As a benefits broker, health care reform (HCR) presents you with the opportunity to not just sell, but to advise. A common theme from the many new Zywave partner interviews I have conducted is that these brokers realized that in order to compete, they needed to offer their clients a lot more than just a competitive price if they expected to compete with the broker down the street. Clients these days are demanding value. They need more than just insurance – such as services that keep them in compliance and their employees informed and productive.

In order to thrive during these turbulent times, you first must have a clear understanding of your customers’ needs. We recently conducted a Health Care Reform Survey, available on your client portal sites. Almost 2,500 of your clients participated in this survey. One of the questions we asked them was what they need and expect from their benefits broker when it comes to HCR. Among other things, they told us the following:

• 94 percent said it was very important or important that their benefits broker offer them legislative updates to help educate them on HCR and its implications
• 88 percent responded that it was very important or important that their benefits broker offer employee educational materials on HCR and its implications
• 87 percent responded that it was important or very important that their benefits broker offer educational seminars on HCR and its implications

This feedback from your clients should be a call to action. If you are not already actively providing these resources to your clients, you need to start – or your competitor will. Broker Briefcase BE (Benefits Edition) makes it easy to meet these client needs and expectations, offering access to:

• 52 employer educational HCR templates comprised of legislative briefs, forms, and presentations that educate and guide both brokers and employers in smaller chunks that are easier to read and digest
• 38 employee communications consisting of easy-to-read flyers, posters and payroll stuffers to help guide employees relative to the different HCR provisions so that they can continue to stay focused and productive
• Model notices and disclosures required under HCR
• Monthly and quarterly employer newsletters that have covered aspects of HCR since its inception
• Prospecting and marketing tools make it easy for you to inform your clients and prospects on your HCR resources

In addition, Zywave continues to offer HCR webinars to both our partners and their clients. If that’s not enough, broker clients can access all of this information self-serve style on their MyWave or MyWave Elements client portal sites, along with an HCR legislative guide that includes frequently asked questions and answers.

HCR presents you with the opportunity to thrive. By helping your clients comply with the new requirements, you will transform from your prior role of price comparison to that of a trusted adviser. Now that is the added value that your clients are expecting.