Self-funding is only the beginning
The cost of health insurance is directly related with the cost of actual health "care", and as health CARE costs continue to rise in the U.S., health insurance premiums follow a similar trajectory.This trend is prompting more and more employers to explore and transition to a self-funded plan arrangement, which is ...
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A Snowball’s Chance In Healthcare
A Snowball's Chance In HealthcareFor quite some time, I've wanted to start a professional podcast, and recently I was approached by an old friend with an opportunity to launch a local radio show here in Amarillo. It didn't take me long to decide to say "yes", and so I've launched A Snowball's Chance In ...
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Winning Broker of the Year
Last week, I was named “Broker of the Year” by Benefits PRO magazine, a leading publication in our industry. Words can’t express how excited and proud I was to receive this award from such a prestigious publication. Thank you Benefits PRO.There were four other Finalists up for the award, each one ...
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Inattentional Blindness: Ya, it’s a real thing…
Inattentional Blindness: Ya, it's a real thing...Seeing is much more than a matter of simply opening our eyes. Have you ever just caught yourself “zoning out”? Not paying attention? It’s actually really shocking how much we DON’T see just from not paying attention.Last year, a ...
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Extended Release = Now we can charge 1000% more! The gamification of RX drugs.
Imagine this: The board of directors at Airwyyck, a company that makes plug in scented air fresheners, (not a real company, it's why I said "imagine") are all huddled around a very lengthy conference table listening to R&D's latest/greatest idea that will generate mountains of cash. We're talking full-blown ...
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The Shift Shapers Podcast: Josh talks about challenges small employers face in healthcare benefits.
Smaller employers, typically those under 50 employees, have long struggled to reign in healthcare/benefits costs in their companies. In the "small group" market (those under 50 employees) are in what we call the "Community Rated" market, meaning they are lumped in with thousands of other companies around the country who ...
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Filing 5500 and Stop-Loss Plan Asset Consideration [EMPLOYERS]
Important information to considerAre the stop loss premiums paid with participant contributions in this arrangement?Assessing whether stop loss is a “plan” benefitThe DOL has addressed this issue specifically twice—the last being DOL Adv. Op. 2015-05A. In that Adv. Op, the DOL basically ...
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