The Benefits Academy
  • Home
  • Products
  • WA State Long Term Care
    • The TBA Alternative
    • More LTC Info
    • LTC Calculator
  • Our Story
    • Fan Page
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Agent Login

Benefits Bites

Hey Benefits Folks: Gear Up for Q4

10/15/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
Dreading the onslaught of busy season insanity? Here are some tips to help keep your zen alive.
This time of the year can be bone-chilling, and I’m not talking about the weather. Just the thought of Medicare, individual, and the majority of small group medical plans renewing within the next few months can cause even the most experienced benefits professional to want to hide under a nice warm blanket, maybe with a cup of tea. With a little planning, you may be able to enjoy the holiday season amidst the renewals. Here’s my laundry list of things that might help keep you sane.

Share your calendar
If another staff member schedules all (or some) of your meetings, be sure to set them up for success. If your online calendar allows, add permissions so that your staff can add/change meetings. If you aren’t high-tech, then go old fashioned and keep a calendar on that staff member’s desk. If you are setting meetings “on the fly,” get two or three days/times your client can meet, then loop in your staff member to finalize the meeting time with your client. Be sure that the calendar meeting includes the client’s name, their phone number, the location of the meeting, and possibly the coverage(s) they want to discuss. That can make coordinating and confirming meetings much easier later on.

​If traveling to your clients
When meeting people outside your office, you can end up spending most of your day in your car. While ideally you would set certain days, or even weeks, to visit clients in a geographic area, how many of us really stick to that? But, it’s important to try and here’s a tip, outline a possible schedule now – and add those locations/city names to the top of every day on your calendar. When setting meetings, you and your staff can then try to coordinate locations if at all possible. 

Block off your calendar
How long do most of your meetings take? If an hour, then block off your calendar to have 60-minute blocks of time. If you’ll be the one traveling, add in travel time blocks. And remember, you’ll need some “transition” time between your meetings, so set at least 30 minute “blackout” blocks of time between every meeting. This will allow you to act on any urgent items from the meeting, pass tasks off to a staff member, and maybe even grab a bite to eat.

Pack snacks
Speaking of eating, even if you will be meeting clients in your office, put together a grab-bag of items that you can access throughout the day. While the smaller sized Cheez-Its, carrot packets, and almond bags are more expensive, you’ll be less likely to eat through a family sized version in one sitting. Other ideas include cheese sticks, crackers, jerky, trail mix, apples, protein bars - you get the idea! Oh, and water. Lots and lots of water. Be sure some of your snacks are your favorite “comfort” foods, too! Some days you just need some extra pampering. 

Hire temporary help
A person without an insurance license can complete many tasks within your agency. Of course, we’ve already talked about setting meetings and keeping your calendar. Here’s a bevy of other projects you can assign to a helper. Your goal here is to train on just a few specific tasks – your helper doesn’t need to know the entire process of insurance from soup to nuts – they just need to be the expert in the few tasks you need to get off your plate.
  • Pre-Meeting Memos – Have them compile a one-page printed memo per client to prepare you for each meeting, including the client’s name, number, address (if traveling there) and any other specifics you might need. Set up a template so they always fill in everything you’ll need.  
  • Directions – Sure you have MapQuest or Google Maps. I still recommend you have someone print out directions for your entire day, from your home to your first client meeting, then the next, etc. You never know when your navigation system will fall down on the job.
  • Data Entry – Simple tasks, like updating your agency management system, Outlook, an Excel spreadsheet, or any other systems you use will help you stay on track. 
  • Printing – Have them print/collate/staple all employee meeting packets.
  • Collating – Have them put together carrier packets, and task them with ordering additional supplies as needed.
  • Grabbing Quotes – Train one person to be your point person that goes out to carrier sites to obtain quotes, then save them to your server so you can access them easily.      
Use streamlining systems
There are a number of tools on the market to help you with tasks.  While some can add to your workload, there are others that can shave significant time off the clock.  Many of these are included in my company’s free Vetted Vendor Library (sign up required).
  • Achieve Alpha – Prepare your clients regarding individual plans, networks, and more before meeting with them to review options - through these educational videos.
  • Tax Free Premiums – Create a compliant Premium Only Plan document for your clients when their employees pay premiums with pre-tax dollars (or have the client create it themselves!)
  • Join or Zoom – These are just two screen-sharing programs on the market – this is a great way to have meetings with your clients without losing time on the road, for them or you.  They both have free versions, and have added features if you want to “buy up”. 
  • Wired Quotes – Obtain instant quotes from 5 direct carriers and submit RFPs to up to 13 Associations, all through one online system (never create duplicate census data again!)
  • The Benefits Academy – Compare 2 to 4 medical plans in minutes – including over 800 direct carrier and Association Plans available in Washington State.
On a final note, a few other sanity-saving tips: technology, breaks, and breathing. Few things are worse than a dying cell phone when you really need it, with no way to charge it. Make sure you have an extra cell phone charger in your car and office, and for extra measure, buy an external battery pack and keep it charged for emergencies. Same goes for your laptop!  Be sure to schedule short breaks – even 10 minutes in the morning and afternoon – and walk around, go outside in the fresh air or meditate. A quick mental rest can do wonders for your stamina and concentration. And breathe. 

​You will get through this! Here’s wishing you a happy and healthy Q4!
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    This section will not be visible in live published website. Below are your current settings:


    Current Number Of Columns are = 1

    Expand Posts Area =

    Gap/Space Between Posts = 10px

    Blog Post Style = card

    Use of custom card colors instead of default colors =

    Blog Post Card Background Color = current color

    Blog Post Card Shadow Color = current color

    Blog Post Card Border Color = current color

    Publish the website and visit your blog page to see the results

    About Sandy

    I love numbers.  I'm a math geek. I read benefits industry articles and periodicals for relaxation (but, honestly, I'm still a fun gal).  I also like to share what I've learned and you'll find it all here.

    View my profile on LinkedIn

    Archives

    September 2022
    July 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016

    Categories

    All
    2017
    2018
    2019
    2020
    2021
    2022
    2023
    ACA
    ACA Lawsuits
    ACA Reporting
    ADA
    Aetna
    Age-banded Rates
    AHP
    Ambetter
    Association Health Plans
    Associations
    Asuris
    Balanced Billing
    Benefit Bites
    Benefits Coordination
    Biden Administration
    Bridgespan
    Bridge Span
    Busy Season
    Carrier Corner
    Carrier Exit
    Cascade Care
    CMS
    COBRA
    Community Health Plan
    Community Rated Plans
    Compliance Notices
    Continuation
    Conversion
    Coordinated Care
    Coronavirus
    Cost Sharing Programs
    Cost Sharing Reduction
    Data Match
    Dependents
    Direct Primary Care Programs
    Disability Insurance
    Domestic Partners
    EIDL
    Executive Order
    Facility Fees
    Facility Scope Creep
    FAIR Health
    FFCRA
    FSA
    Group Health
    Group Life
    HDHP
    Health Alliance NW
    Healthnet
    Health Savings Account
    Heart Health
    HRA
    HSA
    ICHRA
    Individual
    Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement
    Individualized Medicine
    Individual Mandate
    Individual Penalty
    IRS
    Kaiser
    Kaiser NW
    Kaiser WA
    Life Insurance
    Lifewise
    Long Term Care
    Long Term Care Services And Support Trust Act
    Mandate
    Medicaid
    Medicare
    Medicare For All
    Micro Group
    Moda
    Molina
    Monthly Freebies
    Networks
    Nondiscrimination Testing
    Notice Requirements
    Paid Family & Medical Leave
    Pandemic
    Part D
    Partnership
    PCT Updates
    Penalties
    PFML
    Pharmacogenomics
    Plan Comparison Tool
    Portability
    PPO Networks
    PPP
    Premera
    Prescription Assistance Programs
    Pre-Tax Premiums
    Providence
    PTO
    Public Option
    QSEHRA
    Rates
    Referenced Based Pricing
    Regence
    Regence OR
    Reinsurance
    Renewals
    Repeal
    Risk Adjustment
    Risk Corridor
    Rx Copay Accumulator Programs
    S-Corp
    Section 105(h)
    Section 125
    Section 79
    Self Funded
    Self-funded
    Short Term Medical Plans
    Single Payer
    Small Employer Health Credit
    Small Group
    Social Distancing
    Stimulus
    Subsidies
    Tax Credits
    Trump
    Trust Plans
    Uninsured
    United Hea
    United Healthcare
    Vetted Vendor
    WA Cares
    WA LTC
    WA OIC
    Washington State
    Wellness Program

    RSS Feed

Services

Products
Resources

Company

Our Story
Blog
​Fans

Support

Contact
​Agent Login
© COPYRIGHT 2020. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Products
  • WA State Long Term Care
    • The TBA Alternative
    • More LTC Info
    • LTC Calculator
  • Our Story
    • Fan Page
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Agent Login