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BENEFITS EXTRA
a quarterly newsletter for members of the New England Employee Benefits Council

January 2014
In This Issue
Upcoming Programs
Membership Renewal
Benefits in Brief
Resource Directory
Follow NEEBC Online!
President's Message
Brand New Sponsorship Opportunities
Best Practices Conference Sponsors
Community Resources
Scholarship Program
Upcoming Programs
January 29 
Next Generation Group
   
Membership Renewal
2014 Membership Renewals are due. If you have not done so, please forward your renewal form to the NEEBC office. A prompt reply assures continued receipt of important program information, newsletters, and all membership privileges and discounts. Click here to see a list of your colleagues who have already renewed.

If you need a copy of your original renewal statement, please send an e-mail message to sue@neebc.org or call 781-684-8700.

We welcome any suggestions you have to assist us in providing programs and services that meet your needs!
Benefits in Brief
Former NEEBC directors
Jerry Evans and Bill Hubert 
have recently retired. We greatly appreciate their years of service to NEEBC!

Former Director Peter Mongeau is now with Mercer and Mike Clark has moved to William Gallagher Associates. 
 
Please send items of interest for future issues to patty@neebc.org.
Resource Directory
Looking for a provider of benefits-related services or products? NEEBC's web-based "Online Resource Directory for Benefits/HR Professionals" is an easy-to-use guide to regional benefits products and services.

The Directory offers listings in numerous categories, including Consultants, Health Care, Outsourcing, Third Party Administrators and Retirement. We hope members will consider Directory advertisers when purchasing products or services. If you would like more information on how to sign up, please click here.
Follow NEEBC Online!
Linkedin 
NEEBC's LinkedIn Group Site is now up and running and all members are invited to register to participate. This is a great way to network!

1. Log into LinkedIn.
2. Select GROUPS on the left navigation bar.
3. Go to the "Groups Directory" tab.
4. In the "Search box" type in NEEBC.
5. Select "Join this group."
6. Once NEEBC accepts your request, you will become a member.

Twitter 
Follow us on Twitter

 
Facebook 
 Like us on Facebook 
Nan Maley, RN
President's Message  

 

Happy 2014 to all NEEBC Members! We ended 2013 with an outstanding Best Practices Conference. Many thanks to a terrific planning committee and to our Co-Chairs Cindy McGrath (GIC) and Jim Sullivan (Mercer).  

 

In addition to the excellent speakers and panelists, this year's five award recipients were chosen from more than thirty innovative nominations. The selection process has become increasingly difficult as our members compete to be recognized as an NEEBC Best Practice Organization. Congratulations to our award winners: EMC - Lifetime Achievement Award, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Biogen Idec, Circor, LIfespan and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

 

We hope that you noticed both our increased social media presence as well as other new PR efforts used in promoting the event. I've received comments from many attendees who felt this year's conference was our best yet. Suffice it 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.

 

2014 promises to be an exciting and eventful year for NEEBC.  We will continue to offer additional webinars and livestreaming of major programs so that members have the ability to access our programs on demand or remotely. Look for an announcement of online learning coming soon. We have partnered with the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans to give our members discounted access to a wide variety of e-learning courses. In response to the success of our Next Generation Programming, we have launched our NEEBC Mentoring Pilot Program. Sessions begin in late January, and over 16 young benefits professionals from a wide variety of Member Organizations have been selected to participate.   

 

Planning is already underway for mainstays such as the Benefits Fair and Trade Show (June 5), Best Practices Conference, and thirty additional events and programs will, of course, remain in place. Also, save the date for the 4th Annual Golf Tournament tentatively scheduled for August 4th.  

  

As part of our increased social media efforts, we've added a Social Share and Like button to the top of this newsletter, which allows you to easily share this newsletter with your contacts on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.  

 

As always, please forward your comments or suggestions to executive director Patty Houpt or to me. I look forward to seeing you at future NEEBC events and wish you and your family a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2014.  

Brand New Sponsorship
Opportunities for 2014!

 

NEEBC can help your company gain visibility with top decision makers in the New England employee benefits industry! Our members authorize or influence major benefits purchasing decisions for companies throughout New England in industries ranging from biotech to financial services, hospitals and high tech.

As a NEEBC Sponsor, you will benefit from opportunities to:
  • Increase brand awareness
  • Share information about a service or product
  • Develop new connections in the benefits industry
  • Strengthen existing relationships
Click here to view the 2014 Sponsorship Brochure.

As in past years, NEEBC offers single program sponsorships with a variety of associated benefits for events such as the Best Practices Conference, the Benefits Fair and Trade Show, the Golf Tournament and a number of workshops, series and programs.

New this year is an annual corporate partnership opportunity that provides greater exposure and the ability to further enhance the profile of your company with our members! Opportunities are limited, so please consider making your commitment early.

To find out more about sponsorship with NEEBC, please contact Patty Houpt at 781-684-8700 or at patty@neebc.org.


Best Practices Conference Sponsors 2013

 

NEEBC thanks the following sponsors of the December Best Practices Conference:

Lead Sponsor 

United Healthcare of New England

UHC

Gold Sponsors

AllOne Health Resources
Care.com/Global Workplace Solutions
HomeBenefitIQ
Liberty Mutual Insurance
Minnesota Life Insurance Company
New England College of Business and Finance
Tufts Health Plan

Silver Sponsors

21st Century Benefit Advisors
Abacus Health
Aetna
Altus Dental
BTHR Solutions
Delta Dental of Massachusetts
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
KGA, Inc.
Mercer
Strategic Benefit Advisors, Inc.
Towers Watson
Unum
Wellness Workdays
Willis




Community Resources

  

Kaiser Family Foundation www.kff.org offers an online estimation tool to help determine if a person is eligible for a health care subsidy.  Kaiser is a non-profit, private operating foundation focusing on the major health care issues facing the U.S., as well as the U.S. role in global health policy. Unlike grant-making foundations, Kaiser develops and runs its own research, journalism and communications programs, sometimes in partnership with other non-profit research organizations or major media companies. They serve as a non-partisan source of facts, information, analysis and journalism for policymakers, the media, the health care community, and the public. Best of all, their information is always free of charge.  


Massachusetts Health Connector: Director Jean Yang recently presented an update at our Benefits Club Luncheon in December. Her candid assessment of challenges and accomplishments was well received by our members. The Health Connector has two resources that will be of help to many employers in the Commonwealth: "Connector Care Plans: A New Way to Help You Pay for Health Insurance," and "A Consumer Guide to Subsidies." Both documents can be found by clicking the link below: 

Scholarship Program

 

Since its inception in 1990, the NEEBC Scholarship Program has awarded more than $150,000 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 2014 NEEBC scholarship (deadline April 1, 2014). For additional information, please click here.

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