The first thing many people will tell you about health insurance is that it’s complicated. Between public and private plans, HMOs, PPOs, and high deductibles, it can be hard to know which plan is right for you.

About half (51%) of insured adults report some difficulty understanding at least one aspect of their health insurance, including what insurance covers, out-of-pocket costs, and benefit explanations, according to health policy research organization KFF’s 2023 survey of 3,605 US adults.

That’s where brokers come in. Brokers explain health insurance plans to consumers and help them decide which plans work best for them. Patients may have questions about monthly payments, out-of-pocket costs, and in-network providers, for example.

“Healthcare is not a one-size-fits-all [thing], so you want to make sure you’re picking the right plan for you based on your personal needs,” Jennifer Chumbley Hogue, owner of KG Health Insurance, told Healthcare Brew.

Find more on how brokers and sales agents differ here.—CM

Short staffing, increased violence, and unreasonable demands make it a grueling time to be a nurse. And as nice as an occasional pizza party can be, it doesn’t make up for the job’s challenges.

More than 138,000 registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VNs) left the workforce since 2022 and about 40% plan to leave or retire in the next five years, according to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s 2024 National Nursing Workforce study, which surveyed about 880,000 RNs and LPN/VNs. Those who leave before retirement age are often motivated by stress and burnout, according to the survey.

Staffing company AMN Healthcare’s 2025 Survey of Registered Nurses echoed this, finding only 39% of about 12,000 RNs planned to remain in their current positions.

So, health systems are pulling out all the stops to address this workforce issue. One increasingly used tool is creating a formal structure where bedside nurses can bring concerns and work together with leaders from other departments to make decisions around things like staffing, resources, and new equipment purchases. It’s known as shared governance.

Here’s how hospitals are trying to help burned out nurses here.—CC

As medical costs rise, the stop-loss insurance industry is feeling pressure, and it’s passing that on to self-funded employers.

Stop-loss makes it possible for employers without bottomless bank accounts to self-fund their employees’ health coverage. If costs exceed a certain pre-agreed upon cap, the stop-loss carrier will cover the bill. Major stop-loss providers include Cigna Healthcare and Elevance—which also administrate companies’ self-funded plans—as well as third-party carriers like Sun Life and Voya Financial.

About 76% of workers in self-funded plans at companies with 50+ employees have stop-loss insurance, according to independent health policy polling, research, and news nonprofit KFF. The stop-loss market brings in more than $35 billion in annual premiums, according to a 2024 report by global consulting and actuarial firm Milliman.

But just like other forms of insurance, stop-loss—and employers that use it—are struggling amid elevated medical costs. Accounting firm PwC’s Health Research Institute predicts an 8% increase in medical costs in the group market and 7.5% in the individual market in 2025, the highest levels seen in 13 years.

Learn more about stop-loss insurance here.—CC

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