April 2015

Ep #55: Shifting from Commissions to Fees – With Mike Grinnell and Kirsten Tudman

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Commission compression is causing advisors to rethink their business model – especially looking a few years out. One option is to shift to a more consultative fee-based motif. Our guests, Mike Grinnell and Kirsten Tudman of CPI-HR, are among the handful of advisors at the forefront of this shift.

They join us today to discuss the impetus for the change as well as some lessons learned along the way. They also take us through what the employer conversation sounds like and what kind of questions and objections advisors can expect. We also explore some of the current state regulatory barriers and how those might change. Listen in to learn more and to kickstart the fee-based discussion in your practice or agency.

What You’ll Learn From This Episode:

  • Mike and Kristen’s background as traditional commission-based producers.
  • Their “Aha!” moment.
  • How ACA affected their practice.
  • Their typical client.
  • Whether the shift to fees work with all clients.
  • How the state statutes and regulations play in the process.
  • Whether they have a written agreement and what is included.

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Ep #54: How to Have a Self-Funding Conversation with Employers – With Adam Russo

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In this episode, we explore some of the most common questions advisors ask about self funding and discuss concerns ranging from minimum group size to tools and techniques. Our guest on this episode of ShiftShapers is Adam Russo, Esq., co-founder and CEO of The Phia Group, as well as the founding and managing partner at a law firm, Russo & Minchoff. He believes that, in light of the healthcare reform, the current environment is full of exciting opportunities that many brokers can take advantage of.

We also have a frank exchange about what is behind recent efforts by some Departments of Insurance to try to put the brakes on certain segments of self funding and the potential impact that may have on employers seeking an alternate to the fully insured marketplace.

What You’ll Learn From This Episode:

  • Adam’s journey and how The Phia Group came about.
  • How advisors can remain relevant in the current environment.
  • The minimum size for a successful self-funded group.
  • Why the government wants to stop or severely limit self-funding.
  • How can advisors begin the self-funded conversation.
  • What you need to devise a properly constructed client plan.

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Ep #53: Reinventing the Sales Cycle – With Matthew Wood

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Our guest this week believes that to it is time to reinvent the sales cycle. If we look at the employee benefits distribution process over the past fifty years, we’ll discover that it has not changed much and is still very manual, inefficient, and time consuming.

Matthew Wood, VP of Sales & Technology at Lidac, believes that technology and an end-to-end managed sales cycle is the answer for advisors who are being asked to do more with less.  On this program we explore the opportunities presented when the process is completely reimagined.

What You’ll Learn From This Episode:

  • Whether the traditional product-to-sale model is obsolete.
  • How technology can help with the sales cycle.
  • Post enrollment considerations.
  • Whether this is a new motif for core medical or just for voluntary benefits.
  • If the total cycle can be shrunk to a few days.

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Ep #52: Using Innovative Solutions to Contol Costs – With Christopher Fisher

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In today’s market, employers expect their benefit advisors to bring them new ideas to control costs. Our today’s guest, Christopher Fisher, Founder & President of BenefitsAlly, finds companies that are doing unique things that can take employers beyond the traditional method of increased employee responsibility.

We discuss the three hallmarks of “intelligent health care solutions”. Chris believes that advisors who use those ideas and come up with creative solutions are going to thrive, and those who continue on the same old path will soon fade away.

Our conversation also explores new ways that benefits advisors can leverage historical data and make strategic recommendations to reduce future costs. Since this is a new conversation for many advisors we talk about how to broach that discussion with employers and how to provide them with concrete solutions based on the analysis of that detailed, granular data.

What You’ll Learn From This Episode:

  • Whether or not cost shifting is a dead strategy for dealing with employer spend.
  • What “intelligent health care solutions” are.
  • How billions in venture capital will change tools in our markets.
  • The 3-step process for evaluating employers’ benefits.
  • How we can transition from a rear-view mirror use of data.
  • How to help employers use cost data at the employee level.

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