Issue 32

New Bill Targets Businesses Using Overseas Call Centers, BPOs
A new bill proposed by Senator Ruben Gallego (AZ) on July 30 would require companies to report to the Department of Labor if they move call center operations outside of the United States. “My bill will encourage companies to keep their call centers in the U.S. and require that they tell you up-front if you’re talking to an AI bot – protecting American jobs and making your day easier,” Gallego stated in a press release announcing the ‘‘Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025.” Isaac Shloss of DNC.com has this helpful reaction piece that provides some much needed context around this potential challenge for the industry. If you’re concerned by this potential shift, you won’t want to miss this session at LeadsCon Connect on September 30, where Shloss will go beyond the headlines to analyze the bill’s provisions, from its penalties on federal funding to its requirements for AI and agent location disclosures.

FTC Slams Lead Gen Firms with $145 Million Fines for Violating the FTC Act and TSR
On August 7, two leading lead generation firms, Assurance IQ and MediaAlpha, were fined a combined $145M by the FTC for deceiving health insurance customers. In breaking down the $100M judgment against Assurance IQ, Eric Troutman of TCPAWorld explained, “According to the order, Assurance IQ misrepresented key aspects - including coverage of preexisting conditions, the absence of benefit caps, and network access - violating both the FTC Act and TSR.” Troutman, who will share what this means for the industry at LeadsCon Connect next month also notes, “This enforcement sends a clear message: misleading marketing paired with aggressive lead generation can expose companies to both regulatory action AND TCPA liability.”

AI Martech Market Soars as Brands Struggle to Find Balance
While the VC market continues to pump funding into new AI martech solutions and marketers find the limits of these new technologies, this column at Fast Company provides a midmarket perspective on the extent to which we should outsource marketing to AI. Facing losses, Intel laid off its in-house marketing team earlier this summer, outsourcing to Accenture's AI services. The author notes, for most companies, the lesson isn't to follow suit, but to thoughtfully integrate AI to empower their existing teams, balancing technology with human insight. For those looking for more practical insights around AI that can be used to lower customer acquisition costs and build trust with customers in a tech-saturated landscape, please plan to join us next month in Chicago!

Texas Court Strikes Down Provisions of CMS Rule
A Texas court has struck down several provisions of a new CMS rule regarding Medicare Advantage marketing, ruling the agency exceeded its authority. Lead generators take note: the court did uphold a crucial provision banning third-party marketing firms from distributing beneficiary data like names and phone numbers to other marketers without consent. This ruling, which aligns with congressional intent, provides some clarity for brokers while maintaining a key consumer protection measure. Fierce Healthcare reports the court ruled that the rule exceeded its statutory authority and violated the Administrative Procedures Act, agreeing with Americans for Beneficiary Choice and broker groups to overturn the provisions.

Are You Ready for LeadsCon Connect?
Fall’s prime opportunity to gain actionable takeaways, network with industry leaders, and ensure your lead gen efforts are future-proofed for maximum ROI is HERE! Whether you’re looking to learn how to make your outsourced marketing mix perform like a cohesive in-house team or break down the silos that are impeding growth, we got you covered at next month’s program. No other event matches the networking, the number of market participants and the practical case studies and insights that you get at LeadsCon! Register by September 5 for $999 and bring a colleague for just $99!

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