Look back, look forward, and where are you now?
We take all "product" talk off the table and talk about your company's overall culture, objectives, budget, value of programs, communication, employee engagement, efficient implementation and maintenance, and any issues that umbrella the underlying programs.
We look at what hasn't worked and why. We look at what will work and why. We look at the "ideal" benefit package and how closely we can get there together.
Benefit management is never static. It is in constant motion from basic support and services to highly detailed review, reporting, and analysis.
There are many outside factors that affect the efficiency of any benefit program. We consider those factors, and we establish contingencies and procedures to accommodate any "shift" in the employer's operations.
We conduct--and strongly recommend--periodic employee surveys to gauge the employees' perception of the programs and their understanding of the benefit plan's value and compatibility with their respective needs.
Much earlier than the actual renewal, we pre-underwrite the renewals to project the expected actual renewal.
We compare the actual renewal to our internal underwriting to determine if the renewal is fair and substantiated. If not, we always go back to the underwriters to review every detail of their underwriting methodology.
If it can't be supported actuarially, we negotiate the renewal to an appropriate level.
Beyond the numbers and bricks of the plans, we have our eyes on legislative updates, plan compliance, ERISA, DOL, 5500 reporting, COBRA, FMLA, IRS regulations, and HIPAA to make sure our clients are audit ready and in full compliance with all the regulatory entities.
We constantly review "what's new" in the market. If there are programs that meet our clients' needs, we bring them to table for review. If the new products are just "gadgets" to increase market share, we pass.
We are not product driven; we are process driven. Product is product is product. Unless it is quality and of value, we don't represent it.
With all that said, none of this can be accomplished without the best talent, and we have it.
