Tuesday, April 28, 2026
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM | Registration
Location: South Level 1 Lobby9:00 AM - 12:00 PM | NABIP Workshop: Account-Based Health Plans: Design, Implementation, and Compliance
Rising healthcare costs continue to outpace wage growth, creating affordability challenges for employers and employees. This workshop provides benefits professionals with a practical and strategic understanding of account-based health plans and their role in addressing cost containment, consumer engagement, and regulatory compliance. Participants will gain insight into the limitations of traditional managed care models and explore how account-based strategies respond to market pressures such as increased deductibles, prescription drug utilization, demographic shifts, and government intervention.
Location: S101B
*Additional fee and registration required.
Thought Leadership Roundtables
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
“Brave New Broker” – ERISA Fiduciary Duty Lawsuits Imply Changes to the Broker, Carrier, Group Relationships
Location: S106ASupported by:
5Star Life Insurance Company
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Choosing the Right HSA/FSA/HRA Partner: The Top 5 Questions Every Broker Should Be Asking (But Often Don’t)
Location: S105ASupported by:
Inspira Financial
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
7 Pitfalls to Avoid: A Broker’s Playbook for Better Enrollment Results
Location: S105BCSupported by:
Selerix
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
The ICHRA Decision Framework: When It Works When It Doesn’t
Location: S105DSupported by:
The Big Plan
Benefits Insights Workshop A
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
New Ways to Lose a Case: Funding Trends Brokers Can’t Ignore
Location: S103DSupported by:
Bavvy by Milliman
Benefits Insights Workshop B
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
The Self-Funding Cheat Code: The Playbook Advisors Wish They Had Sooner
Location: S104ASupported by:
Roundstone
Benefits Insights Panel 1
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Beyond the Core: Tools and Strategies for Designing a Voluntary Benefits Plan That Delivers Value
Location: S103BCEDUCATION

2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Cracking the Code on GLP-1: Aligning Pharmacy Strategy, Population Health, and Benefit Design
Location: S103AMOTIVATION
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Prospecting: 201
Location: S103BCINNOVATION

2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Beyond Medical: What Benefits Advisors Miss about Voluntary Benefits
Location: S103DADMINISTRATION
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
The Trust Divide: Why HR and the C-Suite Isn't Buying What Advisors Are Selling
Location: S104ABenefits Insights Workshop C
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
From ICHRA Skeptic to Strategist: How Brokers Are Leveraging Real Data for Real Results
Location: S103DSupported by:
Zorro + Ambetter
Benefits Insights Workshop D
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
The Most Underused Cost‑Saving Tool in Your Benefits Strategy (And You Already Have It)
Location: S104ASupported by:
Truemed
Benefits Insights Panel 2
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Self-Funding Simplified: Making Alternative Funding Work for Every Employer
Location: S103BCEDUCATION

3:45 PM - 4:30 PM
The Employer Perspective: Building a Fiduciary Framework for Healthcare Plans
Location: S103AMOTIVATION
3:45 PM - 4:30 PM
Iron Sharpens Iron: Cutting-Edge Strategies from Top Employee Benefits Advisors
Location: S103BCINNOVATION

3:45 PM - 4:30 PM
Rethinking Work in the Age of AI
Location: S103DADMINISTRATION
3:45 PM - 4:30 PM
Direct Primary Care for Employer-Sponsored Plans: Implementation Strategies, Key Insights and Measurable Impact
Location: S104A4:30 PM - 5:15 PM | Opening Keynote: Side Effects May Include: The Hidden Costs Of Prescription Drugs
Don't miss this fireside chat discussion with benefit advisors and company leaders who helped create the documentary, an industry-changing film that exposes the hidden forces driving costs and limiting transparency in pharmacy benefits—and positions benefits professionals as key players in the solution. This keynote will feature clips from the documentary—including never before seen footage—and the discussion will dive deeper into real-life examples of viable solutions and expert insights on innovative ideas that can lead to true change.

Supported by: 
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM | Registration
Location: South Level 1 Lobby8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | Networking Breakfast in the Exhibit Hall
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | AI + Prevention in Benefits: The Playbook Brokers Don't Have Yet
Location: S101B*This workshop is by invitation only.
Supported by: Betterfly
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM | Morning Keynote Address: Redefining the Playbook: Leadership, Reinvention and the Courage to Compete
Great teams don’t just win — they adapt. In this candid conversation, Mia Hamm explores what it really takes to build sustained excellence: aligning diverse talent around a shared goal, staying disciplined through uncertainty, and performing under relentless pressure. She'll also share what it took to transform women’s soccer from an afterthought to a global force, and how leaders must continually evolve to stay competitive. From embracing change to empowering the next generation, she shares insights on building cultures that withstand disruption and come back stronger.

Mia Hamm, Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist and World Cup Champion
Supported by: ![]()
EDUCATION

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
Leveraging Pharmacy: How Leading Advisors WIN and RETAIN More Business
Location: S103AMOTIVATION
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
Weathering the Storm: Advisors Strategies for Adaptation and Resilience
Location: S103BCINNOVATION

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
Owner-Proof Your Agency: Continuity Plans and Smart Exits
Location: S103DADMINISTRATION
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
Compliance Knowledge as a Competitive Market Differentiator
Location: S104ABenefits Insights Workshop E
11:10 AM - 12:10 PM
The Winning Formula: What The Payer Reveals About Top-Performing Brokers
Location: S103DSupported by:
Pinnacle Claims Management
Benefits Insights Workshop F
11:10 AM - 12:10 PM
From Diagnosis to Recovery: How Cancer Benefits Are Becoming a Strategic Priority for Brokers
Location: S104ASupported by:
Private Health Management
Focus Workshop
11:10 AM - 12:25 PM
The Employee Voice: Reimagining Health Benefits Through the Eyes of Employees
Location: S101BSupported by:
Imagine360
12:10 PM - 2:00 PM | Networking Luncheon in the Exhibit Hall
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Afternoon Keynote Address: 10% Happier - Propel Ambition without Burnout
Join us as Dan Harris delivers a hilarious and well-honed speech about his wild journey to meditation, which includes combat, cocaine, and a nationally televised panic attack. Dan will also share his years-long quest to improve his relationships with everyone (starting with himself), and offer insights into how you can boost your resiliency and quiet your inner critic.

Dan Harris, New York Times Bestselling Author and Podcast Host
EDUCATION

3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
How Direct Contracting is Being Sold, Implemented, and Scaled in Local Markets
Location: S103AMOTIVATION
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
How To Lead During Tumultuous Times
Location: S103BCINNOVATION

3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
You Can't Afford to Be Another Salesperson They Don't Trust
Location: S103DADMINISTRATION
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Medical Captives Unlocked: Cutting Costs, Boosting Benefits
Location: S104A5:00 PM - 6:00 PM | BenefitsPRO Advisor of the Year Presentation & Panel
Location: General Session S1026:00 PM - 8:30 PM | BenefitsPRO Party: I Love Chicago! | Celebrate the Best of Chicago at the Networking Party of the Year
Location: VU RooftopThursday, April 30, 2026
8:30 AM - 10:30 AM | Registration
Location: South Level 1 Lobby8:30 AM - 9:30 AM | Networking Breakfast
Location: S102 FoyerEDUCATION

9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Agency Evolution: Build Smart, Scale Strategically, Exit Strong
Location: S103AMOTIVATION
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Conflict Resolution In Benefits: Radical Candor Meets Crucial Conversations
Location: S103BCINNOVATION

9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Repricing Isn’t Enough: What Brokers Need to Communicate to Clients About True Cost Containment Innovations
Location: S103DADMINISTRATION
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Direct Contracting Without the Drama: A Practical Guide for Brokers
Location: S104A10:30 AM - 12:00 PM | BEN TALKS | Back To What Matters: Rediscovering Purpose
Our closing session is always an attendee favorite: a series of high-energy, TED Talk style presentations. This year, four industry leaders will share their personal stories about rediscovering purpose, how it shapes their work in the industry, and the unexpected paths that led them back to focusing on what matters the most.

