Practice management

Dependent eligibility audits could mean big cost savings for your clients, also have the potential for big disruptions.

I fell in love with risk management and insurance. How many people can genuinely say this? In fact, I often hear, "You are majoring in what?" As I meet people within the insurance industry and ask them how they got into the business, the common answer is usually, "my father-in-law (neighbor, cousin, etc.) was in the business and convinced me to try it out."

When we take a look at our industry and the landscape ahead, one can wonder who might be better equipped to handle the rigors of a rapidly changing industry: the seasoned, been-around-the-block adviser or the young and energetic newcomer who is ready to impart fresh ideas. Clearly, a younger person's thought process can be very different than a seasoned employee or adviser. This has its advantages and disadvantages. And it raises the question of how a younger adviser could help or hinder our industry.

Spring is a time of new growth. The buds on trees start to appear, dormant flowers launch their annual makeover, and the grass begins its transition to a beautiful shade of deep green. If only growth in your business was as easy as waiting for warmer weather.

In 2012, banks sold $1.6 billion in life insurance premium, the second-highest annual production level in the history of the bank channel. The banks’ record year was 2010, when the channel sold $1.8 billion in life insurance.

This week we’ll look at some important PPACA milestones on its third anniversary, why health care stocks are at a 15-year high and what MetLife’s CEO has to say about taxes.

The Federal Reserve should pay more attention to the harm inflicted on savers by record-low interest rates, says Steven Kandarian, the chairman and chief executive officer of MetLife Inc., the largest U.S. life insurer.

Health care stocks are leading gains in U.S. equities this year for the first time since 1998 as companies cut costs and investors speculate an expansion of insurance programs will benefit hospitals and insurers.

New legislation was issued last night in the Senate that would remove broker compensation from the MLR calculation.

Don’t get frustrated if your Twitter feed isn’t an instant hit.

Growth strategies aimed at baby boomers may be losing their effectiveness among younger consumers, as the population becomes more racially and ethnically diverse, according to “Life-Annuity Consumer Markets Annual,” from Conning and Company, an insurance asset management group.

A Senate hearing yesterday discussed a bill that creates a non-profit, national organization that would simplify the licensing process for brokers conducting business outside of their state of residence.

Gen. McChrystal talked at MetLife’s National Benefits Symposium on Monday in Washington, divulging lessons learned from the experience that forced his resignation as commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

When small business owners become successful, they become a magnet for questionable deals and speculative investments. So says Bethesda, Md., planner Jeff Leventhal, who has developed a specialized practice serving entrepreneurs.

Despite the progress made through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on health care access, there are challenges to come from health reform, said Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wisc.) Thursday at the AHIP National Policy Forum in Washington.

This week we’ll look at the potential for Medicaid to impact employers, the latest from AHIP on opposition to MLR regulations and a slideshow recap of ASPPA’s 401(k) Summit.

Kids are no strangers to accidents. No matter how it happens or where students are hurt on school property, schools are liable for the cost of student injuries and need to be prepared for these sometimes devastating expenses. This presents an opening for brokers, says EBA blogger Sam Fleet.

Most brokers who plan to stay in the industry in 2014 are learning to embrace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. But as two health policy minds from opposite sides of the political spectrum discussed Wednesday at America’s Health Insurance Plans conference in Washington, unknown effects of PPACA and rising costs of health care should still be on the minds of carriers and brokers alike.

The insurance industry is not very prepared for climate change, according to “Insurer Climate Risk Disclosure Survey: 2012 Findings & recommendations,” from the Ceres Coalition.

Two employers shared how they’ve gotten creative with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act at Thursday’s National Business Group on Health conference in Washington. One chose to move to a new consumer-driven health plan and the other chose a private exchange through Aon Hewitt.