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BENEFITS EXTRA
a quarterly newsletter for members of the New England Employee Benefits Council
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Upcoming Programs
| | January 18:
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 | | Joe Mongelli |
President's Message
Joe Mongelli, Covidien
Happy 2011! NEEBC begins the New Year building upon the high energy of December's Best Practices Conference. Thanks to an outstanding planning committee, terrific speakers/panelists and a deserving group of award winners, this year's event was a resounding success. I've received comments from many attendees who felt this year's conference was our best yet. Suffice to say that none of it would have been possible without the dedicated, talented, and committed support of so many members of our region's benefits community.
2011 promises to be an exciting and eventful year for NEEBC. This year we will transition to a more powerful web platform to enhance and update the overall customer experience of our members. It will transform the way we deliver services, connect, network and collaborate. More to come on this in future communications.
Several other important initiatives will also take place this year, including new wellness programs, our biannual Board of Directors' retreat, and the development of a new public/media relations committee under the leadership of past president Mark Manin. Mainstays such as the Benefits Fair and Trade Show (May 19), Best Practices Conference and thirty additional events and programs will, of course, remain in place. And, in response to feedback received on the 2010 Member Survey, watch for news on NEEBC's first golf outing tentatively scheduled for early August.
As always, please forward your comments or suggestions to executive director Jack Curley at jack@neebc.org or to me at joseph.mongelli@covidien.com. I look forward to seeing you at future NEEBC events and wish you and your family a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2011. |
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Community Resources
- Massachusetts Health Quality Partners (MHQP) helps employees throughout Massachusetts receive quality care by publicly reporting on how well primary care providers deliver care to their patients. Employees can use this information to understand what to expect from their primary care doctor and how to partner with their doctor or nurse practitioner to get the best care for their families and themselves. Through MHQP's "Expect the Best" campaign, employees learn the important elements of primary care that patients and their families should expect. When employees know what to expect from their health care providers, they can look for and demand quality care for themselves and their families. Contact Barbara Lambiaso at blambiaso@mhqp.org to learn more about the "Expect the Best" campaign.
- For thirty years, the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) has assisted thousands of families to save, plan and pay for college. As a not for profit state authority MEFA works with community organizations, school systems and employers to provide free seminars on college savings and college financing. All seminars are free and can be tailored to meet the needs of your workforce. Generally the seminars last about an hour and are perfect for a brown bag lunch series. For more information visit MEFA's community outreach page or contact Martha Savery at 617-224-4813 or msavery@mefa.org
- The Division of Health Care Finance and Policy recently released three reports on health care cost trends in the Commonwealth:
Part I: The Massachusetts Health Care System in Context: Costs, Structure, and Methods Used by Private Insurance Carriers to Pay Providers
Part II: Private Health Insurance Premium Trends 2006-2008
Part III: Health Spending Trends for Privately Insured 2006-2008
These reports and related publications are available online at: www.mass.gov/dhcfp/costtrends. |
Benefits in Brief
Former NEEBC director Mike Falivena is retired and living in Venice, FL; Scott Kirschner is now vice president at William Gallagher Associates; the Kaiser Family Foundation has produced a video entitled " Health Reform Hits Main Street" which offers a unique overview of national health reform; BeneTemps is now BTHR Solutions
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2011 Membership Renewal
A reminder that 2011 Membership Renewals are now due. If you have not already done so, please forward your renewal form to the NEEBC office. A prompt reply assures continued receipt of important program information, newsletters, etc. If you need a copy of your original renewal statement, please send an e-mail message to linda@neebc.org or call 781-684-8700. As always, we welcome any suggestions you have to assist us in providing programs and services that meet your needs. |
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Best Practices Conference Sponsors
NEEBC thanks the following sponsors of the December Best Practices Conference:
Lead Sponsor
Tufts Health Plan
Gold Sponsors
Altus Dental Insurance Company, Inc.
Aon Hewitt
Dietz & Lynch Capital
Ethicon Endo Surgery, a Johnson & Johnson Company
Fidelity Investments
Liberty Mutual
Mass Mutual
Shields Health Care Group
Sobel & Raciti Associates, Inc.
The Health & Wellness Institute, LLC
Thorbahn
Silver Sponsors
Aetna
AIM EAG
BTHR Solutions/BeneTemps
Davis Vision
Delta Dental of Massachusetts
Hanscom Federal Credit Union
Health Advocate
Humana
Mercer
Minnesota Life Insurance Company
Putnam Investments
Strategic Benefit Advisors, Inc.
Towers Watson
Work Without Limits Initiative - UMass Medical School
UnitedHealthcare
Unum |
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Online Resource Directory
Looking for a provider of benefits-related services or products? NEEBC's "Online Resource Directory for Benefits/HR Professionals" is an easy-to-use, web-based guide to regional benefits products and services. The Directory offers listings in numerous categories, such as Consultants, Health Care, Outsourcing, Third Party Administrators, and Retirement. We hope members will consider Directory advertisers when purchasing products or services; if you do, please let them know that you found them in the NEEBC Resource Directory. (Providers interested in adding their listing, please read on ...) |
NEEBC Linked-In Group Site
NEEBC's LinkedIn Group Site is now up and running and all members are invited to register to participate. To do so:
1. Log into your LinkedIn account.
2. Select GROUPS on the left navigation bar.
3. Go to the "Groups Directory" tab.
4. In the "Search box" on the right side, type in: NEEBC
5. Select "Join this group."
6. Once NEEBC accepts your request, you will become a member.
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Occupational Outlook Handbook
The 2010 - 2011 Edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the DOL's Bureau of Labor Statistics includes some interesting information regarding the Benefits/HR profession. For example, the U.S. currently has about 40,500 benefit and compensation managers with that number expected to increase by 9% prior to 2018. To view the complete report, click here. |
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Scholarship Program
Since its inception in 1990, the NEEBC Scholarship Program has awarded more than $120,000 to deserving candidates. Several years ago, eligibility was expanded to include part-time students. To be eligible, a part-time college student (undergraduate or graduate) must be studying in an accredited academic program leading to a degree, and either reside in New England or be enrolled in a New England college. If you, or a colleague, plan to continue a career in benefits and currently attend college on a part-time basis, you may want to consider applying for a 2011 NEEBC scholarship (deadline April 1, 2011). For additional information, please read on ...
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