State of the Health Insurance Ecosystem

In the inaugural episode of The Benefits Brief—recorded live at the 2026 NABIP Annual Convention—host David Saltzman is joined by Katherine Hempstead, senior policy officer for healthcare at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Mike Smith, president of The Brokerage, Inc., for a wide-ranging discussion on the current state of the health insurance ecosystem. Together, they explore the key trends shaping healthcare today, including rising costs, affordability, ACA marketplace dynamics, Medicare, ICHRAs, long-term care, AI, and the evolving role of benefits advisors. The conversation offers valuable insights into where the industry stands today and the policy, market, and innovation trends that will shape its future.