Cal Broker
will be hanging out with LAAHU and VCAHU Medicare icons at the 5th Annual Medicare Summit August 20-21. The event will take place at Pickwick Gardens in Burbank. Great speakers, great exhibitors and loads of old Hollywood fun. More info here. Register here. Gosh, we’d love to see you!
Cigna Plans For MA Increase
Cigna chief executive David Cordani announced the company plans a 14% increase in its Medicare Advantage footprint, pending regulatory approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Cordani told analysts on the company’s second quarter earnings call that the Cigna sees a “tremendous growth opportunity” in MA plans. Cigna won’t be alone in the MA exuberance. A HealthEdge survey of 201 insurance executives showed 92% said they were increasing or would increase their Medicare Advantage business faster than traditional Medicare business lines. The survey found 96% of executives said value-based options in MA were a factor in the decision to increase MA.
NAIC Launches Podcast
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has launched a podcast, “The Regulators.” The monthly podcast features interviews with regulators and focuses on issues facing the industry. Topics for season one include: annuity suitability, international governance, and climate risk and resiliency. The inaugural segment features NAIC president and Maine insurance superintendent Eric A. Cioppa who discusses the NAIC’s key priorities for 2019, with an emphasis on long-term care insurance (LTCI). Listen and subscribe to “The Regulators” on Spreaker and Spotify.
Aflac Aims to Forge Agent Relationships with Argus
Aflac recently announced plans to acquire the holding company that controls Florida-based Argus Dental & Vision for $75 million in cash. Dan Amos, Aflac’s chief executive officer, says the company expects that the dental and vision strategy will serve to improve recruiting and retention of agents.
Oxford Life Offers Tool for Calculating Annuity and Life Insurance Plans
Oxford Life launched Prosperity Select Combo Calculator, a tool to offer instant comparison of the after-tax value of an annuity purchase versus the after-tax value of an annuity-life insurance combination purchase at a specific point in time. By entering a few details based on the client’s financial status and goals, agents are able to illustrate the most tax-efficient path to pass retirement savings to their children, grandchildren or charitable organizations. Check out this YouTube tutorial. Learn more at www.oxfordlife.com.
340B Programs: For The Love of Drugs & Money
There’s a must-read over at Drug Channels. Adam Fein takes readers through how a 340B hospital can earn thousands of dollars from a prescription that it never dispenses. The article extends his 2019 series looking at the economic mysteries of the 340B Drug Pricing Program. Sneak peek:
For years, hospitals and their lobbyists have been claiming that discounts from the 340B program support care for low-income and uninsured patients. What they don’t say: These discounts are also supporting some of the largest public companies in the U.S.
PayPro Announces EOB Harvesting Service
Submitting the right documentation for FSAs and HRAs to a TPA can be arduous. And with delayed claims, there goes participation. Good news: PayPro has announced it will be rolling out an EOB harvesting service to take care of this. The service will be provided at no additional costs to FSA and HRA clients. Deployment dates for the service will be first come, first serve. More info available here and here.
MetLife CEO Michel Khalaf Pledges to Accelerate Workplace Equality
This is news we love to hear: MetLife announced that it has joined the Catalyst CEO Champions For Change, a transformational diversity and inclusion project launched by Catalyst, an organization dedicated to accelerating the progress of women at work. MetLife joins more than 60 other global companies that have committed to drive change. CEO Michel Khalaf signed a pledge that the company will work to:
- Accelerate progress in the representation of women, including women of color, in executive and senior level positions over five years.
- Maintain (where strong) or accelerate the representation of women, including women of color, on the company’s Board of Directors over five years.
- Strengthen the pipeline of women through an annual review of internal diagnostics and use leading practices to address any identified issues.
- Benchmark and track inclusion and improve the culture of inclusion within the organization.
- Share key representation metrics with Catalyst for benchmarking and reporting of collective progress.
MetLife joins the Catalyst CEO Champions For Change initiative just a few months after it became the 27th company, and the first insurer, to join the UN Women Global Innovation Coalition for Change. Bravo, MetLife!
WBMania Attendees Say Om
NAHU member and Cal Broker editorial advisory board member Naama O. Pozniak strikes again! Pozniak shared her love for meditation — and how it can help reduce stress and healthcare costs– at the 2019 Workplace Benefits Mania Conference in Las Vegas last month. Besides meditation, there were also excellent sessions such as: leveraging benefit trends, shaping the future of healthcare, attracting clients & talent in our modern marketplace, migrating consulting fees in a commissioned-based world, direct primary care, data protecting tech and more. More info soon on dates for the 2020 WBMania.
LAAHU Vanguard Happy Hour
Thursday, August 8, 2019, Vino Wine & Tapas Room, 18046 Ventura Blvd
Encino, CA 91436, 5:30-7:30p.m RSVP here.
LAAHU and VCAHU 5th Annual Medicare Summit– We’ll see you here!
August 20-21, Pickwick Gardens, Burbank
Join Los Angeles and Ventura County Health Underwriters to “Become a Medicare Icon.” Speakers, breakouts, CE and much more! Sponsorship and exhibit info here. Register here.
NAHU Region VIII Leadership Conference
August 25-26, The Queen Mary, Long Beach
Training and strategic planning for all local board positions, plus an opportunity to network with other leaders. Early bird pricing of $149 includes evening reception on 8/25 and a full day of conference on 8/26. Stay in a deluxe stateroom for only $129. Patrick Burns, NAHU Region VIII vp, will preside as ship captain. The event is hosted by LAAHU and OCAHU.
Association of Health Underwriters Senior Summit– We’ll see you here!
August 28-29, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula
The Sixth Annual Senior Summit sponsored by the Inland Empire, Orange County and San Diego Associations of Health Underwriters is the largest AHU Medicare event in the country. Keynotes, breakout sessions, CE and much more. Early bird pricing in effect until Aug 1: $79 for members, $99 for nonmembers. Register here.
LISI Health Benefits & Tech Summit
August 29- Santa Clara
Sept 9- Irvine
LISI presents BETA, the first health benefits and technology summit dedicated to improving the benefits industry through technology-focused collaboration and forward thinking. Network with a community of professionals engaged in the development of broker, carrier and partner technologies. Educational talks, tech focus groups, CE credit courses, guest appearances and much more. Admission is free! Registration and info here.
NAIFA- Los Angeles- Life Insurance Awareness Event
August 29, 2019, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm, Taix French Restaurant, Echo Park
PERKS LA – The Employee Experience Expo- We’ll see you here! Discount for CB readers!
September 11, Magic Box @ The Reef, Los Angeles
See the largest selection of perks, services, amenities and benefits for your clients, prospects and their employees. Plus VIP workshops and fitness, giveaways, free food and drink samples, happy hour and more for all ticket holders. Register at here with code CALBROKER (20% off!) and also check out sponsor/exhibiting details.
NAAIA National Conference & Empowerment Summit
Sept 11-13, Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Atlanta, GA
Leaders from across the insurance and financial services profession will come together at this high energy industry event to further the education, advancement and uplifting of African American insurance professionals. More info at www.naaia.org.
LIMRA Group & Worksite Benefits Conference
Sept 10-12, Newport Marriott, Rhode Island
The conference will focus on key industry issues, including factors driving change in the benefits market. Executives and professionals in the workplace benefits area are encouraged to attend and network at this collaborative event. Tom Wamberg, chief executive officer, Wamberg Genomic Advisors, will open the conference by talking about how genomic developments will change every long-held belief of the life and health insurance industries. He’ll discuss genomic products and their potential risks, rewards and regulations. The following day, these industry leaders will share their thoughts on today’s most important topics in the workplace space:
- Lori L. High, senior vice president, Sales & Relationship Management – Group Benefits, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.
- Gene Lanzoni, assistant vice president, Thought Leadership – Group & Worksite Marketing, Guardian Life Insurance Company of America;
- Jeanette Rice, president and chief operating officer, American Fidelity Assurance Company; and
- Bill Smith, president, Cigna Group Insurance
Registration and info here.
CAHU Annual Conference & Symposium
Oct 3-5, Costa Mesa
Register here for early bird rates.
Alliance of Comprehensive Planners 2019 Annual Conference
Nov. 12-15, Hyatt Regency Mission Bay, San Diego
The Alliance of Comprehensive Planners (ACP) is a community of tax-focused financial planners who provide planning strategies for clients on a fee-only retainer basis. Conference early bird registration rates (which expire Oct. 11, 2019) are in effect now. Participation is open to all interested financial professionals. Companies interested in sponsoring the ACP Annual Conference should contact Jill Colsch at jill@acplanners.org. The agenda is available here: https://2019.acplanners.org/home. More info here.
CAHU Women’s Leadership Conference
March 25-27, 2020, JW Marriott Resort&Spa, Las Vegas
Save the date! Get early bird pricing by registering by 8/31/19 and using code NAHU19. More info at www.cahu.org.