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... projects. Risk Management Audits. Audits assess the overall effectiveness of an organization's risk management program. Their goal is to identify significant risks and determine the adequacy of protection, the reasonableness of costs, and the appropriateness of internal administrative functions, including services performed by such third parties as agents and brokers. Retainers. The retainer, which usually is designed to provide the client with expertise on call, might be used by: Large organizations with full-time risk-management departments to obtain additional technical resources and objective viewpoints. Smaller firms without full-time risk ... staff to obtain professional skills tailored to the activity needed. Special Projects. Special consulting projects include assignments such as evaluation of risk-funding alternatives; design and audit of claim administration programs; owner controlled insurance program feasibility studies; administrative studies and personnel evaluations; pooling and captive-insurer feasibility studies; assistance in selection of insurance brokers, claim administrators, safety specialists and other service providers; training; and development of insurance bid specifications. WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A CONSULTANT A risk management consultant should have two main qualities: Objectivity. A consultant ... of costs. If the project can be defined clearly, a maximum cost might be quoted. Occasionally a flat fee might be quoted for small assignments. Hourly rates are usually based on: (1 ) The consultant's annual base salary; (2 ) the fringe benefits, office overhead, promotional costs, and profits that must be loaded into the billing rate for the consulting firm to stay in business; and (3 ) the number of hours available in a year for billing. Billing rates can range from $125 an ...

...as 50 or more participants or if a third party administers it, it’s cons...ot your firm’s employee health benefits plan is excluded from the HIPAA ...

...cluding services performed by such third parties as agents and brokers. Retain... reductions rather than on long-term benefits. It also might encourage unethical consultants to recommend the lowest cost al...

... but it's advisable also to have a third party involved, who is respected by t...reas are determined to be workable. A third party may be needed to facilitate this p...

...tee to ensure that obligations to third parties and employees are met. The po...ned by a parent company or a related party. Most captive insurers are establi...

...ion agreed upon shall be rendered. Third, a question of the cut-off date for i... after the sale has been made and one party has a different interpretation of ...

...ddition to acquisition challenges, third-party marketers and potential joint v...re developed directly by the banks, a third party, such as a state bankers' associat...

...y internal perpetuation, sale to a third party, or a merger/cluster. You must have a...

... health benefit plan and the employer, as plan sponsor, are considered separate legal entities. This is consistent with the treatment of employee welfare benefit plans under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) . If the plan has 50 or more participants or if a third party administers it, it's considered a group health plan' according to the HIPAA regulations. If the plan meets this definition, it's considered a covered entity' subject to HIPAA administrative simplification regulations. This includes regulations regarding standard transactions and codes sets, privacy, ... security when the final security rules are published. If a group health plan provides all of its benefits through insurance contracts with health insurance companies or HMOs, it does not need to comply with many of the administrative requirements of HIPAA; but it's still considered a covered entity subject to all other provisions of the regulations. However, if the plan provides any benefits on some other basis, rather than through insurance contracts, it's subject to all of HIPAA, just as if it were an insurance company. Since your group health plan ... articles, checklists, tip sheets, sales letters, and more! Communications Marketing Customer Service Planning Finance/Accounting Risk Management Human Resources Selling Legal and E&O Technology Life/Financial Services Glossaries Management Resources & Links Categories Popular Recent All Back Hipaa And Group Health Benefit Plans 4/30/2013 10:43:49 PM by CompleteMarkets Editor , Judith Newman This content has not been rated yet. HIPAA AND GROUP HEALTH BENEFIT PLANS by Judi Newman Beginning April 14, 2003, the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act ( ...

... good mate-it isn't easy! To find a suitable, compatible business combination, several key areas need to be discussed in the schmoozing, ' romancing, ' or courting' stage. The parties can explore these key areas themselves, but it's advisable also to have a third party involved, who is respected by the parties (a consultant, board member, CPA, or attorney, etc.) . This article addresses the key areas that all parties need to explore, and the steps that should be taken to accomplish a successful ... with another firm or a producer with a book of business. And often the venture has turned out to be unsuccessful. Many mistakes are made because the participants don't take enough time to effectively evaluate the business combination they're considering. This can cause real problems for all parties involved. Firms make the wrong decisions for many reasons. Among the more common reasons are: (1 ) not having enough information about the other party to make an astute decision; (2 ) searching for a quick fix for a loss of markets, ... lucrative contracts with carriers and wholesalers. Net result. More revenue for your agency! Clients & Prospects will research you, your co-workers and your agency here. The most comprehensive online insurance industry reference library for - Personal Lines Professionals Commercial Lines Professionals Life/Health & Benefits Professionals Online newsletters and content that you can use for your clients and social media efforts. Ability to attach leads and clients to your specific market searches, with e-mail alerts for all the market, articles, blogs and people searches you make. And much more ...