Finding Opportunity Despite Medicare & ACA Market Challenges

The Friday Five for July 17, 2026: A New Way to Read Classic Books, Speeches, & Essays What We’ve Been Reading Meta Pulls Instagram Muse Image Feature The Bipartisan Social Security Commission Act of 2026 (H.R. 9187) ACA Preliminary Rate Filings & What Agents Can Do in the Meantime   Get Connected: 🤝 Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing – the FMO that powers the Agent Survival Guide Podcast!   📧 Connect with the Ritter Insurance Marketing Sales Team Near You! 💌 Send feedback, questions, and topic suggestions to [email protected] or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.   A New Way to Read Classic Books, Speeches, & Essays: “Reading on a screen, with your hands.” Typewryte.com, Typewryte, https://www.typewryte.com/, Accessed 13 Jul 2026.   What We’ve Been Reading: Rupe, Susan. “The Medicare agent squeeze.” Insurancenewsnet.com, Insurance News Net, 1 Jul 2026, https://insurancenewsnet.com/innarticle/the-medicare-agent-squeeze.   Meta Pulls Muse Image Feature: “Introducing Muse Image: Image Generation Built for Your World.” About.fb.com, Meta, 7 Jul 2026, https://about.fb.com/news/2026/07/introducing-muse-image-meta-ai/. Ropek, Lucas. “Meta removes controversial AI feature on Instagram after backlash.” TechCrunch.com, Tech Crunch, 10 Jul 2026, https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/10/meta-removes-controversial-ai-feature-on-instagram-after-backlash/. Clark, Phil. “Meta withdraws its controversial AI image feature.” mashable.com, Mashable, 12 Jul 2026, https://mashable.com/tech/meta-withdraws-controversial-ai-feature-that-allowed-images-to-be-sourced. Garner, Glenn et. Al. “Zucked Up! Meta Disables AI Image Generator After CAA & SAG-AFTRA Trashed It: ‘Missed The Mark’” deadline.com, Deadline, 10 Jul 2026, https://deadline.com/2026/07/meta-disables-new-ai-image-generator-zuckerberg-1236979706/.   The Bipartisan Social Security Commission Act of 2026 (H.R. 9187) “H.R. 9187 - Bipartisan Social Security Commission Act of 2026.” congress.gov, United States Congress, 8 Jun 2026, https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9187. “Paul, Trina. “Lawmakers Revisit Bipartisan Commission to Avert Social Security Benefit Cuts by 2032.” Investopedia.com, Investopedia, 6 Jul 2026, https://www.investopedia.com/a-new-bill-would-create-social-security-commission-to-find-a-fix-to-social-security-s-funding-shortfall-12006512. Lacey, Brooke. “Proposed legislation takes aim at Social Security shortfall.” insurancenewsnet.com, Insurance News Net, 6 Jul 2026, https://insurancenewsnet.com/innarticle/proposed-legislation-takes-aim-at-social-security-shortfall.   ACA Preliminary Rate Filings & What Agents Can Do in the Meantime:  “In Preliminary Rate Filings, ACA Marketplace Insurers Largely Propose Double-Digit Premium Increase For 2027, Following a Steep Climb This Year.” kff.org, KFF, https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/in-preliminary-rate-filings-aca-marketplace-insurers-largely-propose-double-digit-premium-increase-for-2027-following-a-steep-climb-this-year/.   Resources: 2027 ACA Exchange & FFM Certification How to Check Medicare Extra Help Eligibility For Your Clients New Scam Targeting Insurance Agents Real Sales Expectations for Insurance Agents Ritter Insurance Marketing Events & Webinars   Follow Us on Social! Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance     Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  and Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/sarahjrueppel.bsky.social Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.