Some benefits on plans should be eliminated or enhanced to give more value to employees and stakeholders. By having them on your plan, they are subject to abuse. It is not necessarily your employees’ fault, and the practitioners are all too willing to take your benefit dollar as far as it can go. Since benefit renewals are all based on … Read More
Why is it Good to be Disruptive in the Employee Benefits Industry?
By definition, Disruptive means “causing or tending to cause disruption”, but in business, it generally refers to “innovative or groundbreaking”. My 15-year son being disruptive in his classroom is not encouraged, but it takes guts to be a trailblazer in the business world. Also, if you’re successful, then the masses will follow. Who Said a Tiger Can’t Change Its Stripes? … Read More
Is It About Time To Modernize Your Employee Benefits Plan?
Employee Benefit Plans of the Future A lot has changed in how a company goes about setting up its employee benefit plan. The costs, risks and potential consequences reign immensely on a company to attract and retain great employees and be deemed an employer of choice. Strictly setting up an insured benefit plan is not the only solution as it … Read More
Why Marketing Your Group Benefits Plan Every Couple of Years is a Bad Idea
The traditional approach taken by most benefits consultants is to take your benefit plan out to the insurance marketplace for pricing. This, however, is a short term solution and not a sustainable practice. This is at best, a knee-jerk response to costs that are climbing out of control and doesn’t address the real issue of getting claims in hand. It also … Read More
10 Employee Benefit Plan Tips That Keep Employees and Employers Happy
10 Employee Benefit Plan Tips Usually, there is a disconnect between employers and employees as it relates to employee benefit plans. Employees want a comprehensive plan and employers need to be watchful of the bottom line. Pleasing both parties is not always easy to achieve. Here are 10 Employee Benefit Plan Tips that if incorporated into your plan, will satisfy … Read More
Want to Learn About the 9 Biggest Mistakes Made on Benefit Plans?
If you think the benefits industry is child’s play, you’re mistaken. I’ve listened to a number of benefits brokers “pitches” and if I find their approach confusing then chances are you will too! It’s not difficult to see that the biggest mistakes made on benefit plans are due to misinformation and the self-serving needs of the benefits consultant. Get … Read More
5 Questions Every Business Owner Needs To Ask When Selecting an Employee Benefit Company
If you’ve been tasked to investigate setting up a new employee benefit plan for your company, you will be overwhelmed by options. The process can be daunting, and the consequences can be dire. Most benefit consultants will push you towards an Insured plan, but you have options. There are many more questions to ask when implementing a benefit plan, but … Read More
How will Educating Employees on Benefit Plans Create a More Sustainable Plan?
Educating employees on benefit plans means more than just explaining what their plan includes and how to make a claim. So how will educating employees on benefit plans create a more sustainable plan? Many of my clients know how much I emphasize this point with their plan sponsors. It probably is the single most important detail in ensuring that a plan … Read More
How do Government Programs and Private Benefit Plans Integrate?
Revised November 2021 Do government programs and private benefit plans integrate? In short, the answer is yes. However, depending upon the program, “do I qualify?” may be the bigger question. Many of my clients ask me this question, and there is not a straightforward answer. There are many programs available through various levels of government, but for the sake of time … Read More