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Copyright © 2018 ALM Media Properties, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Paul Wilson is the editor-in-chief of BenefitsPRO Magazine and BenefitsPRO.com. He has covered the insurance industry for more than a decade, including stints at Retirement Advisor Magazine and ProducersWeb.
November 12, 2018
On October 16th, the first domino fell. The first state government (the Commonwealth of Kentucky) communicated their decision to discontinue all payroll deductions of voluntary benefits, starting in 2019. In short, this is a watershed event in accelerating the death of traditional payroll deduction.
November 09, 2018
Experts on health care, benefits, and retirement assess the impact on legislation, regulation, and the benefits industry.
November 08, 2018
Takeovers are a common occurrence in today’s benefits landscape. In fact, a recent study from the consulting group Eastbridge found that 80 percent of…
November 08, 2018
Pharmacy costs are increasing exponentially – some estimate that they will soon represent more than a quarter of all plan spend. Yet this portion of…
November 07, 2018
Fernando Martinez doesn't let being a younger broker hold him back.
November 06, 2018
Today, a small number of DPC doctors and executives are making substantial strides toward breaking into the employer market.
November 05, 2018
With open enrollment just around the corner, there are plenty of things that brokers and their clients can do to influence account adoption.
November 02, 2018
Many put more thought into their coffee orders than their health care coverage. Perhaps the industry needs to try a new approach to customer engagement. One need look no further than the ubiquitous Starbucks brand for inspiration.
November 01, 2018
The drive for survival in the face of all odds is one of the things I find most compelling about our industry.
October 26, 2018
Many of your employer clients feel stuck without options when it comes to offering a health plan to their employees, unsure of where to turn for advice about cutting costs, without cutting benefits. Enter the Employer Bill of Rights.
October 26, 2018
Brokers and advisers play a pivotal role in helping employees overcome information overload. Here are some tips to share with your customers.
October 22, 2018
In part two of our two-part episode, Jessica outlines some of the thinking on both sides of the aisle, the key players to watch, and much more.
October 22, 2018
Branden Monaco reflects on what it takes to be a successful broker in the hard-nosed Boston area.
October 18, 2018
Increasingly, to be given the opportunity to solve an organization’s benefits challenges, brokers also have to provide advice and solutions for the rest of the prospect’s HR concerns.
October 17, 2018
To rise above the noise in an industry where everyone sounds the same, you need a unique message.
October 16, 2018
As we approach open enrollment season and the holidays, I know it can be difficult to juggle it all.
October 15, 2018
As your clients try to predict what kind of employees Gen Z will produce, let’s tune into what they’re actually saying to us right now.
October 15, 2018
Are concerns about reference-based pricing holding your clients back from innovating their health care?
October 03, 2018
A growing body of evidence shows that certified physician assistants (PA-Cs) lower costs while improving health care quality. As a result, they can play a crucial role in helping health care organizations implement value-based reforms.
October 03, 2018
I had a chance to sit down with Austin Madison, Senior Vice President of The Crichton Group, and talk about the industry, the future and his unique perspective.
October 01, 2018
Since President Trump took office just under two years ago, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been the center of debate and, more often, confusion.…
October 01, 2018
Low employee engagement in benefits programs is a common problem, one that continues to grow as health care benefits become more complicated and costs…
October 01, 2018
To be an educated buyer of a benefits and HR solution, it’s worth becoming familiar with an ongoing shift in this corner of the tech industry, and how it’s shaping the product roadmap of platform vendors.
October 01, 2018
Many have written about the disappearance of nuance in today’s world of “quick takes” and all-or-nothing social media standoffs. There’s no…
September 24, 2018
Employees with a clear understanding of their benefits will use their insurance for preventative care or when they first fall ill, instead of waiting until they're in the ER.
September 24, 2018
This month, I’m excited to continue our second year with stories from Christina and Rosemary, who bring a combined total of over 40 years of experience to the table and are always looking to put their clients first!
September 20, 2018
Attendees of the recent Q4Live conference in San Diego discussed realistic and actionable ways to address the quality and cost of their clients' benefits plans.
September 19, 2018
Health care is always changing and it's essential that brokers, employers and individuals stay up to date. But the question is, how do you do so?
September 18, 2018
Belief that we can still be responsible consumers is perhaps the hardest task in today's health care market, but we must tackle it now.
September 18, 2018
Many mistakenly believe that top-hat plans are entirely exempt from ERISA’s requirements. With one increasingly rare exception, however, ERISA remains an important consideration in how these arrangements are structured.
September 17, 2018
The key is to make the benefits enrollment process simple, modern and personal for your clients and their employees. Here’s how.
September 17, 2018
Helping employer clients expand benefits in the context of recruiting and retaining talent in the middle of a red-hot economic environment can present a valuable strategy for brokers looking to create agency growth.
September 17, 2018
Benefits consultant Laura Frances embraces change and sees a bright future for the insurance industry and those working in it.
September 11, 2018
Group health brokers who sell themselves as being innovative and non-status quo continue to ignore enhanced voluntary benefits, thus serving only half their clients and arguably snubbing those who need their cost-saving strategies the most: the employees.
September 10, 2018
With this year’s open enrollment just around the corner for most organizations, now is the time to think ahead.
September 10, 2018
Why are more small businesses offering self-funded health benefit plans? I see three big reasons.
September 07, 2018
We are seemingly on the cusp of a revolution in AI-driven health care services. To maintain competitiveness, companies need to start incorporating tools and services that use these advanced technologies now.
August 31, 2018
Making sure clients and prospects understand how auto-adjudication affects their costs can lead to more groups willing to pursue alternative strategies that provide more transparency.
August 31, 2018
I’m lucky enough to do something I’ve dreamed about my entire life, but that’s definitely not the case for everyone.
August 24, 2018
By integrating the same data sources used to comply and report on the ACA — HRIS, benefits and payroll — new insights can be gained.
August 24, 2018
I can’t believe that we are coming close to the “unofficial end” in a couple of weeks. Meeting some really fascinating women in our industry has been one of the highlights of my summer!
August 22, 2018
Jon Hernandez is the CEO at PeakMed Direct Primary Care in Colorado, and he is one of the drivers pushing DPC into its next evolution.
August 21, 2018
As humans, we feel a strong desire to be part of the pack. We compare ourselves to others in order to determine our own worth. We rationalize irrational ideas and notions.
August 21, 2018
The ACA is alive and well, despite renewed legal challenges and the elimination of the individual mandate beginning next year. Here are four things about the ACA that employers should focus on now to avoid significant financial liabilities.
August 20, 2018
As benefits administration providers vie for market share and brokers continue to make the move online to meet employer demand, these trends will continue to affect the benefits industry throughout the rest of the year and into 2019.
August 17, 2018
Many businesses neglect not only the importance of primary care benefits, but also the creative solutions that can give their workers a better experience while saving the company money.
August 17, 2018
The purchase of medical goods and services by employer health plans resembles no other business transaction in American commerce.
August 15, 2018
If the past is at all telling, further consolidation in the health care industry may portend serious issues regarding health care costs and the quality of health care in the future.
August 14, 2018
As our population ages and medicine gets better, we are dealing with more chronic disease than ever before — and it is a huge cost driver in overall medical spend.
August 13, 2018
To be successful, an employer must implement wellness programs by first developing a concrete strategy to drive and track employee engagement.
August 09, 2018
Insurance professionals considering establishing CSR programs should know what the data has to say about CSR’s significance to consumers.
August 09, 2018
In my first article in this series, “Direct Primary Care 101,” I outlined the basic structure of the direct primary care (DPC) model. In this article, I’ll explain the benefit DPC provides to employers.
August 08, 2018
Kassi O'Brien has a knack for numbers thanks to her unique career background.
August 06, 2018
Here are the five most important questions you and your clients should be asking ahead of renewal:
August 06, 2018
Here are three steps brokers can take now to improve sales, grow the pipeline and win new business before the fourth quarter.
August 06, 2018
In the 40s, we hired hands. In the 80s, we hired hearts and minds. Today, we hire every bit of every employee — and that includes issues they deal…
August 01, 2018
Over the years, I’ve noticed the important role that books play in the lives and careers of so many benefits professionals I speak with.
August 01, 2018
T.J. Morrison believes that the huge interest in self-funded plans requires that they be designed and operated differently than in years past.
July 31, 2018
When an employer is faced with a high penalty, they might look to their brokers to assist with not only the official IRS response, but in some extreme cases, the financial burden as well.
July 27, 2018
To protect confidential information in these times of frequent cyberattacks, companies are investing more time and resources into making sure they…
July 25, 2018
When brokers, benefits consultants and retirement advisors are armed with information about the financial challenges of advanced illness and how payers are implementing effective solutions, they can better serve their clients.
July 24, 2018
With 23 percent of the U.S. population using three or more prescription drugs, it is amazing that many physicians are still essentially guessing which…
July 23, 2018
One of the benefits of moving from old-fashioned “wellness” programs to today’s well-being initiatives is the opportunity to include and address more of the issues employees are dealing with.
July 19, 2018
Innovative new solutions mean consumers are incentivized to lead healthier lives.
July 17, 2018
Here are the five fundamental questions of pharmacy contracting your client should be able to answer when purchasing PBM services.
July 13, 2018
Most 1099 contractors mistakenly believe they are beholden to one insurance carrier for enhanced benefit enrollment services.
July 12, 2018
With many Americans living paycheck-to-paycheck, U.S. employees have a significant need for financial protection products to secure their income…
July 12, 2018
Even if you don’t plan to make short-term plans a core component of your strategy, you can prepare now to give good advice to key clients with whom you have an important relationship.
July 11, 2018
Derek Rine started his career disrupting the broker industry, and to him, today's innovative strategies are second nature.
July 11, 2018
New and innovative models of care delivery and payment models are being incorporated into health plans.
July 09, 2018
Brokers who capitalize on the employee experience trend will ultimately retain their book of business.
July 09, 2018
Help your clients marry up this important voluntary protection with their employee medical plan.
July 03, 2018
Many older practitioners are aging out of the business with no succession plans. Dawn McFarland, President of M&M Benefit Solutions has started one of the few intern and mentorship programs in the business. Now, she wants to scale it.
July 02, 2018
Democrats' and Republicans' argument over the high health care costs rages on; who will be left with the blame this time?
July 02, 2018
HSAs give employees a way to pay for current and future medical expenses, and every dollar they save in their HSA saves your clients money on payroll taxes.
June 29, 2018
In this article, I’m sharing our team’s top seven takeaways from this year’s NAHU convention.
June 27, 2018
A federal district court in Texas has dismissed state law claims brought by a former professional hockey player seeking disability benefits.
June 26, 2018
Scott Schoenvogel, CEO at Compass Professional Health Services, believes that healthcare navigation programs that account for benefits, consumer decision making and clinical decision points is the way through.
June 26, 2018
The output of predictive analytic models should be the inputs to informed conversations.
June 25, 2018
The discussion at this year's meeting focused on affordability solutions and the changing role of brokers.
June 22, 2018
Medicare Advantage members continue to be highly satisfied overall, but believe the plans still have significant room for improvement, according to the J.D. Power 2018 Medicare Advantage Study.
June 22, 2018
Dr. Atul Gawande, the surgeon named to head the company formed in an effort to cut employee health care costs, recently spoke at the annual meeting of America’s Health Insurance Plans.
June 22, 2018
Hoping to inspire you all by rounding out the first half of the year with some incredible stories from some of my new and “old” friends.
June 22, 2018
Fed up with state and local laws that require private employers to offer paid sick days, the airlines and railroads have filed suit, claiming that the interstate nature of their businesses should make them exempt.
June 21, 2018
President Donald Trump proposed a reorganization of the federal government, aiming to combine the Education and Labor Departments and shift control of U.S. food aid programs away from the Agriculture Department.
June 21, 2018
The groups that help people sign up for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act are left wondering when or if they will get funding from the federal government to continue their work this year.
June 21, 2018
Implementing telehealth services into plan benefits can not only give employees a more convenient health care option, but also provide a boost for your client’s business.
June 20, 2018
Employers are adjusting strategies to keep up with financial concerns and shifting demographics, according to Optum’s ninth annual “Wellness in the Workplace study.”
June 19, 2018
We have been talking about consumers in health care since the turn of the century, but real health care consumers — in the true sense of the word —…
June 18, 2018
As HR professionals at small and medium-sized businesses continue to focus on employee productivity and make decisions based on performance metrics,…
June 18, 2018
The physician shortage has prompted a growing number of brokers, employers and HR professionals to take a serious look at telehealth, the remote delivery of health care services and clinical information using the internet, wireless, satellite and telephone media.
June 15, 2018
While employers are still concerned about the bottom line, their focus has broadened to include the overall health and well-being of employees and their families.
June 13, 2018
Below are a few of my favorite strategies to bridge the age gap and maintain strong relationships, no matter the client’s generation.
June 12, 2018
For employers and brokers trying to determine how to decrease pharmacy costs for their organization and clients, here are three distinct components to consider.
June 12, 2018
In today’s fast-paced and rapidly growing self-funding world, a TPA has to be flexible, nimble and multi-faceted.
June 11, 2018
Given the positive impact that preventive care can have on oral and eye health, brokers and consultants should encourage employers to consider the following steps.
June 08, 2018
The millennial generation — which generally refers to individuals born between 1980-1996 — continues to fascinate businesses. Millennials are now the…
June 06, 2018
In his BenefitsPRO Broker Expo presentation, voluntary expert Eric Silverman outlines what advisers need to do to move beyond a status-quo enhanced benefits strategy.
June 05, 2018
Jim Polsfut, CEO and Chairman of North American Specialty Hospital, helps us understand changes in travel for treatment — a benefit that is advantageous to both employer and employee.
June 04, 2018
There's a lot of challenges for brokers in today's world, but Nolan Waterfall is ready to tackle them head-on.
From Unum
Ensuring compliance with FMLA guidelines is not always easy, but this handbook can help.
From ArmadaCare
It can be difficult to find solutions to today’s healthcare hardships, but you do have options. Learn a better way to offer clients and their employees real protection.
From Artex Risk Solutions
As companies struggle with increasing healthcare costs, medical stop-loss captives can be another useful option in your toolkit to help lure in new clients and grow your book of business.
From The EX Program
It often takes more than just an incentive to get your employees to stop smoking for good. Understand an enhanced approach that produces better results.
From Artex Risk Solutions
Develop a better grasp on an alternative solution for clients looking to control soaring health costs and show your true value.
From Assurity Life Insurance Company
You know how this industry works, but your clients may not. Remove these 10 terms from your vocabulary to reassure clients.
From BCS
Don’t let your clients overlook the true damage a hospital stay can inflict on their employees and business. Offer a solution that can provide peace of mind.
From ArmadaCare
The sweet spot is the point when everything combines to give you the best result. Discover how you can achieve this for your clients’ employee benefits offerings.
From ArmadaCare
Help your clients tackle the myths and misconceptions surrounding supplemental health insurance.
From Assurity Life Insurance Company
Learning how to bring up voluntary benefits with clients the right way can open the door for many new opportunities.
From The EX Program
Discover how the right online community can power behavior change in your workforce, leading to better overall health.
From ArmadaCare
Get a crash course and find the terms you need along with the background on why you need them. With more knowledge, you can help clients find the right type of solutions to meet their needs.
From ArmadaCare
Common gap plans aren’t the only gap-filling solutions. There’s a more powerful option. See a side-by-side comparison.
From The EX Program
Not all digital health solutions are a slam dunk. Discover how to effectively engage employees, especially those looking to stop using tobacco.
From Assurity Life Insurance Company
You may not be looking for a new partner right now, but you can use this checklist to ensure you’re with the right partner.
From The EX Program
Find out why digital tobacco cessation programs have a huge upside for your organization, employees, and bottom line.
From ArmadaCare
Understand how executive medical reimbursement plans are still possible and powerful in a post-ACA landscape.
From ArmadaCare
Get key facts about the true cost of trying to curb health benefit costs - it’s more than meets the eye.
From Assurity Life Insurance Company
Find out how to use social media as an effective professional tool to promote yourself and your business.
From Assurity Life Insurance Company
Don’t be left behind if you’re unfamiliar with modern networking know-how and social media best practices. Get better networking skills now!
From ArmadaCare
A broker’s day is never boring, but there are steps you can take to make it easier.
From ArmadaCare
It is difficult to help your clients overcome both rising benefits costs and the hidden costs of recruiting and retaining talent. Discover solutions now.
From Assurity Life Insurance Company
Help your clients and their employees understand the difference critical illness insurance can make when these types of illnesses happen.
From Assurity Life Insurance Company
Help clients understand how offering their employees voluntary options enriches their organization and brings in better talent.
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Copyright © 2018 ALM Media Properties, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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