Each year around this time, we return to the CIAB offices withan electric energy fed by our annual Employee Benefits LeadershipForum. In what is shaping up to be a healthcare revolution,employee benefits brokers are in the driver's seat.

It's no secret that brokers, employers, insurers and healthcareproviders are grappling with the implementation of the AffordableCare Act (ACA). Deadlines are around the corner for exchangelaunches and tax changes, and there still isn't enough detail forthe private market to respond with clarity. Some still question ifthe ACA can work at all, with the word “chaos” frequently used.

But there are numerous reasons to be positive about the ACA:transparency of data and provider costs and the promotion ofwellness programs. It comes down to identifying cost problems andcoming up with workable solutions. Brokers are in a perfect placeto change the way things are done.

On the conference's first day, we heard about the U.S. obesityepidemic and the key role brokers will play in shifting thattrend. According to the American Journal of PreventiveMedicine, an additional 30 million Americans will be obese by2030, costing an estimated $550 billion on medicalexpenditures. We heard it time and again: The only way to drivedown costs and bend the curve is to change behavior, and educateand empower consumers.

The big-picture takeaways are many: How can brokers andconsultants help employers create a healthier workforce, combat therising costs of health care and put accountability for health backinto the hands of individual employees? Why aren't employees moreengaged in their health benefits programs? What is the mosteffective way to encourage employees to play a larger role in theirhealth? To what extent will access to mobile technologies affecthow consumers engage with providers and make health decisions?

These are the kinds of issues that position our industry wellfor the future. Brokers and carriers alike are actively engaged inimproving people's health as companies recognize that active, fitemployees also are happy, productive employees. It's about beingcreative and designing strong benefits programs that control costs,promote healthy living and encourage quality care. It's hard to do,but it's not impossible.

As the public policy dialogue continues, this is our way ofkeeping the pedal to the metal.