This study echoed the DOL Report on self-insured group plans, in which data compiled by Deloitte indicated that for employers with more than 200 covered lives, the average fully-insured premium increased by $808.00 from 2009 to 2010, compared to an increase of $248.00 for self-insured plans. In conducting the study, the Secretary of Health and Human Services was charged with the responsibility of determining whether lower costs were due to more efficient plan administration and lower overhead or to the denial of claims or the offering of health benefit plans that are very limited in scope.

Self-Funding Earns High Marks from HHS & DOL

As part of the new Health Care Reform law, the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Labor were required to conduct a comprehensive study comparing traditional insured plans to self-funded and partially self-funded plans. The report, released in late March of this year, indicated that there are no statistically significant differences in the level of benefits offered and no difference in the rate of claim denials between fully-insured and self-funded health plans.

The report also concluded that no relationship existed between the financial health of a company and their choice of funding mechanism. In other words, financially strong companies are not necessarily more likely to be self-insured or partially self-insured and financially weaker companies are not always fully-insured.

When investigating the possibility of a conflict of interest in claims adjudication by self-funded plans when compared to traditional insured plans, HHS and DOL concluded that no such conflict of interest existed. In another key finding, the study determined that no difference in out-of-pocket costs existed for self-insured plan participants compared to fully-insured plan participants.

Overall, the PPACA-required report confirmed that self-funded health benefit plans continue to grow because they offer greater flexibility, lower fixed costs and the data needed to better manage the risks and costs associated with health care.

For third party administrators (TPAs) in need of help marketing self-funded plans to employers, the NAEBA can help. For information on membership and the resources provided to members, visit our website at www.naeba.net.

SIP contacted Barcelona Creative Group, an integrated marketing agency located in Palos Heights, IL, to bring their website up-to-date. SIP’s new website acts as a 24 hour resource center for plan participants and employers. The user-friendly design provides quick and easy access to information concerning healthcare plans, healthcare news, and wellness programs.

Plan participants can now easily access the information they need to efficiently use their healthcare plan. They have access to spending account balances, status of claims, current healthcare news, provider directories and other information about their plans. Participants also have access to any forms they may need for filing a claim. The site also features a plethora of wellness information, aiming to assist plan participants in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

For employers and broker/agent partners, the site acts as a library of resources that provides marketing tools, newsletters, forms, video presentations and more. SIP’s new website provides information on the different kinds of healthcare plans employers may want to offer to their group, as well as current healthcare and wellness news. With Healthcare Reform, the law is evolving. The new website offers a downloadable Healthcare Reform timeline that details when changes in the law become effective.

Employers can access information regarding their benefits plan at any time. They can log in to the new site to view their plan of benefits, billing reports, monthly reports, and enrollment terminations, changes and additions. The improved website makes finding information simple.

Visit Self Insured Plans, LLC’s new website at www.selfinsuredplans.com. SIP is a member of the NAEBA.

Below you will see how many times, according to Google, the following terms are being searched per month in the United States:

When it comes to your website’s visibility, both by search engines and internet users, you do not want to be stuck playing hide and seek. Your website needs to be easy to find when people are searching for the services that you offer. The harder it is to locate you online, the more likely searchers are to give up or find someone else who can solve their problem. That someone else might even be your local competitor.

Third party administrators need to focus on improving the visibility of their website in organic search engine results through search engine optimization (SEO). Good SEO helps search engines find and rank your web page higher than other sites that relate to search queries. Using relevant keywords and having proper page titles and meta tags is very important. Does your website have these items in place?

How to Establish Relevant Keywords

Spend time brainstorming keywords and phrases that are relevant to the plans and services you offer. Try to think in terms of how your customers or prospects would search for your business. Sometimes even though you think you know how prospective clients are searching, it’s not always accurate.

For example, you might think people are searching for ‘consumer directed plans’ when they are really searching more often for ‘cdhp’.

Below are some free and simple tools that we use to research keywords when we are building websites for our third party administrators.

1. Google Wonder Wheel

Google’s Wonder Wheel can be accessed by first performing a Google search on a term or phrase, then selecting ‘Wonder Wheel’ on the left hand side under ‘filter options.’ Google will present you with a visual of how it groups together keywords. This tool shows you how the majority of users perceive search terms – providing you with insight into which keywords to choose for your site.

For example, if you search ‘third party administrator’ and select the Wonder Wheel, Google displays the searched term in the center of the web and more specific terms that stem from it.

When ‘self-insured health plans’ is searched, using the Google Wonder Wheel (shown below), we can see that from this search stems searches such as ‘what is a self funded insurance plan’ and ‘fully insured health plans’. When ‘what is a self funded insurance plan’ is searched the link ‘Fully Insured vs. Self-Funded’ appears at the top of the organic results, second only to Wikipedia. This link leads to Physician’s Care’s website, owned by ASR Health Benefits – an NAEBA member TPA. ASR’s page appears at the top of organic search results simply because they have a page explaining the difference between self insured and fully funded plans.

2. Google Adwords Keyword Tool

Another tool that can be used to view both the competitiveness of keywords and how often they are searched is the Google Adwords Keyword Tool. As a website development and search engine optimization agency, we use this free tool regularly and it can be useful to you as well. The tool allows you to view how often your keywords are searched globally and locally. It also gives you a rating of how much competition there is for that keyword, based on Adwords advertisers. Google Adwords Keyword Tool can give you some insight into what consumers are actually looking for. Individuals who are searching ‘third party administrator’ might just be looking for general information while those searching for ‘tpa costs’ are probably more interested in purchasing services. Having information from these tools can help you determine what content you may want to add to your website.

With the increasing amount of search traffic for ‘third party administrators’ and related topics, it is crucial to have relevant keywords and content on your website. Having the right information on your site can increase traffic and ultimately help you generate more leads. Using the tools mentioned in this blog, you can establish topics to cover on your site that will establish your business as an expert in the employee benefits field.

The unfortunate thing is that to an increasing extent, employers are using social media to engage employees on important topics such as benefits, health, wellness and healthcare reform. By ignoring these tools, third party administrators (TPAs) are missing out on opportunities to build relationships with employers, referral sources and plan participants.

Engage with Employers and Plan Participants

Today, nearly 10% of top companies are using social networking sites to establish two-way dialogue to listen to and influence employees. Employers are looking for new ways to educate their employees about their health benefits and the information they need to convey is becoming more and more complex. Imagine the value in giving employers a resource that will help them deliver information on how to better use their benefit plan. Social media can help create a workplace where employers and plan participants have constant access to timely information, wellness tips, disease management information, as well as updates on healthcare reform.

More and more employers are also confronted with a rapidly changing workforce and to meet the needs of a multi-generational workforce, information about health and wellness needs to be provided in new and different ways. When it comes to communicating, the same rules that existed for generations no longer apply. Some employees may respond to postcards and newsletters, while others want to receive updates and information by email or even text messages. What better way to help employers cope than for you, their trusted benefits administration expert, to utilize these tools in your own communications. Be ahead of the curve so when employers look for help implementing these tools to communicate with employees about their benefit plans, you can be a valuable resource for them.

Stop Trying to Control the Message

The fear of negative content being posted on social media sites stops many businesses from diving in. They are afraid that putting their business out there may bring back feedback that is less than fabulous. I guess you could say that too few businesses look at this issue from a “glass half full” perspective. A negative comment can actually provide you with a better understanding of your customers, prospects and employees. Being pro-active and addressing areas that need improvement can show how much you care about customer service. This approach can also show how much you care about your workforce.

Transparency is very important to today’s healthcare consumer. They want to know that the organizations they do business with exist in the social media space. They also want to know more about a company’s values, how they conduct business and they use social media to investigate and ask their networks for help or referrals. Social media tools allow you to bring life to your organization and create conversation with existing clients and contacts. They also put your service offerings in front of new employers, brokers and agents, which can generate new business and help you build valuable relationships faster than you could before.

Remember, This is a Two-Way Street

While many organizations question the value or relevance of social media tools, others are learning, first hand, that they really can be worth the time and effort if they are used effectively. Simply having a social media presence is not enough, and solely pushing information out without generating engagement isn’t the answer either.

Communicating through social media is a two-way street. As these networks evolve, listening to employers, brokers and plan participants will be essential in building long-term relationships and trust. But before you can listen, you first have to get people talking. Don’t just throw information at them, ask questions and engage! Find out what they need, what they are interested in hearing from you and what solutions they are looking for. One key to success in social media communication is word-of-mouth – you can’t just say it, you must get other people to say it.

To a large extent, social media is very similar to other more traditional forms of communication. While each organization will have different goals for communicating and engaging the public, every industry, including employee benefits administration, can find value in social media tools. The key is to let go of the fear, think about the upside potential and make a commitment to dive in and test the waters. Like other industries have experienced, TPAs who embrace these tools and learn to make them work for their business and their customers, will have a tremendous advantage over those who do not.

What is a QR Code?

QR codes, or quick response codes, are a type of 2D barcode with an encoded URL that may be accessed using your smartphone. You simply take a picture of the QR code with your QR code reader (free applications available for iPhone and Android phones) and the reader connects you to the encoded URL. Try scanning the QR code on the right.

How are they being used?

Consumers want immediate access to what is relevant and QR codes are being used to make that possible. They have proven to be very useful in marketing and convenience related applications. While QR codes are relatively new to the U.S., they are ubiquitous in Japan. They are used for everything from giving away free products to providing nutrition information at McDonalds. This technology seems to be bringing together the real world and the virtual world, providing a vital link between traditional and digital marketing.

The newness of QR codes does limit their success, but if used properly they can be extremely beneficial. Many people still do not recognize QR codes when they see them. Advertisers still need to explain how QR codes work and what steps the viewer has to take to access the additional information. Still, they can be a good fit for your business and your audience.

The practical implementation of QR codes is creating a lot of buzz. They rely on technology that many social media users already have – a smartphone.

A little about how various businesses are using QR codes:

On business cards: Instead of overloading your business card with all of your contact information, include the minimum and then create a QR code leading people to your website or your social media sites.

Product Labels: While enjoying a bottle of wine someone has received as a gift, they notice the QR code on the label and immediately scan it. It takes them to a mobile site where they can learn more about the product, and even purchase it online.

Storefront displays: These may allow customers access to the products in the store even when they are not open. If your store is closed for the day, create a “Shop Online Now!” sign complete with a QR code that leads to your e-commerce site.

For Promotions: Create discounts that are specific to QR codes. Run these codes in advertisements or display them in your store. You can also turn them into a Facebook “like” or a Twitter “retweet” to spread word of the promotion.

To Gain Followers: Create mobile landing pages with Facebook “like” buttons or lead them to your Twitter page. Use QR codes to link to specific blog posts that have generated an abundance of activity. Get people engaged!

Remember… a newsletter is only as good as your commitment to use it. It won’t do any good sitting on a shelf or as a PDF on your desktop. Digital technology makes tweaking the newsletter to meet your specific needs quick and easy. The power of cooperative marketing through the NAEBA makes it affordable.

Below are 10 ways a newsletter can be used to help TPAs communicate with employers and offer added value to their plan services.

1. Mail or Email to Clients – Mail or email the newsletter to contacts at each client company. If you incorporate current news about your staff or capabilities, expand your database to include more people than just one decision maker. You never know when things are going to change and you want more than one or two people to know about your firm.

2. Brokers & Consultants – If you market through agents, brokers and consultants, include them on your distribution list. For that special broker who maintains a large client base, consider ordering some with his or her name imprinted on the newsletter, along with yours. Every time they hand it to someone, they’re promoting your good name and your expertise along with theirs.

3. Help Consumers – Email the newsletter to covered employees or deliver a quantity of printed newsletters to each client location (employee entrances, sign-in-areas, employee cafeterias or lounges, training rooms, meeting rooms). It’s a great tool in this age of consumerism.

4. Website Highlight – Link to a PDF version of your newsletter on your website. Your homepage or a “News” page are great places for it. Today, there are plenty of social media tools available to help you increase traffic to the link.

5. Include Local Media – Send each issue to business editors at your local, city and regional newspapers and business publications. Healthcare is a huge topic – use this tool to become the expert they go to when perspective is needed.

6. Referral Sources – Don’t forget accountants and attorneys – they maintain close working relationships with many owners, senior officers and decision makers. They need to know what you’re up to and the whole idea behind the newsletter is to help you establish your firm as THE HEALTH BENEFITS EXPERT in your marketplace.

7. A Leave Behind – If you have your own sales team, give a small supply to each member so they can use it as a leave behind for prospects and cold calls or as a mail-out in anticipation of their appointments. You may even consider personalizing a small supply for each “producer” by printing their photo, name and title on the front page.

8. Trade Show Handout – The newsletter can make a great trade show handout. If a big expo or conference is coming up, and a newsletter is due to arrive before the conference – you may want to put a message on the front page, such as “Look for us at the Spring Underwriters Conference – Booth #100.”

9. At Your Office – Newsletters should be on display in your offices and a reception counter or conference room are good locations.

10. Proposal Insert – Many members include these newsletters in their proposal booklets along with other collateral marketing materials.