When Brandon Scarborough, co-founder of Power Group worksitedivision and PowerEnroll at Power Group Cos. in Overland Park,Kan., first jumped into the benefits business, it was at HealthcareServices Group where he focused on offering benefits services tohousekeeping and dietary employees in nursing homes. But there wasa problem. Scarborough quickly learned many of these employees madelittle in wages and couldn't afford the available benefits, heexplains.  

“I found out these employees got offered basically nothingbecause they didn't make enough money and couldn't afford benefits,so I made a couple of phone calls to friends I knew were in theinsurance industry to see about figuring out a way to offer theseemployees some sort of benefits,” Scarborough says. “I decided Iknew enough people in the nursing home industry that I could starta company and be successful at offering benefits.”

In 2005, Scarborough founded Benefit Design Group, which allowedhim to focus strictly on providing voluntary benefits to low-wageworkers employed by nursing homes. Scarborough continued hisbusiness until he merged with Power Group Cos. in 2007 when thecompany wanted him to run a new worksite division. 

Enrollment matters

Since Scarborough joined Power Group, enrollment emerged as alarge part of his responsibilities, he says. Setting up theenrollment, working with the carriers and implementing the mosteffective technology are all part of Scarborough'sresponsibilities, which keeps him plenty busy, but he also takesthe time to personalize each enrollment approach. For someemployers, sponsoring wellness fairs and conducting biometrictesting helps increase enrollment engagement while distributingprefilled applications works for other populations.