Broker blog

Have you heard the saying, "When one door closes, another opens?" Well, that's what should happen, but when it comes to accessing the healthcare system, it's not always the case. 

How are your enrollment meetings going? 

In my 15 years in the employee benefits industry, I’ve had my share of great and not-so-great enrollment experiences. I’m sharing 4 tips to help make the most of your voluntary enrollment meetings, particularly with larger groups… 

1. Conditions

I’ve found that there are TWO key components for successful enrollments meetings…

“It’s free!” Those are words we all like to hear, right? But, they’re also words that can set off alarms in our minds. 

What do you think when you hear the term “employee engagement”? As a broker, you likely start thinking of your clients’ needs to ensure employees are aware and engaged with their benefits plan. A more traditional use of the term may refer to employee commitment levels toward the company purpose and vision. Both are accurate, and the two points are definitely connected.

No, the title of my article is not a typo or a weird loophole. This is a story about real savings, based on having an educated conversation with my doctor. 

Do you value telehealth as a cost-containment tool? 

Employers see the benefit as a valid strategy to provide access to quality care and offset increasing costs. However, as the solution is adopted and implemented, if you’re not getting an ROI, have you really solved the problem?

So, how do you get true ROI from telehealth? The answer is simple: you make sure it gets used! The tactics to get usage aren’t always that simple. When telehealth is strategically implemented, it will divert claims from the health plan, thereby delivering a positive ROI.

Are you facing some intimidating renewals over the next few months?  

We all know deductibles are rising, out-of-pocket costs are increasing, physician networks are shrinking, and prescription pricing and tiers can change overnight. These are real challenges, but formulating an innovative solution on tougher cases can also deliver a real thrill for the broker who goes the extra mile. 

How do you gauge success of the benefit plans you sell to your groups? Maybe it’s staying within your client’s budget, keeping coverage for spouses and families, and ticking off boxes of the “must-haves.”