Employee Benefit Adviser articles from September 2005

Employee Benefit Adviser archives from September 2005

Questioning your essence.(Editorial)
September 1, 2005... "Essential." That's an interesting word. It derives from "essence," which means "core," "soul," "heart." Other synonyms include "concentration" and "distillation." Now, think about this question: What do you need to do to be...

Insurers turn the tables on banking.
September 1, 2005... Since 2000, when the Gramm-Leach-Bliley bill made it possible for banks to enter the insurance business, the selling world has seen an invasion of financial institutions, such as Wachovia and BB&T, who have bought insurance agencies or created...

Advisers build businesses with due diligence.
September 1, 2005... Government officials now expect 401(k) plan sponsors to conduct periodic due-diligence reviews. The problem is, most sponsors do not have the in-house skills to do so. Advisers, though, can expand service offerings to current clients and open...

Breaking a broker's heart: Blurring roles force employers to re-examine adviser relationships.
September 1, 2005... The arc of the traditional broker-employer relationship continues to change. As banks get into insurance, and insurers get into banking, and outsourcers say they can broker and brokers say they can outsource, the underlying question remains the...

Avoiding a train wreck: Enterprise risk management gives advisers the vision they need to smooth their clients' benefit tracks.
September 1, 2005... The benefits of enterprise risk management are becoming clearer every day. What was only a few years ago an avant-garde concept - taking into account the effects of every business decision on your risk profile - quickly is gaining stature. ...

Dangling a carrot: Advisers offer reasons for employers to give money back.
September 1, 2005... Employers and advisers still have not found exactly the right formula for convincing employees to take better care of themselves and conserve their health care dollars. However, it appears some are getting closer to that goal. Experts have...

Background noisemaker: Congressman Ben Cardin isn't a shouting head on the evening news, but he comes in loud and clear on the need for aggressive steps to boost retirement savings and make health coverage more affordable.
September 1, 2005... U.S. Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.) has a relatively low profile for a politician who has spent almost 20 years on Capitol Hill. You probably will not see him arguing about his views on the Iraqi war on CNN or Fox News. However, he has...

Benefit managers, HR directors walk a tightrope between supply and demand.
September 1, 2005... Benefit managers and HR directors are trying to negotiate - some successfully, some not - a very fine line between what their employees want and what they can provide. As pointed out by the benefit professionals who participated in two...

Info Sources.(Employee benefits management services)(Directory)
September 1, 2005... As a service to readers, EBA furnishes the names, location and telephone numbers of organizations whose products and services are highlighted in each issue. Page numbers identify where organizations are mentioned. 401kExchange, Lake Worth,...

Benefits Marketing Association inducts latest class into hall of fame.
September 1, 2005... A foursome of worksite marketing mavens recently was recognized for their achievements with their acceptance into their industry's hall of fame. The 2005 class of inductees to the Benefits Marketing Association's six-year-old...

Keys to finding high-quality prospects.
September 1, 2005... Prospecting is, without question, the biggest issue facing any salesperson. For many group health brokers, prospecting consists of simply accumulating renewal dates and then quoting as many new accounts as possible. Most brokers tell me they...

Brokers are open to United's second shot at California.
September 1, 2005... With its purchase of PacifiCare Health Systems, the Minneapolis, Minn.-based health care behemoth UnitedHealth Group intends to redeem itself for its lackluster move into the California market a little less than a decade ago. Advisers are open...

Moving the Needle.(UnitedHealth Group Inc. acquires PacifiCare)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Comments by Rob MacKethan, principal and founder of Agency Advisors, a provider of capital and advice to independent agencies. Mr. MacKethan can be reached at rmackethan@agencyadvisors.net or 415/750-0900. United is making a bold move to...

Dealmakers.(Mergers and acquistions)
September 1, 2005... * CIGNA HealthCare will acquire Choicelinx, a privately held, consumer-focused benefits technology and services company. Choicelinx, based in Manchester, N.H., specializes in developing proprietary, Internet-based technology services for health...

E-newsletter.(employee benefits)
September 1, 2005... 401(k) balances reach highest levels since 1999 Average 401(k) balances have hit their highest levels in six years and participation rates have finally stopped declining, according to a recent analysis by Fidelity Investments. ...

Indecent disclosure.(Long term care insurance)
September 1, 2005... Working-age people buy long-term care insurance for a need that is typically 30 to 40 years in the future. To help policy benefits meet the rising cost of care, carriers offer several different types of inflation protection. Unfortunately,...