In this episode, Butch Zemar delves into his expertise in electronics troubleshooting, problem-solving, and benefits program management. He underscores the significance of intuition, experience, and creative thinking in identifying and resolving issues. Entrepreneurs often encounter the same hurdles in decision-making and problem-solving when offer…

In this episode, Butch Zemar shares his unpredictable and challenging experiences in the Navy, including his service on the USS Constellation. He discusses the pros and cons of partnering with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) for HR outsourcing, highlighting benefits like cost savings, streamlined processes, and access to a larger employe…

The recent podcast episode explored various topics centered around fatherhood, fitness, and personal wellness. Jason Priest opened up about his own journey, discussing how overcoming addiction and depression led him to a newfound purpose in helping others—a lifestyle program tailored specifically for men, focusing on fat loss and sleep improvement.…

In this episode, Butch Zemar delves into the crucial role of data in decision-making processes across various industries, drawing from his diverse experiences in the military and the tech industry. He underscores the importance of leveraging data to inform strategic decisions while acknowledging the potential pitfalls of relying solely on data, suc…

Butch Zemar and special guest Alex Toler take listeners on a deep dive into the often-overlooked realm of risk management within the employee benefits industry. Drawing from Alex's extensive property and casualty insurance background, the conversation illuminates the critical need for effective risk management practices in safeguarding employees' h…

In this episode, the discussion revolves around the challenges inherent in the American healthcare system, as Butch Zemar critiques its structure and operations. The conversation touches upon various issues, including rising costs, affordability, and fraudulent billing practices, shedding light on the systemic flaws perpetuating these problems. The…

In the latest podcast, Butch Zemar tackles the ever-evolving landscape of Human Resources (HR) in small and mid-sized companies, shedding light on the intricacies of adapting to external factors like the Affordable Care Act while navigating shifting client demands and ethical considerations. The episode begins with Butch delving into the transforma…

In this episode, Butch Zemar explores the importance of leveraging technology and implementing cost-containment strategies in the healthcare industry, particularly for middle-market companies. He emphasizes the need to embrace automation in benefits enrollment, ensure accuracy, and prioritize HR and benefits compliance. Here's a breakdown of the di…

In this episode, Butch Zemar reflects on the significance of support roles in the military and the challenges military veterans encounter during their transition to the civilian workforce. He emphasizes the importance of discipline, teamwork, and support in both military and civilian contexts. Here are the key points discussed: Introduction: Butch …

In this episode, Butch Zemar delves into the intricate dynamics of the broker-employer relationship in managing employee benefits. He addresses common misconceptions among employers regarding the role of brokers and emphasizes the significance of clear communication and understanding of responsibilities throughout the year. Here are the key insight…

In this episode, Butch Zemar dives into the pressing challenges faced by midsize companies in managing healthcare costs and benefits. He sheds light on crucial strategies and proactive approaches that can help mitigate these challenges and drive cost-effective solutions. Here are the key takeaways: Introduction: Exploring the complexities of managi…

Kate Dileo is no stranger to us on the podcast and marketing of your company's brand. Success is achieved by adopting methodologies that are the least resistant to revenue. Listen in to Kate as she shares more on the Brand Trifecta, your playbook, and how you can gain access to her program at your own pace. For more information about the Brand Trif…

In this episode of the Zemar Podcast, Butch Zemar discusses strategies for saving employers money on health insurance. Ken Wosczyna joins him, and they delve into various topics related to healthcare costs, renewals, self-funding, and employee incentives. Connect with Ken Wosczyna on LinkedIn. For more information, please contact us at EliteBenefit…

In this episode, host Butch Zemar is joined by Grayson Owen to delve into executive disability insurance (DI) topics. Grayson, a specialist in individual disability insurance, shares insights on bridging the gap in coverage for executives and business owners. With extensive experience in the insurance industry, Grayson emphasizes the importance of …

Key Points: Affordable Healthcare: Many seek cheaper healthcare options but overlook opportunities to save money. Generic Drugs: Despite their potential affordability, generic drugs aren't always priced as such. Provider Discounts: Providers may resist offering PPO discounts for cash payments, impacting affordability. Financial Accountability: Heal…

Nobody cares... Just do your job. The world we work in has become mediocre at best. We become lazy and complacent in our craft. We need to do better. Ignorance is bliss. But don't use it as an excuse. The odds are not in our favor in this fight. Even the insurance companies and providers are gaming the system. Start taking responsibility for things…

Be the outlier. Most outliers in history only stepped up when they felt they had to take action. They would have said no if you asked them before that situation happened. Leaders are stepping up every day to make positive changes. This occurs in war, sports, and business. We took a trip down history when outliers in the health insurance world stepp…

Most employers and CFOs are shooting with a bad eye. They keep missing their targets. Change your tools to work with your good eye. Healthcare customer service is rated the worst. Big names don't change anything. Why? Check this out. There is no return on their investment, but they will still make money—a lot of it. No accountability up and down th…

Running a business can be challenging, especially to turn a profit. Think for a moment that you pay back all your debt, have cash in the bank, and can take profits and do whatever you want with the money. Rachel Siegel from Go Figure Accounting joins us with ideas about building higher profits than you imagined possible. Listen in as Rachel shares …

Most owners, CFOs, and HROs don’t want to invest the time in a benefits renewal to save money. They demand it; they think they control it, but they have no leverage. What if you were paid $16,000 per hour to invest time in your benefits renewal? That’s more than anyone is paid, especially those responsible for the company benefits program and the c…

Hospitals do not depend on government-funded health plans. Employers are the driving force due to health plans overpaying for healthcare. Nearly double! At the same time, employees pay 20% more for healthcare out of the paycheck, meaning they take less home. Listen in as we dive into cost analysis, which shows that only 26% of CFOs look for new way…

Businesses make mistakes when it comes to advertising. They miss the opportunity to connect with their potential buyers. Join Butch with an interview with Donny Byrant Jr., Financial Copywriter and Copy Consultant, where we talk about taking your business to the next level in gaining attention from potential prospects. You can find Donnie Bryant Jr…

Are you willing to go through the much-needed work to have better outcomes? Lester J. Morales from Next Impact joined us to discuss the Transparency Movement. Employers all over the country have been viewing the benefits the same since the beginning of time. It is time advisors need to do a better job. The current model doesn't allow for transparen…

Dan Edison joins us on the mic to share his hockey journey, the connections, and his purpose for funky socks! Hockey is a unique sport. You have instant connections that make friends for life. Dan shares more than just hockey; he shares passion with purpose. The passion for the sport, the kids of the youth hockey community, and the Chicago Diabetes…

Are employees leaving your company? Benefits programs are tough to tangle. You might be on the wrong path. You may need a new compass. You can see if you are off your target with the right updated tools. In this podcast, you will learn not only how to use a real compass, but to see if you are off on your own target or goal for your benefits program…

Many of us are overwhelmed with happiness when we are around Justin Schmick. He is known to buy a beer and give a high five or two. His daily viral dad joke videos have created an outreach beyond any small-town insurance agent's imagination. Justin shares with us the day he went viral on the internet and how he started an insurance agency. Justin's…

Perception is usually our reality. But is it? For years we are given a false reality of our Benefits Program based on how we are taught to perceive it. CFOs who have skin in the game knows they cannot control what they don’t see. Others just avoid it. Benefits costs are going to double in the next seven years. Are you ready? Ask your CFO if they fo…

Hockey players are cut from a different cloth. In this podcast, @Ken Wosczyna shares with us about goals, risks and rewards, teamwork, and being disciplined. Join us and learn how being a hockey player has helped businesses have more predictable renewals. To reach out to Ken Wosczyna, reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-wosczyna …

The game has changed again. Employers and C-suite executives, roll up your sleeves. You now have more financial skin in the game. You could be sued or penalized for taking the status quo benefits renewal. What is your plan to take responsibility to avoid setbacks, make costs reasonable, and provide better benefits for your employees? In this episod…

Fire your CFO! If your CFO is not sitting at the table with the benefits broker/consultant and HR, then they should be fired. Why? They are letting the health carrier, or even the broker/consultant, charge too much for a benefits package. The proof is in the data. Where is your data? Listen to this podcast and discover how deep the data can go for …

Ever wonder what it takes to make the professional leagues in baseball? Meet Troy Viola. Despite the setbacks from Covid and an injury in his first professional league game, Troy is disciplined to come back and be a leader on his team. Troy knows something about discipline and hard work, which shows on the baseball field. Whether it’s focusing on y…

Strategy is everything, and at the same time, it could be nothing. Sometimes, you have to change your strategy to change your outcomes. Employers often keep handling the benefits renewal the same way, Every. Single. Year. At the same time, they expect different results. Insanity. Listen in to hear about changing your strategy. Nothing happens overn…

The biggest reason employees leave their jobs is due to culture and benefits package. Employers are tasked with being creative when getting their employees to become loyal to their company. If you determine ways to engage your employees more, they will enroll in more benefits offerings. Ultimately, they become more productive in the workplace as a …

Middle-market renewals are underway, and activity is increasing here in the agency for our clients. Ken and Butch discuss ways employers can control their benefits spending; even small changes can make a big difference. If your benefits spending is one of your top three line items on the profit and loss statement, you need to listen to this segment…

Jason Treadwell has been a long-time friend of Butch Zemar. Jason took time to share some thoughts on Venture Capital or Investor funded start-ups. A lot goes into these start-ups. Having the right advice from someone experienced goes a long way. How to scale with no revenue Expanding a company with revenue Market behavior changes to look for Reach…

Chris Wolpert joins in to talk about Modernizing health plans in the workplace. The industry has had it wrong for years, teaching CFOs, HROs, and owners how to buy their benefits program. Now it's time to modernize your renewal. CFOs need to start challenging the renewal, not accepting it. Many decision-makers, including Human Resources, accept the…

Chris Wolpert joins me in talking about boosting employee engagement and increasing enrollment numbers. It all starts with meeting the employees where they are at. Reach out to Chris Wolpert on LinkedIn. Visit Group Benefits Solutions at https://gbsbenefitsgroup.com/. For more information on Elite Benefits of America, contact Butch at 708-535-3006 …

Life and business can be fearful to achieve greatness. According to Tyler Williams, embracing fear is the key to unlocking your potential. Tyler uses a 5-minute formula to work through your fears to create a better you. Listen to the interview with Tyler Williams as he shares his experience as a country singer and race car driver and how he faced h…

Keeping things where they are to save your job when you have money savings at stake should be criminal. CFOs who have never seen a benefits expense report to analyze data for benefits trends of the company's benefits spend should also be criminal. Middle-market companies are renewing their health plans right now, and most don't look outside of a sq…

Where is technology taking benefits administration systems (BenAdmin)? What kind of capabilities does it have for your business? Simply the process. Listen in as we discuss how the BenAdmin systems have evolved. Group Benefit Solutions eliminates out-of-pocket costs while guiding employees to the highest quality healthcare. For more information on …

Let your open enrollment be more effective by leveraging technology. Meet better timelines, increase enrollment rates, and engage your employees more. Listen in as Chris and Butch discuss ways technology works. Group Benefit Solutions eliminates out-of-pocket costs while guiding employees to the highest quality healthcare. For more information on G…

Inflation is hurting businesses more than ever. CFOs are looking at strategies to grow the company and control overall costs. Yet they delegate the third highest expense to middle management. Human Resources does not have a financial incentive for the company’s bottomline. It could be costing you hundreds of thousands of dollars just so your CFO ca…

We have our expectations set too high, especially when it comes to healthcare. Insurance is about spreading risk for sudden expensive claims, not predictable ones. Healthcare isn't the only place where expectations are not met. Try Scuba or even putting up a pool in the backyard. Check out this podcast so you don't get caught in the blame game For …

Everyone is so busy these days to keep up with our health. This is why we asked Kaitlin to join us on the podcast to discuss how we can achieve better health. Having a process that starts where you at today will only make you more successful in your journey. Listen in to Kaitlin as she shares about the process to better health. This three-step proc…

Payroll and HR isn’t what it used to be. The last 3-5 years has change a lot for employers. Dave Wills from BBSI brings us up to speed on what employers should know when evaluating payroll and HR. Throw insurance in the mix and how do you grow your company? Listen in as we discuss employer solutions. Reach out to Dave Wills on Linked in, or call 70…

Employers are having issues with taming their medical renewals. What are the key indicators for these issues in a benefits program? Price shopping is not the answer, either. What will it take to make things more predictable while providing employees with plans?Ken shares that the average fully-insured medical premiums have increased 68% in the last…

What does a spoiled little rich kid do? Expect someone else to pay the bill. Damage that brand-new car? They replace it. Need money for a trip or to buy a new toy, they just give it. With health insurance, many Americans are "spoiled little rich kids" as well. They become demanding, thinking everything should be covered, just as the spoiled kid wou…

Medical claims can be nerve-racking. It’s like a fencing fight with the Purple Unicorn 🦄 of the universe. We share more case studies* on claims and how they were resolved. Insight from these will help you save thousands of dollars at claim time. Don’t be left out of this one! We discussed a class action lawsuit against a national carrier you might …

Once again, the eye in the sky doesn't lie. When we get caught up in our work, we eventually feel trapped. When reviewing your benefits plan for your company every year, it feels like there is no end in sight. You are forced to take the higher costs no matter what. Sometimes you have to look at things through a different lens; a different angle. Mo…

Transparency is not just a buzzword. You have to back it with integrity. What is a PBM - Pharmacy Benefit Manager? How do you control your costs? Avoiding the conflict of interests with PBMs. PBM Trends For more information on TrueScripts, you can visit TrueScripts.com, or contact your Insurance Advisor. You can also reach out to Ali Goodwin on Lin…