AM Best will host a briefing with a panel of health insurance industry experts to discuss their outlook on the Medicare Advantage business segment of the U.S. health insurance industry, scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. EST.

AM Best has a negative outlook on the U.S. health insurance industry and the Medicare Advantage and Medicaid Managed Care segments, owning to a number of adverse factors. Medicare Advantage plans have been experiencing pressure from all sides, including an increase in utilization trends and medical costs. The event, titled, “AM Best’s Briefing – Health: Medicare Advantage Challenges and Opportunities,” will look at the key drivers impacting the segment.

Joining the panel is Julia Friedman, principal and consulting actuary at Milliman, who is widely recognized as a leading expert in Medicare Advantage, advising health plans, provider organizations and investors on strategic and financial performance. She will offer perspectives on how shifting dynamics in Medicare Advantage are impacting 2026 plan benefit strategies and 2027 outlooks. Stephen Harris, president of government markets at Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), also will participate and discuss the opportunities HCSC sees in Medicare Advantage, and offer his views on Medicare Advantage from a Blue plan and national footprint view. Bridget Maehr, director, AM Best, will join the panel, to discuss the rating agency’s views on the segment.

To register for the event, AM Best's Briefing Health Medicare Advantage Challenges and Opportunities.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

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