The benefits world isn't getting any simpler. Amid a strugglingeconomy and what appears to be an unrelenting upward trend in bothfederal and state oversight, the modern benefits broker has to be achameleon who can morph from insurance expert to risk analyst tofinancial advisor to lawyer to social worker to tax consultant tohuman resources expert…to name a few.

And as if that weren't enough, brokers are also expected tocomplement their traditional service offerings with “value-adds” inorder to remain competitive. Fortunately, with the added complexitycomes a greater need for expert guidance and supplementary servicesthat clients may not have required in the past. COBRAadministration, now more than ever, is one example of a servicewith which brokers can bring greater value to the table and fulfilla growing client need.

Thanks to President Obama's 2009 economic stimulus package,which introduced the so-called “COBRAsubsidy,” brokers and benefits professionals now have an evenstronger case to recommend a professional to help their clientssort through the ins and outs of COBRA administration. A backgroundin the political process that created the subsidy, and anunderstanding of its implications, will help you provide yourclients with some sense of context when it comes to COBRA. This, inturn, will allow you to help your clients make the best decisionfor their business while effectively positioning yourself as atrusted advisor.