What’s New in the Industry: Craig’s Take

Plain-English takes on what’s actually changing in health insurance, Medicare, and the way coverage is sold. No alphabet soup, no insider jargon, no scripts.

Why I write these

I’m Craig Gruenbaum. I’m the COO at Insured American Family. My wife Lourdes is the founder and CEO. I’m an active USMC Reservist. We’re family-operated, licensed coast to coast in 36 states.

I write these because the insurance industry has a communication problem. Carriers send out a 60-page Annual Notice of Change in 8-point font and call it transparency. Call centers read from scripts designed to enroll you, not to inform you. The cable news ads in October are pure noise.

There’s a real shortage of people in this industry willing to say, in plain English, what’s actually going on. What rules changed. What it means for someone who just wants to see their doctor and afford their medication. What the new shiny benefit on the commercial is actually worth — and what it isn’t.

So I write what I’d want to read if I were the one shopping for coverage. Short. Direct. Honest about the trade-offs. No “we have great news for you” energy. No buried disclaimers.

• 
  Short-Term Medical Duration Laws Are Changing — Your State Matters More Than EverJune 30, 2026
  The federal default for Short-Term Medical is back to 12 months renewable up to 36 months total — but your state can override that. Here’s the 2026 map, and why it matters if you’re above the ACA subsidy line.
• 
  The ACA Subsidy Cliff Is Back — and Most People Don’t Know ItJune 30, 2026
  The enhanced premium tax credits that softened ACA premiums from 2021 to 2025 expired on December 31. For 2026 coverage, the 400% FPL cliff is back — and the difference can be hundreds of dollars a month.
• 
  Medicare Advantage 2026 — What Changed and What to Do About ItJune 30, 2026
  A new $2,100 Part D out-of-pocket cap, higher IRMAA brackets, and Medicare Advantage benefits getting quietly thinner. Here’s what actually changed for 2026 — and what to do about it before AEP closes.

What you can expect

• Plain English. If a piece needs a glossary, I haven’t done my job.
• Opinion is labeled as opinion. When I’m telling you what I think, I’ll say so. When I’m explaining a rule, I’ll stick to the rule.
• No carrier favoritism. We work with Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield, Cigna, Humana, Mutual of Omaha, Transamerica, and UnitedHealthcare. Each one does some things well and some things less well. I’ll call it like I see it.
• No fear-selling. I’m not going to scare you into a healthcare review. If something is genuinely worth knowing, I’ll explain why. If it isn’t, I won’t pretend it is.
• If I get something wrong, I’ll fix it. Insurance rules change. Posts get dated. I’d rather correct a take than defend a stale one.

About the perspective

Industry news and analysis from someone who actually works in this market every day. Not a journalist, not a think-tank — just a broker watching the system move and calling what he sees. If you spot something you want me to dig into, send it over.

Veteran-operated. Carrier-independent. Family-run. We work for you, not the carriers.

Whether you found something on this page that made you want to look at your own coverage, or you just want a real conversation about where you stand, the calendar is open.

Veteran-owned. Family-operated. Carrier-independent. Coast to coast in 36 states.

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