A Year of Writing. A Year of Purpose.
Welcome to Issue #52 – A Milestone to Celebrate!
Every Monday morning for the past year, I’ve hit send on this newsletter.
Sometimes from airplanes.
Sometimes from hotel rooms.
Sometimes rewriting minutes before my self-imposed 7:00 a.m. deadline.
Topics changed. The purpose didn’t.
Compliance. Fiduciary duty. PBMs. Contracts. Rebates. Transparency.
Each one matters. But they’re all part of a bigger story.
When I started writing, it wasn’t a publishing experiment. It was personal.
After my health setback, I saw up close how the healthcare system works.
And how often it fails the people it’s meant to serve.
Writing became a way to turn frustration into clarity and contribution.
What began as recovery turned into purpose.
The Simple Science of Purpose
The Washington Post recently highlighted a Cornell study with a beautifully simple conclusion:
If you want more happiness, help someone else.
Study participants who spent small monetary grants on community benefit saw major gains in:
- Well-being
- Belonging
- Optimism
Philosophers, psychologists, and leaders across centuries said the same:
“He who has a Why to live can bear almost any how.”
Friedrich Nietzsche
Happiness isn’t pursued.
It ensues when you commit yourself to something bigger than you.
My Why
Over the past year, I’ve written:
- this newsletter
- the Fiduciary Handbook
- the PBM Field Guide
- and a few Linkedin posts
I’ve worked with organizations trying to put patients and plan sponsors first. My goal has been simple:
Help people navigate a system built on confusion.
I’ve found meaning in seeing employers step into their fiduciary role,
in watching advisors adjust misaligned models, and in seeing new PBMs pursue transparency by default.
The reward hasn’t been clicks or shares.
It’s the quiet sense this work matters.
Every article has been its own kind of therapy. A way to think deeply about how to fix a broken system and how I can help.
The Happiness of Helping
The Cornell study offers encouragement:
You don’t need a life overhaul to find purpose. You only need a contribution.
For me, that contribution has been writing and advising through Nautilus.
For you, it might be mentoring a colleague, helping an employee navigate benefits, or explaining something complex so someone else feels less lost.
Every purposeful act accumulates.
That’s how we build meaning, resilience, and a sense of momentum.
Now I’d like to help by giving back to you.
Your Anniversary Gifts
I started this newsletter to help others become better fiduciaries.
Somewhere along the way, it helped me become a better human.
If you’ve been reading, sharing, or thinking alongside me this past year Thank You!
Gift #1: Free Access to My Entire Fiduciary Handbook Set
As a token of my appreciation, every newsletter subscriber can download the full 3-book set:
- Essential Guide – The foundational handbook for fiduciary excellence
- Solution Guide – Fiduciary-aligned services to build better benefits at lower cost
- Fast Start Kit – Templates, guides, and checklists to put governance into action
The templates in the Fast Start Kit alone are worth more than $10,000 in consulting and legal fees. But the biggest return will come from reducing the cost of benefits. Many companies see 10% to 30%+ reduction in benefit costs from compliant procurement processes.
➡️ Click here to download all three books.
Gift #2: Win a Free Seat in the Certified ERISA Fiduciary Compliance Officer Program
Five lucky subscribers will receive full access to the brand-new
Certified ERISA Fiduciary Compliance Officer Program.
It’s an online course with a $5,000 value.
Graduate from the program and you’ll earn a badge from the Validation Institute recognized across the industry as a mark of fiduciary excellence. Find more details on the Fiduciary Compliance Officer Program webpage.
Everyone who downloads the books is automatically entered for a chance to win. The drawing will happen on Friday December 12 so act quickly and download your books before time runs out.
Gift #3: A Special Discount for All Subscribers
If you don’t win one of the five free seats you can get 50% OFF the Fiduciary Compliance Officer Program through the end of this year. We’ll send a discount code to everyone following the drawing.
Gift #4: The $100,000 Validated Fiduciary™ Guarantee
If you complete the course certification and the first three steps of the Fast Start Kit (creating your fiduciary committee) you’ll qualify for a $100,000 Validated Fiduciary™ Guarantee.
The guarantee functions as co-insurance for any settlement or adjudicated award made against the validated person or entity. You’ll safeguard your professional reputation and obtain financial security as a fiduciary.
We’ll even collaborate with your fiduciary liability carrier to explore opportunities for reduced premiums, adding even more financial value.
Thank you for being part of this year! Now let’s talk about what we’ll build together next year.
Looking Ahead To Next Year
This newsletter began as a personal recovery project.
It grew into a mission.
And today, it supports a community of leaders committed to doing better for health plans and the employees and their families we’re all trying to serve and protect.
Here’s to the next 52 weeks of clarity, courage, contribution and to whatever “Why” drives your purpose.
All the best,
The Health Plan Compliance Advantage
A Final Note of Appreciation
Peter Prosol is the CEO of the Validation Institute and main driver behind their fiduciary validation programs and certifications for Employers, Benefits Firms, and Benefits Advisors. Validation Institute provides a $100,000 Validated Fiduciary™ Guarantee serving as co-insurance for any settlement, arbitration finding, or adjudicated award made against the validated person or entity.
Don’t be a bystander. Change the status quo and reap the benefits of The Health Plan Compliance Advantage. Schedule an introductory call with us.
