THREE-PERSON BENEFITS DEPARTMENT IS AGENCY'S FASTEST GROWTH UNIT    Building a strong benefits program starts with an employee survey Big or small, employers all confront and manage risk, says Rich Hecker, CIC, vice president of EHL Insurance, Inc., in Poulsbo, Washington. And while property/casualty insurance issues, workers compensation loss control and business interruption are all traditional issues for risk management programs, many employers overlook risks inherent in their employee benefits programs. Rising health care costs, evolving state and federal regulations and the complexities of employee benefits administration all pose challenges for employers, and the stakes are only getting higher as health reform reshapes health plans. "It's all risk," explains Hecker, "and it all demands a high level of strategic planning and execution from our clients and our consultants. Many employers tend to overlook how their employee benefits relate to not only their overall costs, but also employee health, absenteeism, presenteeism and productivity." As a result, some employers are missing opportunities to take control of their benefit plans, health care costs and human resources management issues, he says. Even small employers have employee benefits options that can reduce or stabilize their costs and improve their workplace environment-even if their group health plans are community rated. Founded in the 1930s, EHL has been a commercial insurance leader in a small town of 9,000 and a total commercial market of about 400,000. Employee benefits has never been a huge component of total revenues, contributing only about 13% of the agency's $3.1 million in annual revenues. But it has recently become the firm's fastest growing business niche, up 45% from last year. Click here for the complete article …

Health care overhaul tied to exchanges    Pending the legal challenge, a study of the new law's framework Even as the U.S. Supreme Court reviews the two-year old Affordable Care Act and the mandate that would require everyone to have personal or employer-based health insurance, the federal government continues to tout the law's value and implement more provisions, including the guidelines for state insurance exchanges. The High Court review, triggered by a lawsuit filed by 26 state attorneys general, began to receive testimony in late March, beginning with arguments by Florida that claim the coverage mandate amounts to an unlegislated tax on citizens. But just days before the High Court began to hear that testimony, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius identified a list of victories for the law. "New data shows that more than 5.1 million seniors and people with disabilities on Medicare saved over $3.2 billion on prescription drugs because of the health care law. That's about $635 per person in average savings and money back in the pockets of America's seniors," she announced. "Because of the Affordable Care Act, 45.1 million women-including 20.4 million women with private health insurance and 24.7 million women with Medicare-can receive recommended preventive services without having to pay a co-pay or deductible. Important preventive services, like mammograms and Pap smears, are free. And in 2014, insurance companies can no longer charge women higher premiums just because they're women." And, she said, the law is helping young adults. Click here for the complete article …

Wellness for new parents    Ocean Spray program provides range of support for new mothers Life is full of transitions, and for parents none of them is bigger than the birth or adoption of a child. The new parents, despite all the emotions swirling around them, may be suddenly aware-some of them for the first time-just how valuable their employer's group medical coverage is. After looking with relief at the hospital and physician charges or adoption expenses paid for by their group medical plan, the new parents move on to other concerns. Like how to arrange 24 hours in a day to accommodate the needs of the new child, take care of any other family members, handle their own responsibilities at work, and-if there's any time left over-sleep. After a new mother goes back to work, the pace of the adjustment process accelerates significantly. So an employer has an opportunity to be a part of the solution to this balancing act. Ocean Spray Cranberries, a Massachusetts-based agricultural cooperative with 2,000 employees, recognized the need to be as helpful as possible to its mothers-to-be and new mothers. So a year ago, it launched a program called "Moms at Work." Susan French, Ocean Spray's benefits manager, says, "Our Benefits and Wellness team looked first at how we could improve both the 'off' and 'on' boarding processes for new moms. It was our hope that by easing these transitions, we would help new moms feel more supported at work. Click here for the complete article …

Click here to unsubscribe

This message was sent by The Rough Notes Company, Inc., 11690 Technology Drive, Carmel, Indiana, 46032 1-800-428-4384