Technology has changed the landscape for many businesses. Health insurance is among them. There’s been a giant shift in the way brokers do business today, especially as compared to 15 years ago. Technology has improved processes, made shopping and comparing plans much easier for employers and employees, and expedited the enrollment process for enrollees, brokers, general agents, and carriers.
What’s Different?
For employers, it’s now easier than ever to get a quote for Major Medical and other coverage for employees. All that’s needed is a group census and a discussion with a broker about any preferred providers the employer or employees might want to see in the quote.
Technology also makes it simpler today for your clients and their employees to shop and compare plans, so they can find the plan that best suits their individual or family health care needs. They can see plan comparisons side by side, with details about deductibles, copays, prescription drug benefits, in- and out-of-network out-of-pocket maximum, etc.
After the quote is accepted and the group is nearing enrollment, the next decision is whether to go with a paper or online enrollment, or some combination (depending on whether employees are all in one location or spread out in multiple sites).
Online Vs. Paper
While paper used to be the norm for benefits enrollments – and may still be preferred by some smaller groups – there’s a growing trend toward online enrollment. Enrolling online is faster, reduces paper waste, simplifies changes (if employees make a mistake or change their mind about their enrollment choices), and streamlines things for everyone: you, your clients, and their employees.
A paper enrollment is now less efficient, requires the completion of forms by hand, generates waste, makes it harder for enrollees to make changes, and takes longer to submit and process. So, given a choice, if your client is open to online enrollment, you may want to talk with them about the many advantages it offers.
Online Enrollment and Benefit Administration Options
Word & Brown has partnerships with several different vendors that offer online enrollment and HR and benefits management solutions for you and your clients. They include:
- EaseCentral: Combine online enrollment, onboarding, and HR documents. Save time by eliminating paper forms, reducing errors, and creating digital files for you and your groups.
- Employee Navigator: Software for insurance brokers, carriers, and HR departments, it combines communications, enrollment, and decision support to make running a business easier.
- GoCo: Simplifies hiring, onboarding, time management, and benefits administration; GoCo is a system designed to help save employers’ time, so they can focus on what they do best.
- Maxwell Health: A web-based benefits and tech solution offering online enrollment, paperless administration, HR functionality integrations, and robust benefits strategies, including Ancillary.
Each of these preferred vendors offers pricing based on your group’s size, so you’re sure to find a match for your clients – and for your block of business.
We make the switch to online enrollment easy. Just ask your Word & Brown rep how to get started. If you’re not already working with us, contact any of our six regional offices in California and Nevada.
