The Knowledge Center

Our health & welfare experts write articles, host webinars, launch videos and get interviewed by employee benefits, insurance, business and national media. It's award-winning insurance journalism which can be found here weekly.

 

2022 The Current
NEWLY RELEASED: The Current Insurance Report 2022, Issue 3! Now a triannual publication, you’ll get actionable employee benefits trends & strategies even quicker!
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Open Enrollment Planning for Next Year’s Success Starts Now

Travis Turner and Stephanie Eisele

Next year’s open enrollment planning should build off this year’s outcomes and challenges | Corporate Synergies

Improve processes and evaluate performance year over year by starting next year’s open enrollment planning now. For many organizations, open enrollment is almost over. And while your HR team may be looking forward to a break from an intensive planning … Read More

Independent Private School Funding Solutions Beyond Captives and Consortiums

Matthew D. Strain and Kelly Hoffman

Independent private schools should stop and consider funding solutions beyond captives and consortiums | Corporate Synergies

Captives and consortiums allow smaller employers to band together to self-fund, but private schools may benefit from exploring alternative funding options. Facing cost increases and limited purchasing power, independent private schools have sought out alternative funding models like captives and … Read More

ICHRAs: A Radically New Way to Offer Health Insurance

Stephen Horvat

ICHRAs allow employers to offer coverage to employees that otherwise wouldn’t be feasible | Corporate Synergies

ICHRAs can be a great option for small employers, large organizations with diverse or changing employee needs or geographically diverse workforces. Even if you offer multiple health insurance plans, trying to address the diverse needs of employees can seem impossible. … Read More

The Myths Preventing Employees From Embracing HSA-Qualified Plans

Rachel Trembley

Employees need more education to understand the benefits that HSA-qualified plans can offer | Corporate Synergies

The biggest barrier to HSA-qualified plan adoption is education. Here are common myths I’ve encountered and how I’ve explained them. You’ve decided to offer a high deductible health plan (HDHP) with a health savings account (HSA). You encourage your employees … Read More

Employers Have Options Related to Abortion Benefits

Dan Kuperstein and Pamela Smith

The right benefits partner can help employers assemble the abortion benefit program pieces | Corporate Synergies

In addition to abortion benefit options, employers need to carefully consider how reimbursement programs are designed. The recent U.S. Supreme Court Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision still leaves a lot of legal and regulatory abortion access questions unanswered. In … Read More

7 Open Enrollment Solutions for Today’s Challenges

Travis Turner and Stephanie Eisele

Open enrollment solutions involve developing and arranging multiple pieces for the best impact | Corporate Synergies

On par with most employee benefits, the open enrollment process has transformed in recent years, causing employers of all sizes and industries to seek open enrollment solutions to common challenges. Often, this means rethinking and revisiting their engagement strategies. HR … Read More

Demographic Studies and Real-Time Benchmarking Data Enable Strategic Planning

Pamela Smith

Demographic Studies and real-time benchmarking offers essential insights that guide your strategic decisions | Corporate Synergies

Analyzing real-time benchmarking data and demographic studies is the first step to setting meaningful and attainable strategic goals. It’s indisputable: The pandemic and the subsequent “Great Resignation” have made benefits more valuable in the marketplace, leaving organizational leaders wondering how … Read More

Is Self-Funding the Solution to Rising Medical and Drug Costs?

Luciano Franco and Tony Marconi

Self-funding may be a solution to rising medical and drug costs for employers. | Corporate Synergies

Employers are increasingly considering self-funding to counter rising medical and drug costs and serve their population with the benefits they actually need. In our experience, the cost of health insurance is the second largest expense behind payroll for most employers. … Read More

Using Data to Craft a Competitive Recruitment and Retention Plan

Pamela Smith

Keep attracting employees and candidates with a data-backed, competitive recruitment and retention plan. | Corporate Synergies

By looking at industry trends, benchmark data and demographic surveys, your consultant can help you craft a competitive recruitment and retention plan. While many workers are quitting their jobs, most are actually switching jobs. Employers in all sectors are working … Read More

Marketing Your Benefits: How to Create Competitive Messaging

Pamela Smith

Effectively marketing your benefits helps employees listen and understand how to utilize them | Corporate Synergies

Having the best benefits package does little good if job candidates—or current employees—don’t understand its value and how to use it. In a hyper-competitive hiring environment, we know candidates are evaluating all aspects of a potential new employer, especially benefits. … Read More