Reality: Insurers maintain the "same quote on the street" regardless of who is requesting the proposal. This means that a benefits firm with 2 employees gets the same proposal and pricing from health insurers as a benefits firm with 10,000 employees. 

Reality: Since the brokerage industry was created by health insurers to sell their products, brokers make more money (in the form of commissions and bonuses "market derived income"), and this creates a conflict of interest that undermines brokers' ability to give employers unbiased advice on how to maximize the return on benefits investments. 

While there are many good and well-intended people working at legacy brokerage firms, the architecture of their business model does not align with the interests of employers, and this results in many employers overpaying for healthcare goods and services by ~$4,000 per employee, per year.

Reality: There are many strategies to solutions that control costs and reduce waste. Employers who work with legacy brokers often have little visibility into the marketplace of solutions, and this undermines their ability to control costs and add value for employees. 

Reality: Fiduciary-based firms are financially aligned to help employers achieve their objectives. Benefits firms provide different services, approaches, and methodologies, and it's important to select one that meets your needs. 

Furthermore, the education and experience of the benefits professionals you work with can vary greatly. Look for benefits professionals who are "Registered Employee Benefits Consultants" (REBC) and/or "Certified Health Value Professionals" (CHVP). These are the highest designations in the benefits industry.

Reality: Hidden commissions and bonuses (aka: "Market Derived Income") create an environment where brokers financially benefit when your costs go up. As a result, this undermines their ability to give you unbiased advice on how to maximize the return on your benefits investments.