Benefits Selling Magazine April 2008
Cover Story
2008 health care survey results
* This article is coauthored by Dan Shellenbarger, Sri Palanisamy and Michael Main. It is no secret that the private health care system in the United States is struggling for long-term viability. Ever-rising medical costs continue to drive
Beyond the Beltway
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Never mind the forest -- or the trees
When a person -- or a committee of people, or a group of committees -- ignores the big picture by micromanaging the details, we use cute, sardonic clich?s to describe them. "They cannot see the forest for the trees,"
The Zone
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Comparison tool for voters
BY THE TIME THIS ISSUE lands in mailboxes, the presidential campaign may be down to the final two. If so, voters may have an easier time figuring out which candidate's health care plan they like best, but the issue is more complex than most
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More employees work while sick
IN 2005, A SURVEY FOUND 77 percent of workers went to work while sick, for reasons that ranged from fear of taking time off to saving sick days for when children were ill. The same ComPsych poll conducted in 2007 found that the number of workers
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Health savings account Web site earns nod
WHEN IT COMES to health savings accounts, consumers are always in need of information that allows them to evaluate HSA offerings. Banks, insurance companies and other entities are trying to educate the health care public about the myriad issues
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Employers can help boost work force health
THE FIRST QUARTER of the year is gone. And, for far too many folks, so are the New Year's resolutions to improve their overall health. Better health is a goal many employees make each year, and a study from ComPsych shows that employers may be
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Flex schedules key to satisfaction
WHILE THE 9-TO-5 WORKER has been the model for many years now -- at least since the Dolly Parton movie -- employers and employees are experimenting with different schedules for various reasons: avoid traffic, meet family commitments,
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Online tool accelerates underwriting decisions
AS EVERYTHING in the world around us gets faster and people demand speed from the people who serve them and the technology that helps them, why should they expect any less from the decision-making process for insurance coverage? Traditionally,
Employers Speak Out
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What kind of day care reimbursement, facilities or coverage do you offer employees?
"Our office is too small, both in manpower and other resources, so we've never considered compensating our staff for day care. I think it could be a nice perk at a bigger company, but we small and mid-sized companies can't do
Feature Content
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Enrollment is a process, not a season
Enrollment season. Brokers who have that mentality -- that enrollment happens once a year -- probably aren't taking care of their clients at the highest level. Mass enrollment may only happen once a year, but preparing for it,
Special Feature
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Minimeds can shore up your business now
The independent agent is faced with threats on several different fronts. Carrier consolidation means there are fewer choices in a given geographical market. Everyone is proposing the same products and touting the same level of service. The evolution
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Rising health costs fuel need for limited benefit health plans
No one's ever confused me with Sir Isaac Newton, but I understand the law of gravity: what goes up must come down. Unfortunately, when it comes to the benefits business, that law often translates into, "when health insurance costs go up,
Storeylines
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Personal responsibility goes corporate
The U.S. Supreme Court is always good theater. They may not be as entertaining as the House of Lords, but those wacky justices are often the least predictable branch of the federal government. Clarence Thomas notwithstanding. They proved that
By Consumer Design
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Wellness done right
With many different theories circulating about how to fix our ailing health care financing system, it doesn't matter who is paying the tab until we change our behavior and lifestyle. Consider this: Americans spend $1.9 trillion each year on
Worst-Case Scenario
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Unpaid consultants don't make very much money
Unlike some of the other fee-based gurus, I've done my share of uncompensated consulting. Most times I don't mind it a bit, and on many occasions I have been downright fulfilled by helping people with their insurance issues without
Tech Talk
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Automatic for the people
It is a common maxim that an effective Web site is an integral part of any company's marketing plan. When selling a widget, it can seem straightforward, but what about when your business deals with an intangible product, such as insurance? And
Competitive Advantage
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A brief look back
As Benefits Selling celebrates its fifth anniversary, it provides a good time to take a brief look back over my "Competitive Advantage" columns, which debuted in the December/January 2004 issue. At that time, Benefits Selling
Source List
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Limited benefit health source list
Click here to download a pdf (623k) of the limited benefit health source list. *For further information or to contact this author, please use the forum below.
