Employee Benefit Adviser articles from May 2009

Employee Benefit Adviser archives from May 2009

The heat is on.(health reform)(Editorial)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Robert Whiddon, Editor-In-Chief It's on the street: Newly named White House health reform czar has it out for health brokers. That's what it sounds like, anyway. Nancy-Ann DeParle seems to think one of the principal advantages...

Going global really is not that hard; Many executives will adopt a global perspective as they struggle even harder to control costs and manage their businesses. Advisers must be ready to join that conversation.(Health)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Elizabeth Galentine Joking with her marketing department one day, Jenn Walsh of San Francisco-based Woodruff-Sawyer & Co., suggested the company give out little stuffed ostriches to promote their international benefits...

Study questions benefits of care coordination.(Health)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Robert L. Whiddon Researchers have come to the conclusion that coordinating medical care really doesn't save a lot of money. In fact, for the programs to just break-even is a stretch, though the best ones manage that and also...

Experts wonder if budget hints at mandatory retirement plan offerings; As health care makes headlines, retirement proposals in the President's budget advancing big changes for employers go largely unnoticed.(Retirement)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Elizabeth Galentine While the spotlight shines on the $634 billion allocated for health care reform in President Barack Obama's 2010 budget proposal, his plans for changes to the way America saves for retirement have been largely...

Find out what is working before going into what needs to be fixed.(retirement)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Fred Barstein When deciding to become a retirement adviser, it is essential to understand the exact role that your plan sponsor client should expect from you. Whether approaching current clients or prospects, if they are not...

Could your employees be corporate thieves? Tough Times Mean a greater risk of a data breach for employers and their workers. Here's the business case for why both need greater ID theft protection.(Voluntary)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Kathleen Koster Individual and corporate need for ID theft protection is only likely to increase, experts agree, as the economy continues to stress American workers. In 2008, 9.9 million cases of identity theft were reported,...

Congress is out of your control, but your business is not, at least it shouldn't be; Health care reform might happen, and soon. That's out of your control. Good thing too, because you've got dozens of things within your control to work on.(Your Business)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Jack Kwicien It seems that 2009 is just racing by as the second quarter's results will soon be reflected in your financial reports, and many of us are looking forward to our summer vacation plans. I sincerely hope that this year...

The business case for leadership and engagement during challenging times.(Your Business)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Rob Nielsen This is not about making your employees feel warm and fuzzy, it's about the survival of your business, and the survival of your clients' businesses. One of the first things I urge advisers to ask at the outset of...

Benefit advisers insist they are essential, but not everyone agrees; Most employee benefit brokers and advisers insist they are more essential today than in the recent past. Still, others question the value of the proverbial 'middle man.'.(Your Business)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Robert L. Whiddon As employers and individual workers across the country scour their books for savings, the benefit community's ranks of brokers, advisers and consultants maintain their essential status in the elaborate system to...

'The hottest ticket in town'; The White House pu ton a grand health care forum to kick off reform initiatives, but will the show lead to substance?(Movers & Shakers)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Elizabeth Galentine With much glad handing and enthusiastic rounds of applause, President Barack Obama's March White House forum on health care reform concluded with a general air of optimism. But are things really different this...

Like they say, 'never waste a good crisis '; We're not being glib. Many advisers are rearranging the crisis letters so they spell opportunity. Here's a few quick thoughts on how you can do the same.(Sales Call)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Mel Schlesinger One of the quotes that we keep hearing repeatedly during this economic crisis is "never let any crisis be wasted." This is especially true for the employee benefits professional. There are so many ways that you...

Are well-being scores really possible?(Sound off)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Michelle McMullen Last month's issue was a great one for looking ahead. Our industry is adapting fast to client needs, but we need to make sure we don't lose sight of our vision amidst the flurry of ideas. I see conflicting trends...

All aboard the blogging bandwagon; Blogs are an unabashed platform for targeted promotion opportunities aimed directly at your audience - what's stopping you from jumping on board?(Sales Call)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Elizabeth Galentine Blogs are just a bunch of people spouting off about nothing. Interesting for a procrastinating college student maybe, but certainly not for business purposes. That's what Steven Parmelee thought - until a client...

Used benefits are valued benefits.(Sales Call)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Jennifer Benz With the economy restricting salary increases and sometimes forcing decreases, companies want employees to focus on "the rest" of what they offer. Benefits are at the top of that list, of course, and employees...

Curses and blessings: Many advisers still struggle with online enrollment.(Tips On Technology)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Craig Davidson Online benefits enrollment is one of those products that everyone loves to talk about, but few buy. It has caught on with larger employers on the coasts, but middle-American employers are decidedly more skeptical...

COBRA haste wastes resources.(Be Advised)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Peter Marathas Haste makes waste. Something done quickly usually ends up costing more time, more money, more resources than if time were taken to do it correctly. Case in point: the COBRA subsidy provisions of the American...

The age of Reasen; A reluctant addition to the ranks, Rod Reason is establishing himself as a prototype for the next generation of benefit advisers-challenging conventions and questioning traditions at every turn.(Cover story)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Robert L. Whiddon As the 17th century dawned across the globe, thought leaders throughout the world began to rethink long-held beliefs and question the conventional wisdom of their spiritual and political leaders. Sometimes called...

New face of dental benefits; Providers are mixing new and different elements in today's dental plans creating sales opportunities for brokers.(Feature)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Lynn Gresham, illustrator tom cocotos Think dental benefits are simple and straightforward? Think again. Demand for dental coverage is increasing, and providers are responding with a new generation of plan designs that are...

Bloggin'; If it's on benefits, it's on our blog.(On The Web)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Editorial Staff Visit benefitsexplained.blogspot.com and watch as we talk to brokers and advisers, policy experts and Washington insiders about the latest information affecting the industry. Get an employer's perspective on...

Raw Bar's Best Bytes.(On The Web)(briefs)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Editorial Staff Don't let employers tell you they can't afford a wellness program. They can't afford not to have one, says Nationwide Better Health's Dr. Neil Gordon. When done right, they reduce expenses and increase...

What's working in wellness?(E-learning)(Survey)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Editorial Staff That's the question we put to a panel of experts - which included John Kahle and Beth Taylor from Intercare Insurance Solutions and Matt Wheeler from Holmes Murphy - and a couple hundred of EBA's regular readers...

What advisers are reading.(E-learning)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Editorial Staff Here's a run down of what's getting the most clicks at eba.benefitnews.com. Don't fall behind, make sure to go there yourself and keep up with your competitive set. 1. New COBRA model notices released 2....

Birds of a feather.(By The Numbers)(long term care insurance)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... Baby boomers flock to long-term care insurance. Welcome to the newest addition to the EBA family, which we've dubbed "By the Numbers." Here you'll find a sampling of the statistics, data points and other factoids that serve as guideposts...

Question of the Month.(By The Numbers)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Editorial Staff Each month, EBA will pose a question related to the data/topic presented on each issue's By the Numbers page. This month, we want to know: Given the current state of the economy, does LTC insurance provide...

Considering the exit ramp: Employers rethink offering health benefits; Most employers plan to keep offering health benefits, but surveys show a growing number are rethinking the issue as the economy continues to sour.(Health)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Lydell C. Bridgeford Talk of employers dropping health benefits because of the cost usually serves as background noise to an earnest conversation on health care reform. The recession, however, has made those murmurs louder. In...