Stay Informed: Businessolver Updates Curated for You 

New Data: Benefits Costs are “Unsustainable,” but Some Employers Are Saving $3 Million Annually with AI and Decision Support 

If you haven’t already, check out the data in the 2025 Benefits Insights Report, specifically, the numbers surrounding AI and decision support making a major impact with helping employers manage benefits costs.  

Read the 2025 Benefits Insights Report.

March 13 Think & Clink: Did You Miss It?

Curious to see how the data from the 2025 Benefits Insights Report can specifically boost your clients' benefits strategies? We covered that and more at Businessolver's Channel Partner Think & Clink in March! Catch the video recording here for a refresher on AI, decision support, and communication insights to share with your clients.  

Registration is Open: Vision 2025  

Vision is back, and with a new glow-up for 2025, it’s going to be epic! Register for the May 8th event by April 17th and we’ll send you a drink kit to enjoy during the  event as we toast to better benefits strategies, happier clients, and lower costs.

Channel Partner Connect

Aflac TechConnect  

April 15-17 | Hollywood, FL 

Businessolver is proud to sponsor Aflac TechConnect, where top benefit platforms and leading broker technology experts come together for real conversations and meaningful connections. Join our Sales Director of Channel Partnerships, Monica Hinchey, and Jen Greean, Director of Partner Relations, who will be attending and connecting with our partners in Hollywood, FL! 

Save the date

June may feel like a long way off, but if you're a fan of tequila or churros—or just great benefits insights—you'll want to save the date now. While we can’t announce the topic yet, we promise you won’t want to miss out on this one! 

Regulatory Roundup: Compliance Updates You Should Know

First HHS Proposed Rule Issued with Impacts to ACA, Group Health Benefits, and the Marketplace 

The Department of Health and Human Services has issued a proposed rule with a variety of proposed changes to marketplace guidance that would reverse previous administration rules. These changes impact a wide variety of marketplace plan policies, from premium-billing rules, benefits enrollment process requirements, and more. The changes include guidance that would exclude “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” (DACA) recipients from the definition of “lawfully present” that is used within the regulations to determine eligibility to enroll in a Qualified Health Plan through an Exchange and receive a premium subsidy. Additionally, the order would prohibit individual and group health plans from covering sex trait modification as an Essential Health Benefit (EHB). The stated purpose of these changes is to reduce access to subsidies and other expenses that weaken the marketplace program integrity and drive up health plan costs. 

Read more

Executive order seeks to expand on previous transparency efforts  

A new executive order seeks to advance health care transparency by requiring the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take action to implement and enforce the healthcare price transparency regulations issued pursuant to Executive Order 13877, an order from his first administration seeking increased price transparency. 

• The order demands that the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of HHS: Require the disclosure of the actual prices of items and services, not estimates; 
• Issue updated guidance or proposed regulatory action ensuring pricing information is standardized and easily comparable across hospitals and health plans; and
  
• Issue guidance or proposed regulatory action updating enforcement policies designed to ensure compliance with the transparent reporting of complete, accurate, and meaningful data.  

Read more

New and Noteworthy: Your Monthly Industry Update

5 steps to help retirees affected by new Social Security clawbacks

The Social Security Administration is reinstating a policy to withhold 100% of monthly benefits to recover overpayments, effective March 27, reversing the previous 10% cap. This change could significantly impact retirees who rely on these benefits. Financial advisors are encouraged to identify vulnerable clients, review notices, request lower withholding rates if needed, and reevaluate other income sources to mitigate potential financial strain.

Read more

Health coverage remains over 10% of income in 22 states despite improvement

A strong job market in 2023 may have made employer-sponsored health coverage more affordable for workers compared to 2020. Coverage costs decreased to 10.1% of the median household income, down from 10.4%, because income growth outpaced health coverage spending. However, costs still exceeded 10% in 22 states. For advisors this can serve as a source of health cost benchmarking data.

Read more

From D+ to A-: Better employee benefits communication through AI 

A recent study reveals that while 73% of employees desire more benefits education, less than half of employers leverage technology to improve it. AI-supported tools can personalize benefits communications, boosting understanding and satisfaction. However, it remains crucial that these AI models have access to accurate benefits documents and know how to effectively leverage that information to employees in their time of need.

Read more