The new year has just started, the members of the 115th Congress are reallocating their office space, and junior staff members of the incoming Trump administration are learning how the office microwaves work.
Meanwhile, time is coming at your clients and prospects like a monster truck full of plastic explosives.
You need sales. You need to know what legislators and regulators are going to throw at you. And, employers and consumer households need protection against illness, injury, disability and long-term care risk now as much as ever.
The calendar for 2017 can be an enemy that wears you, and them, down, or a friend that gives you ideas for opportunities to reach out with ads, seminars, webinars, tweets, Facebook posts, LinkedIn commentaries, blog entries, direct mail campaigns and tables at drug stores.
Executive agencies and legislative bodies are already sketching out agendas that could change everything.
Public and private research organizations are gathering data for reports that could shape what happens next.
Insurance and benefits groups are lining up sponsors for the coffee breaks, banquets and golf outings at their in-person events, where, between sips of coffee or fights against sand traps, you might get hints about what the heck is really going on in your colleagues' offices.
The following 2017 planner was prepared to give you an idea of what's coming up in Congress, federal agencies, public company reporting, health insurance regulation, data releases, and trade and professional groups that might affect agents, advisors and their clients.
We had to skip many of the critical events happing in state legislatures and state insurance regulatory agencies, or at most of the state-based Affordable Care Act exchanges. But we have included the board meetings for Covered California, the public exchange in California, which offers live web video streams of its sessions.
All dates are subject to change, and it's possible that upcoming shifts in Washington could eliminate or drastically alter some of the events and deadlines listed here.
Also note that some of the events and documents listed here are free, but others, including many of the in-person events, may cost $1,000 or more. You can use the links provided to get more details, including information about registrations and other fees.
January
In January, Congress and the Trump administration will get to work, actuaries will talk about extreme longevity risk, and Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group Inc. will kick off earnings season.
Year-round: U.S. Senate hearing schedule. (Updated daily.)
Year-round: U.S. House hearing schedule. (Updated daily.)
Jan. 3: U.S. Senate convenes.
Jan. 3: U.S. House convenes.
Jan. 4-6: Society of Actuaries, Living to 100 symposium, in Orlando, Florida.
Jan. 6: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Long-Term Care Valuation Subgroup, conference call.
Jan. 11-12: National Business Group on Health, Employers' Summit on Health Care Costs and Solutions, in Washington.
Jan. 12: National Center for Health Statistics, release of data on marital status and employed women's access to health coverage.
Jan. 15: This is the scheduled end of the open enrollment period for HealthCare.gov plans with benefits starting Feb. 1.
Jan. 17: UnitedHealth Group Inc. expects to release earnings before 9 a.m. Eastern time.
Jan. 17: National Federation of Independent Business, Obamacare: Prospects for Repeal/Potential Replacements, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Webinar version available.
Jan. 20: Inauguration of the 45th president of the United States.
Jan. 25-26: National Business Group on Health, Employers' Forum on Mental Health and Emotional-Well-Being, in San Francisco.
Jan. 25-27: U.S. House, House Republican Issues Conference. Location not available.
Jan. 26: California Health Benefit Exchange (Covered California) board meeting, in Sacramento, California. Live streaming web video available.
Jan. 30: Aetna Inc. expects to release earnings before 9 a.m. Eastern time.
Jan. 31: Unum Group Inc. expects to release earnings after 4 p.m. Eastern time.
Jan. 31: Internal Revenue Service. Deadline for getting the following health insurance-related forms to the individual who has the related coverage or personal health account: with the IRS: the Form 1099-LTC Long-Term Care and Accelerated Death Benefits; the Form 1099-SA Distributions from an HSA, Archer MSA or Medicare Advantage HSA; the Form 1095-B Health Coverage Instructions; the Form 1094-B health insurance coverage offer notice transmittal form; the Form 1095-C Health Insurance Offer and Coverage Insurance; and the Form 1094-C health insurance coverage offer notice transmittal form.
Jan. 31: This is the scheduled end of the open enrollment period for individual major medical coverage for 2017.
February
In February, earnings reports will pour out quickly, and, if the current reporting schedule sticks, employers will have to send huge numbers of health coverage offer reporting forms.
February, date to be determined: National Center for Health Statistics, Health Insurance Coverage Tables (January 2016-September 2016).
February, date to be determined: National Center for Health Statistics, early release of health and chronic disease data from the National Health Interview Survey (January 2016-September 2016).
February, date to be determined: National Center for Health Statistics, survey data on use of clinical preventive services for cancer and heart disease among insured adults.
Feb. 1: Anthem Inc. expects to release earnings before 9 a.m. Eastern time.
Feb. 1: MetLife Inc. expects to release earnings after 4 p.m. Eastern time.
Feb. 2: Cigna Corp. expects to release earnings at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time.
Feb. 4: Genworth Financial Inc. expects to release earnings after 4 p.m. Eastern time.
Feb. 4-8: Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, Legislative & Working Groups Summit, in Washington.
Feb. 4: Molina Healthcare Inc. expects to release earnings after 4 p.m. Eastern time.
Feb. 6: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Accident and Sickness Insurance Minimum Standards Subgroup, conference call.
Feb. 6: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Consumer Information Subgroup (health), conference call.
Feb. 7: Centene Corp. expects to release earnings before 9 a.m. Eastern time.
Feb. 7: WellCare Health Plans Inc. expects to release earnings at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time.
Feb. 8: Humana Inc. expects to release earnings before 9 a.m. Eastern time.
Feb. 8: CNO Financial Group Inc. expects to release earnings after 4 p.m. Eastern time.
Feb. 8: Prudential Financial Inc. expects to release earnings after 4 p.m. Eastern time.
Feb. 8-10: U.S. House, House Democratic Issues Conference. Location not available.
Feb. 13: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Accident and Sickness Insurance Minimum Standards Subgroup, conference call.
Feb. 14: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, prescription drug model subgroup, conference call.
Feb. 28: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, prescription drug model subgroup, conference call.
Feb. 13-15: National Association of Health Underwriters, Capitol Conference, in Washington.
Feb. 28: Internal Revenue Service. Deadline for filing the following forms with the IRS: Form 1099-LTC Long-Term Care and Accelerated Death Benefits; Form 1099-SA Distributions from an HSA, Archer MSA or Medicare Advantage HSA; the paper version of Form 1095-B Health Coverage; the paper version of the 1094-B health insurance coverage reporting offer notice transmittal form; the paper version of Form 1095-C Health Insurance Offer and Coverage Insurance; and the 1094-C health insurance coverage offer notice transmittal form.
March
In March, the government statisticians at the National Center for Health Statistics will offer a clearer look at how the Affordable Care Act worked in 2016, HealthCare.gov managers will meet with 2018 exchange plan issuers, and the Manalapan, New Jersey-based National Conference of Insurance Legislators and America's Health Insurance Plans will hold major conferences.
March, date to be determined: National Center for Health Statistics, release of data on how patients ages 18 to 64 expected to pay for emergency room care in 2012.
March, date to be determined: National Center for Health Statistics, release of data from the National Health Interview Survey on the short-term and long-term uninsured.
March, date to be determined: National Center for Health Statistics, release of data on access to care among adults ages 18 to 64 with high-deductible health plans.
March, date to be determined: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will release an interim Affordable Care Act risk-adjustment program report. This report will show roughly how much cash issuers with low-risk enrollees might have to send to issuers with high-risk enrollees.
March 2: California Health Benefit Exchange (Covered California) board meeting, in Sacramento, California. Live streaming web video available.
March 3-5: National Conference of Insurance Legislators, spring meeting, in New Orleans.
March 6: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Accident and Sickness Insurance Minimum Standards Subgroup, conference call.
March 8-9: America's Health Insurance Plans, National Health Policy Conference, in Washington.
March 9-10: America's Health Insurance Plans, National Conference on Individual and Small-Group Markets, in Washington.
March 14: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, prescription drug model subgroup, conference call.
March 15-17: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Annual Qualified Health Plan Issuer Conference, in Baltimore. This is a conference for the managers of the HealthCare.gov public exchange enrollment system and the carriers that sell plans through the system.
March 20: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Accident and Sickness Insurance Minimum Standards Subgroup, conference call.
March 26-29: Intercompany Long Term Care Insurance Conference, in Jacksonville, Florida. A long-term care insurance industry conference
March 28: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, prescription drug model subgroup, conference call.
March 29-31: National Business Group on Health, Business Health Agenda 2017, in Washington.
March 31: Internal Revenue Service. Deadline for filing the following forms with the IRS: the electronic version of Form 1095-B Health Coverage; the electronic version of the 1094-B health insurance coverage reporting offer notice transmittal form; the electronic version of Form 1095-C Health Insurance Offer and Coverage Insurance; and the electronic version of the 1094-C health insurance coverage offer notice transmittal form.
