Host: Aaron MacDonald, Chief Strategy Officer, Michigan Planners

The employee benefits landscape continues to shift as post-2024 and 2025 rate increases place added pressure on employer budgets. Groups in the 50–500 life range are especially feeling the impact, facing rising costs, limited transparency, and evolving compliance requirements. With inflation, shifting risk dynamics, and new regulations in play, employers need to proactively explore strategic cost containment, smarter funding models, and data-driven planning to stay ahead of renewal season.