Johnson McCann, division of North Risk Partners, advocates private health insurance exchanges as good cost-containment, broader choice solution for employers and their employees

Johnson McCann, division of North Risk Partners, advocates private health insurance exchanges as good cost-containment, broader choice solution for employers and their employees

St. Paul, Minn. – Johnson McCann advisors recently guided employees of Richfield-based Avinity Senior Living through their first employer-sponsored online benefits shopping experience using Liazon’s Bright Choices® Exchange, the industry-leading private benefits exchange for businesses across the United States. Seventy-five employees were offered 14 different lines of coverage, including 14 medical plan options provided by Golden Valley-based PreferredOne.

Plans for Avinity’s employees took effect on Jan. 1, making Johnson McCann, a division of North Risk Partners, one of the first health insurance brokerages in the state to successfully launch a private benefits exchange in partnership with a Minnesota insurance carrier.

“North Risk Partners is at the forefront of a new movement in the industry,” said Bill Libbey, Senior Sales Director at PreferredOne.“These exchanges offer employers the ability to control their costs and offer employees more benefits choices. This is a win-win solution.”

“The Bright Choices Exchange is a private benefits exchange (similar to an online store) where employees can use the dollars their employer gives them to buy the benefits they want,” said Gayle McCann, co-founder of Johnson McCann and a partner in North Risk Partners. “Our clients are looking for ways to control costs that satisfy their employees’ individual benefits needs.”

A recent J.D. Power and Associates survey indicates that 47 percent of employers are likely to adopt a defined contribution approach and utilize private exchanges. Other industry research indicates that the percentage could reach as high as 80 percent.

“Benefits packages are among the top three expenses for most companies,” said Courtney McCann, Risk Advisor at Johnson McCann, a division of North Risk Partners. “With the Bright Choices Exchange, we are able to give our clients the best of both worlds – cutting edge technology paired with individualized consulting to ensure the highest value from both a financial and employee satisfaction perspective.”

To learn more about the private exchange and how it works, visit:
https://northriskpartners.com/private-exchange/

About Liazon
Founded in 2007, Liazon Corporation operates the industry-leading private benefits exchange for businesses. Its flagship product, the Bright Choices® Exchange, is an online benefits store that is changing the way employers and employees buy benefits. Bright Choices helps employers manage their health care costs by setting predictable budgets through a defined contribution funding strategy while guiding employees to purchase better coverage of health, dental, vision, life, disability and other benefits. Advanced cloud computing infrastructure and robust security protection ensures continual access and safeguards confidentiality of data transmission. Liazon works with top national and regional insurance providers and supports businesses nationwide through a distribution network of leading broker partners. Liazon was acquired by Towers Watson, a leading global professional services company, in November 2013. To learn more about Liazon and the Bright Choices Exchange, go to www.liazon.com

North Risk Partners (NRP) is a 150-employee insurance brokerage based in St. Paul, Minn. The company is comprised of four independently operated agencies: St. Cloud-based Apollo, Rochester-based C.O. Brown, St. Paul-based Johnson McCann, and Thief River Falls-based Thune. North Risk Partners also includes multiple satellite locations across the state, including offices in Baudette, Roseau, Alexandria, Albany, Melrose, Monticello, Lake City, Mankato, Red Wing and Hastings. The company provides risk management solutions in the areas of business insurance, employee benefits and personal insurance, with additional support for businesses in the areas of human resources, loss control and safety, wellness and health care reform. For more information, visit www.northriskpart3.wpengine.com.

Follow NRP on LinkedIn and Twitter @NorthRisk. Like NRP’s Facebook page.

Media Contact: Kate Burnevik, Marketing Communications Manager – North Risk Partners
Phone: (651)486-2192 Email: kburnevik@northriskpartners.com