: advice.

Harley Gordon

President

Insurance Education Advisors

Advanced Social Security Planning: Delivering Holistic Value for Your Clients

Clients rarely separate Medicare from Social Security decisions—and neither should you. This session covers key timing strategies, common mistakes, and how understanding Social Security helps agents build relationships earlier in the retirement timeline. More trust, more referrals, fewer “I wish I’d known that last year” conversations.

Tyler End

CEO & Co-Founder

Retirable

Harrison Schaefer

Lead Financial Advisor

Retirable

ICHRA Federal & State Updates: What Agents Need to Know

As ICHRAs grow, agents are encountering them more often—especially with working seniors and small employers. This session focuses on compliance basics, coordination with Medicare, and how to avoid stepping outside your lane while still helping clients make informed decisions.

Annette Bechtold

Leadership Advisor & Growth Consultant

HRA Council

Bruce Johnson

Head of Policy

Thatch

Kate Sullivan

VP, Government Affairs

eHealth

Nick Welle

Partner

Foley & Lardner