Employee Benefit News

'You've got to give to get'

'A student within the data'

When speaking of David P. Lind & Associates, Tom Bachmann effuses unwavering confidence in the benefits consulting firm he's worked with for the past decade. The vice president of support for Iowa's Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company knows just where to go whenever his board of directors needs benchmarking information on employee benefits. "They are the source. No one even questions it," Bachmann says of DPL&A. "Whenever anybody wants information on benefits in the state of Iowa those are the people that they call."

Coaching leads to weight loss success

Make employees succeed by setting achievable goals and reward them simply for staying in the program. Those are the two very basic components of a successful weight management program created by National Jewish Health and put into action by the Public Employees Retirement Association in Colorado.

Highlighting potential conflicts in the broker-insurer relationship

The Risk and Insurance Management Society recently published its executive report on insurance broker compensation, "A Practical Guide to Insurance Broker Compensation and Potential Conflicts of Interest for the Risk Manager," to give risk managers an insight into the broker compensation structure and potential conflicts of interest resulting from broker relationships with insurers.

The return of Michael Kerl

As a small business owner, Debbie Danzi is used to various routine forms from her health insurance broker, but she recalls one that caught her eye: 'It came over the fax machine one time with his name, Freedom. We're like, 'Freedom? Who is Freedom Kerl?'' Freedom Michael Kerl, to be exact, is a clean-shaven, three-piece-suit-wearing, 37-year-old sales manager with BeneServ Corporate Benefit Services in southeastern Pennsylvania. But turn the clock back a few years and a different picture emerges.m.

Ready for action

Last spring, when the trickle of health care reform questions from clients turned into a flow of Web casts and weekly newsletters, Mike Brewer, president of Lockton Benefit Group, knew it was time to create a formal practice devoted to the ever-changing legislative landscape of Washington. He spoke with EBA about his leading brokerage's newly formed Health Reform Advisory Practice.

Preparing for the unknown

As Congress resumed its debate on health care last month, Employee Benefit Adviser caught up with Adam Bruckman, president and CEO of Atlanta-based Digital Insurance. A member of the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers Government Affairs subcommittee, Bruckman has closely followed the activity on Capitol Hill to keep both his small group clients and fellow brokers apprised of how to prepare for whatever may be crossing the president's desk.

His legacy will be lived out in all of us

My first real impression of Robert Whiddon was of his voice.

He had come to interview with me for the position of EBA's Managing Editor. Robert talked fast. And a lot. He hadn't had a great deal of experience writing for magazines, but he had a willingness to work and learn that I believed could only be a boon to EBA's development.

Full Contact

With the gender divide in employee benefits still evident (just check out the crowd at any industry event or annual meeting), EBA went looking for a female broker working to narrow the gap. Who better to ask than Women in Insurance & Financial Services, the only national organization exclusively for women in the industry? The response came back with one name: Susan Combs.

Help budget-minded clients boost retention, improve worker satisfaction

In tough economic times the cost of employee turnover is a threat to company finances. A broker who can help clients increase employee satisfaction has a valuable low-cost hook to benefit clients while incurring few administrative duties.

Bust up BUCA!!!

That's Sam Fleet's first of six recommendations for fixing America's health care system. AmWINS Group Benefits' president says BUCA's a monopoly and the antitrust issues can no longer be ignored. Here what else Fleet recommends, but be careful, he's not holding any punches.

Employee carve-outs could cost Bay State benefits firm

As legislators and White House representatives alike question the role of employee benefit professionals in the future of health care, accusations that a Massachusetts benefits firm used a life insurance offer to carve sick employees out of an employer's plan shine a harsh light on the industry.

Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt merge

Human resources consulting giants Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt announced June 28 their intent to merge and form a new publically listed company, Towers Watson & Co.

Are things turning around or are we bouncing along the bottom?

That's the question many continue to ask about the economy. Research from Mercer shows that we may actually be close to a turn around point. Listen in as the firm's Steve Gross talks about what Mercer's latest employer survey shows and why it might be good news for the broader economy.

Obama supporters unhappy with many of the president's reform proposals.

Those are the results of an employer survey conducted by the American Benefits Council and D.C. law firm Miller & Chevalier in May. Miller & Chevalier's Susan Relland shares highlights, including how the concern over costs has skyrocketed and why ERISA may be at risk if one congressman gets his way.