Employee Benefit Adviser articles from December 2007

Employee Benefit Adviser archives from December 2007

The tar approaches.
December 1, 2007... I got some mildly bad news from our pediatrician recently. It's one of those areas where it may have been avoidable, so of course I'm looking for someone to blame. The doctor is an easy target. As EMRs have built momentum, I am reminded...

Niche marketing allows advisers to build habitat for business success.
December 1, 2007... At a recent seminar on marketing and branding, I began to reflect on our journey to distill and reinforce our brand identity. Over the many years that we have worked on this, the most significant progress was the decision to specialize in a...

Between a rock and a Head's place: Russell Head's experience with people in white coats shows why the answers to many adviser questions about consumer-driven health are both further away and nearer than they appear.
December 1, 2007... Benefit brokers know why employer interest in consumer-driven health remains tepid. The plans cost too much. Why risk losing workers and scaring the ones you keep for a few points on next year's renewal? The answer for many employers is...

CDH Roadshow takes temperature of benefit adviser market.
December 1, 2007... For the past four years, the Principal Financial Group's Jerry Ripperger has loaded the proverbial van and made his way north, south, east and west, talking about the need for a long-term perspective on health care and how today's raft of...

Whoever coined the phrase the more things change the more they stay the same.(Interview)
December 1, 2007... As Employee Benefit Adviser took a look at the benefit trends of 2007 and spoke with experts about predictions for 2008, one thing was clear: one year just isn't enough time to see how the landscape has changed. But taking a step back and...

Bad medicine: Feds, insurers refusing to pay for medical never events'.
December 1, 2007... Some insurers and the federal government are refusing to pay for treatments related to serious medical errors. This is a fairly new approach, sparked by rising health care costs and movements promoting evidence-based medicine and transparency...

Health advocacy market swells, offering advisers host of options for employers.
December 1, 2007... Over the last seven years the eponymous Health Advocate has become a dominant force in the burgeoning field of businesses offering consumers assistance when navigating the complex, nay Byzantine, health care matrix. The company services more...

Sophisticated health planning.
December 1, 2007... While Health Advocate may be the populist choice for small, medium and very large employer-based services, PinnacleCare appears to be a leader at the other, much more exclusive end of the market. Its service offering may resonate with those...

Guardian zigs where Humana zags with its new multi-year medical product: No early termination fee or data requirements are two of the differences that distinguish Guardian's product, according to the carrier.
December 1, 2007... It didn't take long for another carrier to follow Humana's lead and introduce a multi-year medical program for small employers. Guardian's new Premium Protect program offers employers with between 51 and 150 workers a guarantee that second...

Broker hopes to reach new markets during stint atop ISCEBS leadership.
December 1, 2007... Maybe 2008 is the year you add some letters to your signature line. Getting a graduate degree or otherwise pursuing education is a perennial New Year's resolution. For many in the employee benefits industry that means tackling the CEBS, or...

Employers are underserved when it comes to executive carve out LTC.
December 1, 2007... Any adviser would love to walk into to a meeting with a CEO and promise to save them money and protect their retirement income - but how many can promise three, four, even five million in savings and protection? Experts say if you're selling...

Benefit adviser brethren network online to raise their profile among potential clients.
December 1, 2007... The popularity of online communities is seeping into the financial industry, and now Reuters is taking advantage of the trend. At the end of September, Reuters launched an online community Web site for financial advisers called AdvicePoint....

Retirement debit cards sound like a nightmare, but have some benefits.
December 1, 2007... Many believe the idea of making it easier for retirement plan participants to borrow against their savings is borderline reprehensible given anemic employee savings. Yet experts also know that most plans not only make loans possible, but...

New rules clarify acceptable default investments for automatic enrollment.
December 1, 2007... Automatic 401(k) enrollment just got easier for advisers and employers. Employees are expected to reap the benefits in their retirement savings as well. The Department of Labor released its final rule on default investment options in October,...

Choosing target-date funds.(Deparment of labor)
December 1, 2007... The new DOL guidelines create significant opportunities as well as challenges for retirement plan sponsors and advisers who want to use QDIAs for retirement plan participants. The target-date funds, balanced funds and managed accounts will lead...

Group benefits tipping point could help advisers satisfy clients.
December 1, 2007... The United States has about 44,500 independent insurance brokers. Selling in this crowded market has become quite a challenge. Today's technology-laden world requires sellers to adopt new strategies to excel. In my work, I have learned and...

Striking a balance between high-tech and high-touch enrollment.
December 1, 2007... Open-enrollment season can be a scary time for many employees - they associate it with new health insurance carriers, new doctors and less money in their paychecks. Many employees are alerted to open enrollment by a simple email. "In...

Personal finance stalwart aims to boost LTC profile with help of major carrier.
December 1, 2007... The publishing company that produces Kiplinger's Personal Finance recently introduced a long-term care insurance benefit for their writers and other employees. They also just recently shot and produced a 22-minute video explaining the coverage...

Year's end offers opportunities to take stock and prepare for what lies ahead.(Report)
December 1, 2007... As we approach the end of 2007, it is appropriate to reflect upon all the topics that we have covered in this column throughout the year and summarize the information that has been conveyed. We've covered a wide range of issues regarding...

The breaking point: What causes employers to drop their brokers?
December 1, 2007... If you have been dumped by a client, don't fall for the "it's not you, it's me" line. The problem is always you. Learning from past deal-breakers is an essential exercise for advisers who seek to better manage their book of business. ...

Benefit firms recognize they too can seize neighboring business territory: High net worth planners have long known they could tap employee benefits revenue if they so chose, now employee benefits firms are realizing the reverse works as well.
December 1, 2007... The financial services business used to be simple. If you wanted employee benefits programs you went to an employee benefits specialist. If you wanted stocks or mutual funds you went to a stockbroker. If you wanted insurance you went to an...