Create a more human connection with prospects on social by letting your brand's personality shine through, expressing passion about topics and understanding your target audience so that you can create experiences that truly engage them, Pam Moore writes. She also suggests posting content that helps prospects attain their goals, using original, high-quality visuals and building relationships with relevant thought leaders and influencers.

Maximize participation in benefit plans by pairing every option with a savings account, such as a health savings account or flexible savings account, to help employees with out-of-pocket expenses, writes Jennifer Irwin of Alegeus. High-deductible plans should create value, not shift costs, employers should be encouraged to contribute to the account, and employees should be required to make active benefit decisions each year, Irwin says.

Data from the 2017 National Health Interview Survey show most older adults feel positive about their health, including those over the age of 75. One reason may be that older adults consider good health to be more than a lack of illness or disability and factor in vitality, emotional well-being, relationships, being active and satisfaction with life.

Approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission's Regulation Best Interest and potential passage of the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act mean a possible surge in brokers offering products and advice to retirement plans, retirement expert Jamie Hopkins says. "Brokers can have a positive role to play in the retirement arena, as they often [recommend] lifetime-income solutions like annuities," Hopkins says.

The House on Wednesday amended a health care spending bill to remove a 23-year ban on using federal funding to create a national patient identifier. The move was backed by AHIP and other health care stakeholders in a letter to House lawmakers sent earlier this week urging them to pass the amendment introduced by Rep. Bill Foster, D-Ill.

The Trump administration issued a final rule allowing employees to use tax-free health reimbursement arrangements to purchase health insurance coverage in the individual market with certain limitations starting next year. The rule, issued Thursday, will also permit employers that offer health insurance coverage to provide a special HRA funded at up to $1,800 per year to reimburse employees for short-term health plans, which do not comply with the Affordable Care Act.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., introduced legislation that would require health insurance providers to pay for FDA-approved over-the-counter birth control with no cost-sharing.

Next year Social Security will need to begin drawing on its trust fund to make payments to retirees, a necessity that it will be able to sustain for only about 15 years, writes Jeff Sommer. After that, payments will have to be slashed an average of 20%.

Grow your anti-fraud expertise with AHIP! Learn about the investigative methods of detecting fraud and the many areas in which fraud occurs with Fraud, Part I (Introduction). Explore the impact of fraud on a range of insurance products with Fraud, Part II (Key Products). Successful completion of both courses earns your Health Care Anti-Fraud Associate (HCAFA) designation. Enroll today!  

Be part of the discussions about making health care better when you sponsor one of AHIP's must-attend conferences. Following next week's Institute & Expo, consider AHIP's National Conferences on Medicare, Medicaid and Dual Eligibles and the Consumer Experience & Digital Health Forum. Contact BusinessDevelopment@ahip.org for details.