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Complex risks will always be part of life, and managing them well requires specialized expertise. Expertise that understands what you need to protect what you’ve built. Let NFP take the worry out of protecting it all and help you build for the future.
Kevin Brown
Team Oversight
Kevin will oversee the strategic development of your benefit program. Joining NFP in 2017, with 20+ years of group insurance carrier experience, coupled with twelve years with a large Texas regional insurance broker, Kevin’s extensive employee benefits consulting and leadership experience in Central Texas drives NFP’s commitment to exceed client expectations with innovative offerings and a consistent, highly personalized experience. Starting his employee benefits career at Great-West Life, where he helped employers and brokers implement and service self-funded medical plans for 15 years; Kevin’s subsequent roles included, Vice President of key accounts in Central Texas at UnitedHealthcare and, most recently, Market President and statewide employee benefits Practice Leader at large Texas-based regional insurance broker. Additionally, Kevin has served on the Executive Advisory Council for BCBS of TX, and the National Advisory Council for United Healthcare.
Mark O'Leary
Lead Consultant, Strategy and Deliverables
Mark will be responsible for all aspects of the NFP Health & Welfare delivery model, specializing in analysis, implementation, vendor negotiation, and strategic initiatives. He provides daily hands-on service to clients, offering timely and creative solutions to meet their needs. Mark is a champion for companies that are looking for creative programs, strategic direction, and meaningful cost savings in their benefits program. Mark’s expertise includes healthcare financing, budgeting, direct primary care, compliance, stop-loss insurance, self-funding, direct provider contracting, pharmacy program carve-out arrangements, and strategy development.
Joining NFP in January 2020, Mark brings 25 years of experience working directly with employers and 30 total years in the employee benefits industry. Starting his career in 1990 at Travelers, Mark was a Senior Underwriter for self-insured plans; subsequent roles include Regional Sales Director of Consumer Driven Programs for UnitedHealthcare; Senior Account Executive roles at both Lockton and Mercer; and most recently, a consultant for a large Texas-based regional insurance broker, where he worked with employers of all sizes and funding strategies. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin business school, majoring in finance and minoring in statistics, Mark also holds the following designations: Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS), Group Benefit Associate (GBA), Health Insurance Associate (HIA).
Courtney Robinson
Day-to-day Contact
Courtney is a 15-year veteran of the employee benefits industry and offers a unique blend of insight, expertise, and problem solving. Admired for her unparalleled customer service and attention to detail, Courtney is a trusted benefits partner with a remarkable history of working with corporations large and small to design, implement, and maintain robust benefits packages. Courtney prides herself on being proactive rather than reactive and it is a trait that has become invaluable to her clients. She manages 15 accounts that range in size from 100 to 800 lives.
Courtney’s prior work experience includes the following: Account Executive for USI; Account Manager for Ball/Peoples in Austin; Account Manager for Brown & Company in College Station. Courtney earned her Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University and is a certified Professional in Human Resources. When she is not speaking with clients about employee benefits, she can be found fly-fishing with her husband and relishing every moment with her 2 children.
Kelsi Stroman
Service Issues
Kelsi has been with NFP for the last 3 years and has been working in employee benefits for a year. While Kelsi has only been in the employee benefits industry for 3 years, she has over 12 years of customer service experience and has a background in HR. Kelsi is quickly learning the industry and will be a great resource for your employees because she has a fresh take on benefits. Kelsi is very dedicated to providing the upmost service, ensuring your employees receive the best assistance for claims issues, connecting them with special resources and any additional services when needed. From Kelsi’s previous position at NFP, she has a proven track record for detail when it comes to working with carrier feeds. Further assuring that your employees are in good hands.
Prior to working for NFP, Kelsi worked in higher education, managing, and training an office of student employees.
Karim Qamruddin
Reporting and Analytics
Karim brings 15 years of experience in the benefits and financial services industry. He has spent most of his career specializing in marketing, analysis, benefits administration technology, and benchmarking health and welfare benefits. His ability to evaluate and analyze benefits and insurance plans from an economic perspective enhances our ability to achieve client goals. Prior to joining NFP, Karim served as an analyst at Mercer and with Bswift. Karim holds a Bachelor of Science in management from the University of Phoenix.
Client Engagement
- Focus on Total Rewards
- First gain a clear understanding of goals and financials to create a multi-year benefits strategy.
- Competition for talent is at all time high, especially in technology. Our clients balance employee compensation and benefit costs to attract and retain employees
- With record numbers of employees leaving their jobs and inflation putting pressure on both employers and employees is raising their awareness of the importance and cost of employee benefits.
- “Employers look to expand health benefits while managing medical costs.” (McKinsey 5/25/22)
- Benefit decisions can't be made in vacuum; Luminex/Diasorin culture, population, claims data and risk tolerance must be taken into consideration to minimize disruption. Prioritizing major goals enables us to build a strategy.
- Major objectives: Harmonization, vendor consolidation, cost management, well-being, consumerism, employee education
- Employers increasing benefit offerings with targeted benefits/point solution programs to improve employee experience which can be used a trade off to increasing traditional medical and dental contributions
- NFP provides numerous options to improve benefits with the goal of keep costs neutral, by evaluating all traditional and non-traditional options.
- Fully engaged rewards programs take into account benefits, well-being, leadership effectiveness and support, community impact, work environment, learning and development, and work/life balance
Benefits Harmonization
Advantages of Harmonizing the Benefits under a Total Rewards Strategy
Total Rewards Strategy
- Easier to oversee and create value across the organization.
- Consistent Well Being and Engagement programs.
- Benefits equality allows for reliable measurement of benefit value.
- Leadership confidence that program aligns with the goals of attracting, retaining and motivating employees.
Benefit Consistency reduces Administration
- Fewer transactions with vendor partners (invoices, file feeds, claims management)
- Promotions and position changes unaffected by benefits
- Simplifies HRIS and Benadmin tracking and contribution management.
Cost Efficiencies
- More reliable and predictable claims modeling
- Lower cost per unit
- Singular stop loss risk transfer
Benefits of Harmonized Benefits and Vendor Partners
- Utilization and data management is unbiased by the different programs.
- Higher tier of service priority with partners.
- Consistency in how benefits are administered.
- Easier to add targeted point solutions.
Consulting Services
Reporting
We offer our clients a comprehensive reporting package with a focus on actionable outcomes and dashboard/executive reports. Performance is measured versus normative benchmarks and prior year data. Trends, risks, gaps, etc. are identified through this process, and solutions are offered when appropriate.
We have regular meetings (quarterly, annually, and as needed) to discuss claims experience, exposure changes, and general administrative matters that affect overall plan performance. The level of detail included in each of these reports varies depending on the amount of claims experience available.
Innovu
Price Transparency
For the first time, employer can reprice medical claims using publicly posted cost transparent hospital/payer (carriers/payers) pricing for healthcare procedures to benchmark against other local, regional and national networks.
NFP's TPNet tool provides comprehensive benchmarking of providers, facilities, and payers to compare with quality scoring of medical procedures and services against other local, regional and national providers.
Benchmarking
Benchmarking
Compliance
Employee Experience
Employer Experience
Well-Being
Mental Fitness Center
Innovation
A “What If” Approach to Innovation
For NFP, innovation is about ideation that connects problems with solutions and positively impacts people. Our approach is collaborative, inclusive and purpose driven. While many people equate innovation solely to technology, true innovation is about creating value – by solving problems, enhancing convenience, reducing cost – in our everyday lives.
Point Solution Examples
Onboarding and Marketing Timeline for 2024 Renewal
Current Client Relationships
Actuarial Services
NFP’s Actuarial Services Team provides you with the precision required in today’s complex benefits landscape. Services include consultations, analyses and valuations related to all health and welfare programs and plans.
Our actuarial staff is committed to assisting in implementing the financing, risk, administration, and marketing of health care arrangements. Our Actuarial Services Team provides over 75 combined years of world-class actuarial input and expertise.
Our high-quality products are your solutions for:
•Incurred but not reported (IBNR) estimates
•and certifications
•Cost projections, including rate development and adequacy certifications
•Pricing of alternative health plan designs
•Review and analysis of rate renewal proposals
•Self-insurance feasibility and cost analysis
•Analysis and determination of proper stop-loss retention levels, stop-loss rates and proposals
•Calculation and certification of COBRA rate equivalents
•Other post-employment benefits (OPEB) valuations, in accordance with the FASB and GASB accounting rules
•Mental health parity testing
•Medicare Part D creditability testing
Rx Solutions
Skyrocketing prescription drug prices stand out as the fastest rising healthcare-related cost for employers. Gross prescription prices have increased 4-8% annually for the past five years, but through NFP Rx Solutions’ contract negotiations and clinical programs, net prescription prices for our clients have actually decreased 1-4% annually over the same period.
The NFP Rx Solutions team will assist your account team by developing ideas and recommendations to manage expenses and utilization. Rx Solutions manages prescription drug benefits costs through vendor selection, pharmacy plan audits, clinical management, plan design, and sophisticated analytics. The team of pharmacists, managed care veterans, and data analysts are experienced in designing and implementing successful strategies.
With customized analytical tools, the Rx Solutions team focuses on prescription drug plan financial stability and the quality of member care, driven by robust data analysis. Scope of services include managing all phases of a competitive Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) selection process, negotiating new or renewal contract terms and language, overseeing prescription plan implementation and clinical initiatives, financial and clinical analysis, and evaluation of PBM services and programs (including results against performance guarantees).
Stop-Loss COE
In an environment where benefits costs are skyrocketing, employee needs are as dynamic as they’ve ever been, and attracting and retaining talented employees is a constant struggle, voluntary benefits are a cost-effective way for employers to solve multiple benefit challenges.
In-House Compliance Team
Navigating shifting regulations gracefully can feel impossible at times. Our experts can back you up.
Reporting and filing requirements, notification requirements, maintaining compliant offerings and navigating privacy considerations keep you busy. Keeping track of deadlines, on top of everything else, can be the last straw.
We use our in-depth industry knowledge to make things easier on you by offering:
- In-house compliance professionals who dedicate their time to understanding the laws and regulations
- A compliance checklist developed by former IRS and DOL attorneys with an employer size- and type-adjusted compliance audit and links to model notices/action steps
- A web-based compliance portal with FAQs, a benefits compliance library and other resources, such as client-facing training webinars
- Proactive updates, including our biweekly Compliance Corner newsletter on federal and state regulatory changes, podcasts, and links to model notices and upcoming deadline reminders
- Healthcare reform modeling tools and resources featuring actuarial-backed tools for the employer mandate, plan design changes, excise taxes and more
Compliance can feel like an uphill battle. Fiduciary responsibilities aren’t getting any easier. Complying with privacy and discrimination laws isn’t always clear cut. Ensuring timely, compliant notice distributions is a logistical headache. Creating and communicating clear military and parental leave policies can be confusing, especially for companies that operate across state lines. That’s the tip of the iceberg, and the rules seem to be changing all the time.
Let our dedicated compliance professionals help you steer clear of common pitfalls, avoid costly mistakes and clarify your compliance practices.
Whether it’s a fully insured health plan, a self-insured plan or a consumer-driven plan, you’ll have solutions designed to help keep your employees – and your company – healthy and happy.
Voluntary Benefits COE
From inception and implementation, engagement to measurement, our Voluntary Benefits Center of Excellence removes the barriers that often discourage employers from offering a robust employee benefits program.
Our VB quoting panel efficiently provides competitive and meaningful supplemental health plan quotes, including critical illness, accident, hospital indemnity, and permanent life (with/without LTC) coverage, with additional such as identity theft, legal, and pet insurance.
Our enrollment and engagement services connect employees to offerings through communication and streamlined benefits administration and enrollment. NFP clients can choose from on-site benefit counselors, call center benefit counselors, and an open enrollment communications site with product videos, and much more.
The VB COE manages the process between NFP teams and voluntary benefits partners, streamlining interactions between you, our experts, and benefits and engagement vendors with the intention to improve employee’s enrollment experience.
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