Benefits Think

Everyone appreciates a little recognition for their professionalism, their dedication to their work and to their employees … and the world of benefits decision-makers is no different. It’s once again time to take a moment and see if this is the year you – or one of your colleagues – might be the right pick for our annual Benny Awards.

Commentary: Brokers are not endorsed or mentioned in many health reform communications by the Feds, says EBA Advisory Board member Trisha Zulic. Her suggestion for change is to create a stronger, more unified benefits industry voice.

How does your investment fund line-up compare to the market? Do you have too many investment options or too few? Regular blogger Robert C. Lawton outlines some best practices with regard to investment menus.

Commentary: With too many choices, the net result is that participants make poorer choices, or simply make no choice, writes blogger Aaron Friedman about one particular retirement vehicle.

Benefits administration technology will never replace human interactions, such as the one-on-one new hire orientation, or open enrollment meetings, but the right kind of platform can be an effective tool to reinforce benefits messaging, help employees make smarter decisions, and communicate the overall value of your benefit programs.

Commentary: Clients with fewer than 50 employees face skyrocketing premium rates this year and next. Columnist Nelson Griswold has a solution.

Many wellness models are based on mythology. Myths like all plans should have disease management, or everyone needs to work on heart disease prevention. How to get past the noise and on to effective interventions? Look closely at your own group – its people, its illnesses, and its work environment.

Commentary: Columnist Mel Schlesinger contends that most brokers aren't actually selling the non-medical insurance products that could help clients and their employees. Simply including them in a proposal is not enough, he says.

Commentary: Columnist Craig Davidson questions whether this was a true resignation or was she a "sacrificial lamb?"

Commentary: Sebelius was in an “unwinnable position," according to the former head of sales and marketing at Covered California, Michael Lujan. The former insurance agent writes that more engagement with the benefits industry would have behooved the troubled health secretary.