Brown and Brown Consulting

The changing demographics of the current workforce and advances in medical technology have dramatically changed the employee benefits landscape. For many employers, the costs of providing employee benefits have risen at double-digit rates, and are rising faster than their revenue growth. Therefore it is not surprising that costs have become a driving factor in employee benefit plan designs.

Our customers, in conjunction with their Brown and Brown Consulting consulting team, are addressing the following issues:

•	Are our benefits competitive with other organizations in our peer groups (industry and local economy)?
•	Are there viable, alternative funding arrangements available to help us control costs?
•	What is the appropriate level of cost sharing between employer and employee?
•	Will consumer directed plans such as Health Reimbursement Account's or Health Savings Accounts work for my employees?

Experience and proprietary data systems enable us to focus on the core areas that drive costs taking us beyond plan brokering. Our analysis includes but is not limited to:

•	Utilization Review – Using your actual plan/claims data, we can identify specific patterns of plan use within your firm and compare them to national and regional norms. This comprehensive review will enable you to make adjustments to your plans to address specific areas of concern.
•	Performance Review - All insurers are capable of paying a claim, our goal is to have the claim processed in a fashion consistent with the objectives and standards that you have established. Are claims being paid properly? Are the carriers aggressively capturing coordination of benefits savings? Are sufficient savings being generated in relation to Usual, Reasonable, and Customary charges?
•	Cost Management - Does the design of the program encourage the most expensive type of treatment? Are low cost alternatives excluded from coverage? Are unnecessary treatments covered? Cost control deals with the avoidance of unnecessary expenses and receiving treatment at the most cost effective facilities, commensurate with quality care. In many instances we are able to make necessary adjustments without sacrificing benefits or recommend changes in a fashion that will not alienate valued employees.