By now, I’m guessing the dust is settling a bit for you around the issue of the SCOTUS decision. Sure, we have all known of the changes being brought about by HCR and the respective deadlines. Yet, I think for most of us, it has never felt completely real, that maybe it would go away. For many, that feeling may linger and may now hang on the November election. However, I would guess that for most, the SCOTUS decision has made the reality of HCR seem just that, much more real. I have heard a whole range of responses to…

Originally published 9/23/2010. Yes, the most threatening part of the current healthcare legislation is the provision that addresses the MLR.  Of course, this provision doesn’t have the biggest social impact, it doesn’t change specific benefits, and it won’t allow for new enrollees…but for those who make a living selling medical insurance, it is a direct blow.Here’s where many of you will disagree with me – I think this is one of the healthiest things to ever happen to benefits producers. For way too long, those who have been sellers of medical insurance have been able to compete with someone else’s…

Originally published 8/16/2010. If you have read any of my previous posts/articles, you know that I don’t see anything in the current healthcare reform legislation, nor do I anticipate any future changes, that aren’t survivable.  However, if you had read my previous thoughts on the subject, you also know that I don’t see it as survivable by those who are insistent on maintaining the status quo.As in business, or reality shows, surviving healthcare reform won’t be determined on one specific day, it will be determined over a period of time, starting with decisions you make today.  Those who survive will…

It’s the age-old question of the price of doing it versus the cost of not acting There has been a lot of talk of late about employers getting out of the business of offering benefits, or at least the medical insurance business. You’ve probably seen studies such as the McKinsey & Co. study that found 30 percent of all employers will “definitely” or “probably” stop offering their workers health insurance when mandates take effect in 2014. Yet, other studies, such as the one performed by Workforce Management and Business Insurance, have found that most employers won’t drop their health insurance.…

I am fortunate to get to speak with some of the most successful benefits producers and agencies in the benefits business on a daily basis.  In every challenge, they see even greater opportunity.  In every prospect, they see a future client.  In every client, they see an opportunity to make a difference.  With healthcare reform, they see an opportunity to leave their competition in the dust.   “What an unbelievable industry we work in.  We make a terrific living and get to make a great impact on the businesses of our clients,” they say. Unfortunately, on occasion I speak to benefits…

So, a major question for all of us. What exactly does it mean now that healthcare reform is a reality? What does it mean for the country, the industry, our clients, and, of course, for us. Just because the legislation has been passed, it doesn’t necessarily mean its true impact can yet be predicted. The long period of time between the passage and implementation of the most significant aspects of bill makes the prediction of its actual impact nearly impossible. The debate around healthcare is far from over and will, more than likely, move to court cases challenging its very…