KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
NO ONE KNOWS HOW LONG THE PANDEMIC WILL CONTINUE AND DISABILITY, CRITICAL ILLNESS, LIFE, HOSPITAL EVEN ID THEFT PLANS MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES?
pAMELA WHITFIELD - dEC ak bIZ mAG ARTICLE ON cOVID & iNSURANCE
Change has been constant since Spring of 2020 and never was that experience more than at the workplace. With so much disruption, where would a HR professional or CFO get highly valuable, relevant and timely information to help navigate their benefit programs needs in 2022and beyond?
The Answer
With our organization as nothing is more powerful than giving away the knowledge of 25+ years in voluntary. Pamela wrote and designed the course “Voluntary Benefits and Enrollment Best Practices in the New Covid World” in summer of 2020. Immediately it was approved launched for Continuing Education (CE) for both SHRM (Society of Human Resource Manager) and the State of Alaska for Life & Health producers.
It was a given often and with was highly attended. For example, in Alaska in September of 2020, over 65 HR professionals (with SHRM Alaska State Chapter) attended the course virtually. Pamela also gave the course to the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce (with over 35 businesses attending). The course was also given to brokers in Alaska and one of Anchorage’s top brokers (The Wilson Agency) pulled their client’s together for a monthly “lunch and learn”.
Moving the agency to Oahu, Pamela gave the (updated 2021) course to 75 Hawaii agents and brokers on July 15th and over 44 SHRM members Nov 4th.
volntary benefits course
Who should attend?
- Human Resource Managers,
- VP’s and Directors
- CFO/CEO/COO
- Benefit Brokers
- Business owners who are passionate about their employees and wish to do more without incurring any additional cost to their benefit budget.
Course outline
In-Depth education on the state of the workplace the two years following Covid-19 impacting our lives.
How are employee’s handling the change? What are their concerns? How has diversity at the workplace affected their unique financial concerns? Stress is high – now that employers know, what can they do? Also touching base on the future of the workplace now that we’re “rounding the corner” with vaccinations and more.
In this part, we review the history of voluntary benefits, as well as the difference is between the policies from the ‘90’s compared to the group plans on the market today. Overview of policies that cover Covid other riders such as mental health and substance abuse. With 2020 in the rear-view mirror, we now have claims data on how one carrier’s Life and Disability claims have been affected by Covid. What is new with carriers and how important “guaranteed issue” is and much more.
Benefits communication and technology platforms are the foundation for successful “covid-compliant” enrollments. How should communication tools be used to drive participation and other neat tools that are fun, effective and on the market now.
Ending with a conclusion of the how employers can take this information and apply it to their organization with regard to evaluating their current plans and why NOW is the time. Also providing a sample recent enrollment case study with a 300-life healthcare entity. Pamela brings it all together to encourage all employers to embrace voluntary as a way to show compassion to their staff, being there for them in a time of uncertainty and moving past any stigma of past negative carrier experiences in 2021 and beyond.
CONTRIBUTING ARTICLES
Alaska Journal of Commerce:
Better Business Bureau Recognizes Whitfield Benefit Solutions of Anchorage.
This article recognized the agency’s winner of the 2016 BBB “Torch Award for Ethics” award for Alaska businesses and how our firm won the award (with only three years in the state).
Alaska Business Journal:
Protect Employee Health, Finances and Future with Ancillary Insurance.
Pamela contributed to this article along with other leaders in the HR community and banking industry. Miss Whitfield highlights the need for products offered at the workplace to be “guaranteed to issue” such as more employees can get valuable coverage due to no health questions.
Alaska Business Magazine:
The Exorbitant Cost of Healthcare in Alaska…health insurance and the bottom line.
Pamela was a contributor, focusing on how voluntary benefits are at no cost to an employer (employees pay the premiums), how plans such as “bridge” or “gap” plans help employees with cash payments for treatment and services not covered by major medical.
Alaska Business Magazine, sole author: Pamela Whitfield:
Voluntary Benefits: An Employer’s Secret Weapon Against Covid-19.
With Covid and lockdowns in full swing, Pamela begins with article with “What if?” What if the most overlooked benefits your company could offer your employees were not only highly valuable but at no cost to your company?” Also discussed was how leaders on the front lines can use these benefits can align with an organization’s mission by providing extra protection at a time of uncertainty and virtual ways to communicate benefits.
Alaska Business Magazine once again had Pamela Whitfield contribute to their December issue which focuses on Healthcare. Ms. Whitfield contributed to the article: Risks, Rewards and Expectations – Covid 19’s impact on insurance trends.
JOINT CE Course
Alaska Life & Health Continuing Education CE Course – Approved Feb. 2020: Stroke Risks & Prevention and Insurance Solutions. Joint class given by Diana Lada and Pamela Whitfield.
COURSE OUTLINE
- Populations most vulnerable
- Risk Factor Analysis
- Why BE FAST about identifying a Stroke
10 MINUTES
- Stroke types and the brain damage involved
- Hemorrhagic events
- Ischemic effects and the long-term consequences
10 MINUTES
- The latest treatments that effect outcomes
- Prehospital awareness of timely response teams
- Medications that diminish cell death
- Interventional Radiological approaches to emergency care
20 MINUTES
- Strokes are preventable
- How to maximize second chances
- Brain rehabilitation matters
15 MINUTES
5 MINUTES
Elite-VB hopes to have Diana over to the islands to share our course with our clients and their employees as there is so much to learn and know about stroke…the leading cause of disability. Critical Illness, Disability and Life Insurance are all voluntary products that address stroke and help to lower the financial impact that it has on those who suffer a stroke as well aiding in recovery and taking that burden off of those who they love.
Through knowledge and education our goal is to be a great resource so that the Hawai’i owned business owners we work with can focus on their business as we continue to be a resource for benefits that fit into a “future that is brighter than the past”.
schedule today!
Never change things by fighting the existing reality…to change something build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.
Buckminister Fuller – 1895-1983 - Engineer-Architect-Futurist