You know the cost of everything else you buy... why should employee benefits be any different?
A new
CMS LAW now requires employee benefits brokers
to
DISCLOSE ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR COMPENSATION IN WRITING to plan sponsors annually. "Compensation" includes not only the direct fees they charge but also any commissions, bonuses, or incentives they may receive from insurance carriers or other third parties. The goal of this law was to force transparency where there has been none in the past.
Employers and plan sponsors are now responsible to fully understand and independently evaluate how their broker is compensated in order to
FULFILL THEIR FIDUCIARY DUTIES TO PLAN PARTICIPANTS. They must evaluate the appropriateness of the compensation, and identify any potential conflicts of interest in which a broker may be incentivized to select one product, strategy or vendor over another, possibly at the expense of what is right for the plan sponsor and participants.
When selecting an employee health plan broker,
A WISE FIDUCIARY WILL CHOOSE ONE WHOSE FEE STRUCTURE DOES NOT ALLOW THE BROKER TO HAVE MISALIGNED INCENTIVES.
Historically, many brokers have been paid on a percentage of your health plan's premiums. The problem with this fee structure is that it sets your broker's profitability in direct opposition to your own. When you receive a 40% health plan increase in a subsequent year, your expenses go up, but your broker gets a pay raise. This creates a conflict of interest, as your broker now benefits from the very rate hikes you're trying to avoid!
Brokers focused on aligning their values with your plan's interests look for a better way.
In an industry fraught with opaqueness, behind-closed-door deals, and frequent sleight of hand, we are leading the way with our own FULLY TRANSPARENT FEE-BASED compensation model. By cutting ties with commission-based incentives, and by earning our bonus based on your plan's performance, we have aligned our interests with yours. You can count on our commitment to research and provide fully transparent and industry-leading advice with a strong focus on controlling YOUR costs.
