Agent and Consultant Briefing
October 2008 |
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| On My Mind: Carrots and Sticks |
| By Cheryl DeMars, CEO
 I hope you were able to join us for last week's Annual Meeting. If you were there, you know we had a great turnout for our annual business meeting and educational program. We were proud to welcome two knowledgeable speakers to discuss The Nuts and Bolts (and Legal How-Tos) of Carrots and Sticks.
Workplace strategies to improve employee health are not new. However, as health care costs continue to climb, employers are increasingly considering the use of incentives to boost participation and to encourage employees to take action on the results. Rebecca K. Kelly, PhD, RD, CDE, from the University of Alabama, shared her story of how she engaged more than 80 percent of her workforce in her programs.
Our other speaker, Jeffrey Zimon, Esq., discussed the legal issues that employers must be mindful of in the design and implementation of incentive programs. Members were provided with information about the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and what they need to know to legally provide and promote such programs.
Although the Annual Meeting is done, we're not done with our educational opportunities. In the coming months we have a number of informational and interactive opportunities to help our mutual clients stay on top of emerging trends. Read on for more information about our next offering below. I look forward to seeing you at this or another opportunity in the near future.
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Join Us for Weighing the Issue of Obesity in the Workplace |
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November 11, 2008
7:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center
1 John Nolen Drive
Madison, Wis
Obesity is one of the most critical issues facing workers today. With 66 percent of Americans overweight or obese, employers need effective solutions to manage and prevent it in the workplace.
Join us to learn more about obesity, the economic consequences, and the impact it has on the workplace. The seminar will provide tangible tools and ideas for action that employers can take back to the workplace:
- Learn effective communication strategies and messaging around weight management.
- The challenges and solutions available in preventing and treating the obese employee.
- Developing a benefit plan that understands the pros and cons of all treatment options.
Register today.
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| The Alliance Health Policy Committee |
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The Alliance Health Policy Committee had its first meeting and is well on its way to developing The Alliance platform. You may remember that The Alliance Board established a formal health policy function to accomplish the goals of:
- Providing timely and objective information to members,
- Becoming a resource to public policy makers, and
- Taking action on issues that are likely to impact Alliance members and that are consistent with our mission.
The platform being developed by the Health Policy Committee is focused on the following areas:
- Promoting health care quality transparency.
- Aligning incentives to promote greater value.
- Providing tools and support for individuals to become "informed health care consumers".
- Improving the health care marketplace.
These areas of focus were chosen because of their relationship to the mission of The Alliance, their relevance to current health policy interests, and their alignment with the needs and interests of other Alliance members.
We thank the following members of the committee for stepping forward to take part in this important initiative:
Tom Armani
Senior Director, Compensation and Benefits
Spectrum Brands
Lee Bauman
President
Wisconsin Auto & Truck Dealers Insurance Corporation
Dan Bullock
CFO
Cleary Building Corp.
Wendy Cuevas
VP Human Resources
Blackhawk Community Credit Union
Melanie Hirshfeld
Field Operations Director
WEA Trust Insurance Corp.
Curtis Larson
Vice President of Finance
Accelerated Genetics
Mary Ann Reichling
Director, Benefits, Compensation & EIS
Lands' End
Jerry Ward
VP of Operations
Seats Inc.
Jeff Wick
CEO
Wick Building Systems
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| Benchmarking Benefit Plans |
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We recently released our eighth annual Summary Plan Description (SPD) Analysis. The SPD analysis is an excellent tool that helps members benchmark their benefit plan against those of other local employers. It can help members understand the most popular approaches to stop-loss coverage, employer contribution levels, deductible levels, coinsurance options, prescription drug benefits, and wellness program offerings.
This year's report includes information about benefit plans from 99 members, which offer more than 155 separate plans to their employees. We gather the information through a survey and the final SPD Analysis is offered free to members who have participated. Members who participated in the survey will receive their complimentary copy this week. Members who didn't participate this year can purchase a copy of the report from The Alliance.
We can also perform custom searches for members from our summary plan description database. It's a helpful way to explore how a benefit plan compares with other members in terms of coverage for a particular medical treatment, such as chiropractic care, acupuncture or gastric bypass surgery.
For more information on the 2008 Summary Plan Description Analysis, please contact Diane Loram, 800.223.4139, ext. 6643. Back to top |
| Web Spotlight: Case Studies |
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Need a little inspiration? Want to learn what our members are doing to keep health care costs down? The Alliance's Web site features member case studies to light a spark.
This month, why not check out how Webcrafters, Inc, a Madison-based manufacturer helped their 650 employees lighten up? It's the newest case study featured on our Case Studies page. Visit today.
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| New Hire at The Alliance |
The Alliance is pleased to welcome Melissa Thomas. Melissa Thomas is serving as a customer service representative and brings more than four years of health insurance customer service experience from WPS' TriCare division. She has also worked answering inquiries and interfacing with providers in CUNA Mutual Group's disability claims area. Please join us in welcoming Melissa: Melissa Thomas mthomas@the-alliance.org608.210.6604 |
| QualityCounts for Employees |
- Finding the Right Doctor
Choosing a doctor might seem easy, but finding a high-quality physician that fits your needs is not and should not be based on a snap judgement.
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| News You Can Use |
The Alliance highlights health care and benefit management news for employers in News You Can Use with a link to take you to the original story or report.
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| About the Agent and Consultant Briefing |
Each month, The Alliance Agent and Consultant Briefing delivers the latest news to insurance agents and consultants about Alliance services, programs and events as well as information on health benefit trends, issues, and ideas of interest to our mutual clients. Subscriptions are available on a complimentary basis. To subscribe, please send an e-mail message with your name and agency to the Sales and Member Services Department.
Reader comments, suggestions, and topics are always welcome.
Cathy Lanser, Editor
Melanie Cannon, Designer
Mary Borland, Director, Sales and Member Services | |
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The Alliance encourages employers to distribute the