Practice management

One of the most troubling areas that brokers and agents hear from clients is how to address the growing incidences of obesity and diabetes. But the answer is as complex as the problem, says EBA Contributor Susan Rider.

During an at times confrontational second debate between President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney, health care and the landmark health care reform bill were, surprisingly, not a focus, and when the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act did come up, it was primarily used as an attack vehicle.

As leaders in the industry and the steward of the 2nd largest expense for clients (benefits), your role is to be the strategic adviser to clients. In the absence of clarity, paralysis often sets in and without forward progress businesses don’t last long.

Variety is the name of the game when selling benefits in the public sector small employer market, Minnesota Life research indicates.

Most insurance and benefits agencies have no formal marketing plan, but it is time to get serious, says BeAdvised Contributor Wendy Keneipp, and here is how to execute your new marketing plan.

In Mississippi, where one in five people lack health insurance, two Republican elected officials are fighting over the best way to resist President Obama’s health-care overhaul, with one official implementing exchanges and the governor ordering him to stop.

What can brokers learn from their HR counterparts? Read as a benefits manager shares what she has learned from reviewing results of disease management, wellness, and claim savings reports.

Many employers already deploy surveys to monitor employee engagement within an organization, but there remains an important opportunity for advisers to help clients understand the role benefits play in that engagement.

Technology and the Internet have made consumers more informed. So how can those in this business stay ahead of the curve and avoid wasting both their and their clients time?

Based on a review of 35 major health plan websites, most issuers are still struggling to provide the Summary of Benefits and Coverage, even while the SBC provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act took effect last week, according to Tyrula LLC.

When you change your client value offering and your sales model, you have to change the way the company supports these new efforts. Taking the time to evaluate your current structure and making changes to support the new model is critical to successfully executing on and delivering on your new value proposition. …

“Business opportunities come from getting to know new people and their interests, and this takes time.” This was a common response from 82 insurance executives participating in a new Inter-Company Marketing Group survey.

For our clients with a January 1 benefit plan renewal date, we have begun the work required to determine the appropriate program strategy, negotiate renewals, create communication pieces and organize logistics for the open enrollment meetings and subsequent employee enrollments. My company provides advisory services to both clients whom offer medical coverage through fully insured providers as well as those large enough to self-insure their medical plan with the services of a third party administrator.…

When meeting with the C-Suite and human resources department, refrain from presenting solutions and values you think they are looking for - you may be missing out on important information from them, said Trisha Zulic at the 7th Annual Employee Benefit Adviser Summit in Phoenix.

EBA editor Elizabeth Galentine reflects on EBA Summit and what teaches you about business.

A day in the life of Ari Fischman, Insurance Southfield, Mich.

Retirement readiness is just not a buzz word for EBA’s Retirement Adviser of the Year.

Mel Schlesinger on how brokers can sell more in a how-to guide.

How to develop a business plan for success by Jack Kwicien.

Push employers fear buttons to sell and renew business says Craig Davidson.