At Ball Peoples, we feel that education and communication are essential to any successful employee benefits program.  Each individual employee has a responsibility to manage his or her plan effectively, and we give them the tools they need to be as efficient as possible.

Employee Education

• PowerPoint Presentations: We have found that an informed employee makes smarter decisions and participates in company plans more often.  This is the basis for our educational PowerPoint presentations.  We walk employees through their plan step-by-step to show them how their plan works and ways to spend more effectively and efficiently.  We take educational burdens off of your administrators in keeping the employees aware of changing COBRA legislation and of discounts to which they may be entitled.  We not only explain plan provisions, but we also review specific plan data as well.

• Benefit Summaries: We produce professional, comprehensive benefit summaries for your employees.  With this service, they will always have access to their plan design in "layman's terms," so they may make proper decisions in enrollment and in their insurance consumption throughout the year.  Along with summaries of all of your employees' insurance options, the packets include all of their personalized rate information and cost comparisons, cost-saving options, special discounts through their carrier, and COBRA and "Qualifying Events" information to keep your employees abreast of their rights.  Along with our PowerPoint Presentations, the benefit summaries are a crucial step in helping your employees make the best decisions possible, both for themselves and for your company.

• Retirement Presentation: In a retirement plan presentation, it is important to have a discussion about investment options*, diversification, allocation, and levels of contribution.  If the employees understand these concepts, they are more likely to participate, and thus, help make the plan operate more efficiently for the company.

• Claims Education: On the insurance side, we feel the only way we can contain healthcare costs in the long run is to impact claims.  We educate employees on their ability to positively influence their rates by keeping claims as low as possible.  We have been in the business long enough to know the best possible measures to take to save your company money.  We review the company's claim history with the employees, and show them how to become smarter consumers.

HR Education

• Quarterly Luncheons: Part of our commitment also includes educating Human Resource directors, CFOs, and CEOs.  We host quarterly luncheons at Austin Country Club to discuss employment law issues, including COBRA, HIPAA, and ERISA laws.

• HR Tools: We also offer personal and online HR assistance tools to our clients to ensure that they are in compliance and their every need is met (see "Client Portal").  There are continuous changes and amendments to the COBRA, HIPAA, and ERISA laws, of which our clients need to be aware.  We bring in attorneys and experts to discuss these issues to make certain our clients stay in compliance.

• Technology Updates: In addition, technology in our industry is always improving.  We want to make certain our clients are familiar with every technological advantage available in the market.  Technology is a common theme at our luncheons.

Ball Peoples Quarterly HR Luncheon

*to examine any personal or corporate tax implications for your specific plan, please see your professional advisor