Banco Popular de Puerto Rico

The more competitive a health insurance marketplace is, the more diverse options an adviser has to offer clients — and the more room there is for negotiations with carriers. EBA, in partnership with business intelligence data analytics firm miEdge, reveals in ascending order the most competitive states based on carrier diversity.

The competitiveness of a health insurance marketplace has a direct impact on an adviser's job — affecting everything from the type and amount of plans he or she can offer clients to the adviser's ability to negotiate effectively. EBA, in partnership with business intelligence data analytics firm miEdge, reveals in descending order the least competitive states based on carrier domination.

It’s never too late for a broker to add another selling tool to their arsenal, and handwritten thank you notes can help increase the number of appointments, which can lead to more sales. Here’s what EBA readers had to say on this tactic, as well as other reactions to this week’s news.

Large and small brokerages show some key differences in technology use and spending plans, according to EBA’s second annual technology survey, but most all are holding steady on tech investments.

From the use of minimum essential coverage plans to the CO-OP model to the Cadillac tax, EBA readers share their views on a variety of topics that were in the news this week.

Multinational organizations are all competing for top-notch employees, and benefit packages are one way for companies to attract and retain talent. Here are the top five benefits offered globally, according to new research from Thomsons Online Benefits.

When considering whether or not to implement a new technology, brokers should always weigh the pros and cons of that decision. Prior to deciding to leverage a benefits marketplace platform, here are nine questions brokers should ask themselves, according to Mike Baker, senior vice president and general manager of commercial products at hCentive.

The employer excise tax on high-cost health plans, commonly called the Cadillac tax, is set to take effect in 2018. That may seem three years away, but in reality, employers have one year left to implement changes. Since plan offerings for 2016 are pretty well cemented now for most large employers, and with the 2017 planning season right around the corner, now is the time for employers to execute on strategies to avoid the tax, says Don Garlitz, senior vice president, bswift. So what changes are employers likely to consider?

Almost all employers are experiencing rising costs and pressure to move to higher deductible health plans. Wanting another route, Envision Healthcare undertook an eight-month process to decide which private benefit exchange was right for them. Don King, Envision’s VP of compliance and benefits, shared questions all employers should consider when deciding to move to an exchange at EBA’s Workplace Benefits Summit in Orlando.

While private exchanges are no longer new, they are still in their infancy, and have not seen the adoption rate that many predicted. One reason for the low implementation rate may be the many questions that remain unanswered, says Dan Gowen, senior vice president and an employee benefits national practice leader for Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA, Inc. Here are the top five questions employers are asking: