I hope you all celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday with family, food, and fun. I know I enjoyed relaxing with my daughters, sons-in-law, and grandsons.

***ATTENTION AGENCY OWNERS ***

Your Big I MN staff, board, and committees are always working hard to represent you. I’ve continued to focus on education. We want to serve our members by providing educational programs that are tailored to the needs of our membership. With that goal in mind, it is critical that we receive information from you. If you have not already completed the education survey you received from Amy Rau, please make that a priority. If we don’t receive your response, someone from the Education Committee will be calling you. You can run, but you can’t hide!

On a different note, the most pressing issue of the moment for many agents is Medicare. One of our Power in Partner (PIP) Affiliate members, LeClair Group, was kind enough to provide me with some insight into the current Medicare Advantage environment. This is such a priority issue for our members that I am devoting a portion of my article to their synopsis:

"The Medicare Advantage (MA) landscape is undergoing a significant market correction, and while Medicare may not be a primary product line for most P&C agencies, the effects are hard to miss. After years of rapid growth and rising complexity, both carriers and agencies have shifted into retention mode to protect existing members and stabilize the market.

Minnesota is at the center of this shift. The most notable disruption is UCare’s unexpected exit, which displaced roughly 158,000 Medicare beneficiaries. Those members re-entered the marketplace immediately, creating an uneven redistribution of risk and placing heavy strain on remaining regional carriers already facing tight margins and rising medical costs.

As a result, several carriers chose to eliminate Medicare Advantage renewal commissions for seniors switching from one MA plan to another within Minnesota for the 2026 plan year as well as limiting service areas. While difficult for agents and disruptive for members, this decision reflects the unique dynamics of the Minnesota MA environment. When a major player exits, carriers worry about becoming the default option and absorbing a disproportionately high-risk segment of the population. Because MA is heavily influenced by risk adjustment, sudden spikes in membership - especially from destabilized plans - can create substantial financial exposure. Limiting commissions became a mechanism to slow enrollment and avoid taking on risk faster than they could manage it.

Although the short-term impact is painful, this is ultimately part of a necessary stabilization cycle. Minnesota MA market has needed recalibration for some time, and UCare’s move accelerated that reset dramatically. Carrier participation remains essential, and this correction helps set a more sustainable foundation for the years ahead.

Looking forward, 2025–2026 will be defined by retention and recalibration, while 2027 is expected to offer renewed growth. For P&C agencies, the priority is diversification—creating stronger revenue streams and maximizing the ROI of each client relationship. This is something P&C agents have excelled at for decades, and those same strengths translate well into health and senior market opportunities.

The Medicare market is correcting, not collapsing—and staying informed now will position agencies to capitalize when the cycle turns and growth resumes.” 

Big I MN is committed to staying on top of this issue and working to represent your interests. Your national Association, IIABA, and Big I MN are in ongoing discussions with CMS to remedy the situation. If you have input for us on Medicare or any other issue, don’t hesitate to reach out to Big I MN staff or board members. 

Happy Holidays!