Rethinking the Employer/Payer Relationship

  • August 27, 2018
  • Blog

This column originally appeared on HR Dive. In his New York Times column on the roots of employer-based health insurance in the United States (a quick, essential read), researcher and pediatrician Aaron E. Carroll notes how competition for workers during WWII was the impetus for the modern-day employer-based system. Fearing a wage battle in a very tight … Continue Reading

Employee Benefit Adviser: Is the Amazon purchase a bitter pill for brokers? Healthcare experts weigh in

Comments from Shandon Fowler: “It’s a very practical purchase in keeping with Amazon’s laser focus on customer needs. Having personalized prescriptions may lead to both healthier and more cost-effective outcomes for individuals, which is Amazon’s stock and trade. “It also appears to follow a pattern of recent moves showing a strong commitment to all demographic … Continue Reading

Employee Benefit News: Advisers seek a tech solution to financial wellness

Meanwhile, new legislation determining how wellness plans are regulated has sparked a renewed interest in finding a streamlined financial wellbeing platform. Shan Fowler, senior director of employer portfolio and product strategy at Benefitfocus, says legislation such as the Employer Participation in Repayment Act and the Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act, will help fuel the creation of a financial … Continue Reading

Employee Benefit Adviser: How cloud based systems are transforming the ‘traditional agency’ approach

  • February 16, 2016
  • Press

A big advantage that employers and brokers alike cite when they move to cloud-based solutions is the data it provides, which in a cloud is in real-time. Data has transformed other industries by connecting data between scaling technology and measuring the scale of that technology, explains Benefitfocus’ Fowler. “Data itself is a piece of snow,” … Continue Reading

HR Dive: The 2016 benefits trends employers need to know

Shan Fowler, senior director of product strategy at Benefitfocus, noted three trends in particular with benefit technology. Consumer experience and support tools. On the consumer side, these tools are helping drive costs down by helping consumers understand and pick the plans that would fit them best.  “There’s been a lot of focus on understanding the … Continue Reading