Every year, a number of health insurance conferences are held all over the U.S., and in some cases, even internationally. These conferences are generally intended to provide employers, HR specialists, and those in health insurance and healthcare industries access to the latest information related to healthcare laws, advances, technology, and more, as well as allow for networking opportunities.
Of the dozens of insurance conferences held each year, it can be difficult to narrow down the options to find those that are going to provide the greatest benefits. Here is a breakdown of some of the most important health insurance conferences being held in 2017 and what you can hope to get out of them when you attend.
Benefitfocus One Place
March 14-16, Orlando, FL
This conference is designed with HR benefits leaders in mind and aims to provide both educational and networking opportunities. The 3-day conference is hosted by Benefitfocus, a company that offers a marketplace platform for employers to manage their benefits program and solutions for carriers to interact with customers and maintain data securely.
In other words, attendees are probably going to get an earful about the solutions offered by Benefitfocus. That said, this annual conference also has a variety of guest speakers from healthcare, insurance, and adjacent industries. Also provided are networking sessions related to ACA compliance and management, open enrollment, healthcare consumerism, employee engagement, and more.
Community roundtables give HR professionals the chance to interact with colleagues and trade valuable information, and networking events facilitate interactions with insurance carriers, brokers, and other conference attendees. Whether you’re truly interested in the solutions offered by Benefitfocus or not, the One Place conference has a lot to offer in terms of information and networking opportunities.
2017 Human Resource Executive Health and Benefits Leadership Conference
April 19-21, Las Vegas, NV
Another conference for HR professionals, this event caters to everyone from HR and benefits directors, specialists, and consultants to CEOs, CHROs, and business owners. It is designed to provide employers and HR decision-makers with information that will help them to create attractive benefits programs.
The conference provides educations sessions deliver by leading organizations within the health industry and promises practical solutions and real-world applications. Also on deck is an expansive expo featuring the latest products, services, and solutions for HR departments. Networking opportunities abound.
AHIP Institute and Expo 2017 – America’s Health Insurance Plans
June 7-9, Austin, TX
As health insurance conferences go, this is one of the biggest of the year, with an estimated 3,000 attendees anticipated for 2017. It primarily caters to health insurance professionals, although healthcare and business leaders are also in attendance. The conference is sponsored by America’s Health Insurance Plan (AHIP), a trade organization that represents the health insurance community and advocates policies that expand affordable care options.
The focus of information presented includes topics like industry best practices, the challenges of providing and maintaining quality of care while dealing with rising healthcare costs, health insurance system sustainability, and priorities in health insurance and healthcare, just for example. This conference also includes a slew of exhibitors and opportunities for attendees to connect with industry experts, suppliers, and healthcare partners.
Notable speakers for 2017 include Deborah W. Brooks, the Co-Founder and Executive Vice Chairman of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF); Zubin Damania, MD, the CEO and Founder of Turntable Health; and Jamie Heywood, the Co-Founder and Chairman of PatientsLikeMe, among others.
NAHU 2017 Annual Convention and Exhibition – National Association of Health Underwriters
June 25-28, Orlando, FL
This conference hosted by the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) primarily attracts insurance and healthcare professionals, including agents, brokers, and consultants. There are several benefits to attending, including education programming, tailored workshops, admission to the exhibition hall featuring 80+ industry exhibitors, and of course, networking opportunities.
Health insurance providers are interested in providing clients both large and small with products and services that balance the need for attractive employee benefits programs with cost savings. NAHU is committed to promoting affordable insurance options, advocating for professionals in the health insurance industry, and promoting responsibility within the health insurance market. These goals are reflected in the subject matter presented at their annual conference.
MESC 2017 – Medicaid Enterprise Systems Conference
August 16-18, Baltimore, MD
The MESC, formerly the MMIS Conference, has been held annually since the 1990s and is geared toward government professionals and those working in health information technology, as well as healthcare and health insurance professionals. With an estimated 1,500 attendees and over 100 vendors, there’s a lot going on.
The idea is to create an opportunity for leaders in both public and private sectors to connect and share information and ideas related to Medicaid, and conference subjects cover a variety of topics important to Medicaid programs and industry advancement and improvement. Communication and collaboration are primary goals of the conference and the sponsoring organization, the New England States Consortium Systems Organization (NESCSO).
Employer Healthcare and Benefits Congress
October 2-4, Los Angeles, CA
Previous attendees have likened this annual conference, now in its 9th year, to concerts like Coachella and Bonnaroo, insomuch as you cannot hope to see all of the content you’re interested in over the course of the conference. With over 100 educational speakers and sessions offered, not to mention one-on-one meetings, collaborative forums and summits, and roundtable discussions, among other activities, it’s easy to understand the sentiment.
Geared mainly toward HR executives and insurance professionals, this conference offers opportunities to build professional relationships. Also provided are educational programs designed to deliver industry best practices and discuss the latest trends in the changing healthcare landscape. Attendees can take advantage of content approved for continuing education credits.
IFEBP 63rd U.S. Annual Employee Benefits Conference – International Foundation of Employee Benefits Plans
October 22-25, Las Vegas, NV
Another conference aimed at HR professionals, this event boasts an incredible attendance average that is 5,000 strong, providing the greatest potential for networking opportunities. With over 60 years of annual events and more than 100 sessions offered with topics designed to help HR professionals properly choose and support benefits plans, this conference is a must to attend in 2017.
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