California Broker magazine features an article by Kristin Komen, regional sales director in California for OptumHealth Financial Services, on how brokers can help employers transition successfully to HSA-based health plans:

Just weeks before the beginning of the plan year, a broker informed a major client that annual health insurance premiums were increasing by nearly 20%. The client, a manufacturer with operations in multiple states, decided to try a new approach. The CEO suggested switching to a consumer-directed health plan. But, the broker tried to dissuade him, insisting that few employees would sign up.

That broker quickly became the ex-broker. The CEO was fully committed to instilling a culture of health and personal responsibility. He found a new broker who was just as enthusiastic about introducing a CDHP and health savings accounts (HSAs) to the workforce. The CEO was pleased that the new broker shared his belief that consumerism and wellness can work as a powerful pair to manage healthcare costs over the long term.

This kind of episode should be a wake-up call to brokers … Read more >