Practice management

If you are looking for an idea that can capture the attention of employers, consider helping them provide employees the means to bridge the gaps in their medical plan. I have identified five distinct gaps that, if addressed, can create a huge sales opportunity for group health agents.

How are breakthrough innovations created? What is the process and can it be replicated or facilitated? These are the fundamental questions tackled by Frans Johansson in his seminal book, "The Medici Effect."

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act with the individual mandate being upheld under the Congressional power of taxation.

A sharply divided Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the centerpiece of President Barack Obama's signature health care overhaul law that requires that most Americans get insurance by 2014 or pay a financial penalty.

At 2 p.m. EST tomorrow experts will provide insight on the fate of the mandate for individuals to purchase health coverage, and the finding on the constitutionality of PPACA as a whole. Sign up for the web seminar which will be held hours after the decision is released.

Over the last 20 years, the percentages of households that will not be ready for retirement at age 65 has nearly doubled to 50%, according to recent data from the National Retirement Risk Index.

Private and public health care exchanges can bring tremendous value to the marketplace if they follow certain examples, said a speaker at the NAHU annual convention in Las Vegas Monday.

The National Association of Health Underwriters opened its annual convention and exhibition Sunday in Las Vegas with a look back and words of optimism toward the future.

There is a lot riding on the Supreme Court’s health reform decision for all stakeholders. Brokers and consultants need to be prepared to advise their clients, says EBA Advisory Board member Mark Gaunya, who highlights what you should be thinking about while we wait for the decision.

Eric Cantor pulls no punches about what Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives will do to "Obamacare" if the Supreme Court leaves any of President Barack Obama's health care reform law intact.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is that cliché describing what we typically do. We tend to react to things that are broken rather than anticipate and deal with things before they’re totally broken. Tom Peters eloquently coined the expression “the enemy of great is good” in his best seller Good to Great. How does this apply to all of us in the employee benefits business? It doesn’t matter if you are a producer, account…

In its annual review of employer attitudes toward health plans, J.D. Power and Associates finds that although fewer than 15% will drop health coverage altogether, close to half of companies are likely to shift health benefits to a private exchange model.

Communication is not just important for business … it is essential for the very existence and operation of any business. A benefit adviser must transfer its knowledge to clients as well as receive information – communication consists of a mutual exchange. With the advent of technology, we have cell phones, video conferencing, and emails. However, how we use these avenues is the question we must ask ourselves. …

Industry groups are being proactive in preparing their membership for the Supreme Court’s ruling on health care reform — which is expected at any time — as they know no matter the ruling, the business has changed forever.

Ever wonder what makes successful advisers successful? Independence and technology are the leading factors, according to four advisers at TD Ameritrade Institutional’s Elite Summit, but some of the other factors were even more surprising.

Despite taking proactive steps to keep their finances in check, only a third of American workers (34%) believe they are saving enough money in order to live comfortably in retirement, according to new research from the Principal Financial Well-Being Index.

A technological revolution is transforming the financial services industry by empowering consumers to connect with each other and institutions, which is creating new opportunities for lower income consumers, asserts a report from The CSC Leading Edge Forum.

Women – whether they’re a working or stay-at-home mom, single or married – are most at risk both financially and physically when it comes to disability, according to a new study conducted by The State Farm Center for Women and Financial Services at The American College.

In a business environment marked by increased customer demands, insurers have been forced to continuously monitor and revise their distribution strategies. One of those strategies is to provide excellent service to the producer as a way to retain and grow business. According to a new report issued this morning by Celent, from January 2010 to March 2012, more than 50 insurers across the life, annuities, health, or property/casualty industries licensed new systems that contained commission and producer management functionality.

UnitedHealth Group Inc, the largest U.S. health insurer by market value, said it would maintain the health coverage protections included in President Barack Obama's health care law regardless of how the Supreme Court rules on the legislation.