HAP 11 has concluded and to say it was Amped Up to 11 would be an understatement. Once again over 400 attendees came together to learn, grow and enjoy the camaraderie Healthapalooza is known for. Like previous years, this year’s event including a lot of highlights:
Keynote Speaker
We kicked off HAP with an inspirational message from well-known author and motivational speaker, Ross Bernstein. His “Champion’s Code” got HAP off to an amazing start. Ross spoke about how champions in sports follow a “moral compass” to play the game correctly – with respect – to achieve success. The same characteristics common among sports champions are also standard among the best people in business.
Education Sessions
Both Day 1 and Day 2 featured outstanding opportunities to learn and grow. Immediately after Ross’ keynote address, agents had the chance to attend tech breakout sessions featuring tools from Benafica, Connecture, SmartAgent and Benefitter. After lunch, there was time to get the latest information directly from our Platinum and Gold Sponsor carriers: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, UnitedHealthcare, Medica and UCare.
On Tuesday afternoon, CE Sessions on Veteran Benefits and Medicare, Estate Planning, First Dollar Insurance, and Level Funding kept agents engaged and provided important training.
Special Guests
A focal point of Tuesday morning was special guests. First, LeClair COO, Emily Raspante, emceed one of the most popular parts of HAP – our CEO Panel. Leaders from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, UnitedHealthcare, Medica, and UCare shared their insight into the changing landscape in the health insurance industry. They discussed the challenges the industry is facing and emphasized that we are all working together to find the solutions your clients need.
After the CEO Panel, Richard Lett, CEO of LeClair, sat down with Minnesota Senator Michelle Benson (R) from Senate District 31. She provided a very informative legislative updates related to healthcare and insurance. She and Richard discussed the rising costs of insurance, subsidies and other topics facing carriers, agents, and clients in Minnesota and across the country.
Music and Fun
The emphasis of Healthapalooza each year is to have an agent-centered place to provide the ultimate in training. We’re here to help and guide you any way “to ensure that every person in every community across America has a well-trained, well supported health and life insurance agent to guide their needs.” But that’s not to say that we can’t have fun doing it.
HAP began this year with a golf tournament on Sunday sponsored by AnnuityVip. Congratulations to the foursome of Eric Schultz, Lucas Rynda, Josh Taylor, and Jacob Taggart, who had the best score in our scramble!
This year’s HAPBash featured the music of Jacuzzi Puma, a Twin Cities-based band that wowed the crowd with songs from just about everyone from Prince to Motley Crue to Hank Williams Jr. If a song got toes tapping and people out on the dance floor, it was played.
Finally, vendors, sponsors and LeClair, gave away some fantastic prizes, culminating with Anne Pierce from Bloomington winning the Fender Stratocaster guitar.
Plan for Next Year
If you attended Healthapalooza this year, you’ll receive a brief survey about the event in the coming weeks. We sincerely hope you take a few minutes to respond to it. We respectfully consider all feedback and use it to improve the event year after year.
Finally, whether you were at HAP 11 or not, we hope to see you next year for HAP 12. That’s a dozen years of providing a chance to meet fellow agents, hear from carrier representatives, and get ways to grow your business and help your communities find the best healthcare insurance solutions that meet their needs.
