About the Presentation

This presentation provides a strong focus on how HR/Benefit Managers can effectively learn how to implement consumer-driven plans with wellness programs to lower healthcare costs, improve employee health, and boost morale.

In 2009 employers will be faced with competing challenges to cut costs and reduce staffing while at the same time retaining key talent and improving employee benefits. One set of priorities does not have to be sacrificed for the other. Consumerism and wellness, when coupled correctly, are proven to reduce healthcare costs and lead to happier and healthy employees. Employers who shy away from this strategy are leaving needed money on the table.

Topics to be covered include:

• HR Challenges
• Employee Issues
• Healthcare Cost Forecast
• Emerging trends in consumerism & wellness
• HRAs versus HSAs
• Cost saving steps employers can take right now to reform health and wellness benefits
• Employer case studies
• Next steps for success
• A special wellness offer

This presentation will show how the latest innovations in plan design, coupled with wellness programming, lead to remarkable changes in costs, employee health, and improved morale. The presentation will include real life case studies from local companies who are winning with these strategies and will also provide practical solutions to help you implement these programs with confidence in 2009.

About the Presenter

Amy Gallagher has 17 years of healthcare industry experience. She is Senior Consultant at Cornerstone Group with responsibility for developing and managing client relationships with large employers corporately based in southeastern New England. Cornerstone is a leading benefits advisory firm focusing on providing employee benefits consulting and brokerage, health and welfare administration and wellness.

In her role as Senior Consultant, she provides strategic guidance to employers with concern to all areas of employee benefits. Amy's special area of expertise combines consumer-driven plans with comprehensive wellness programs to improve employee health and to positively impact the employer’s bottom line. Recently, Amy has developed W.E. Benefit, Cornerstone Group's solution to providing employers with a meaningful and measurable wellness program for employees.

Prior to Cornerstone Group, Amy spent 13 years in various sales and account management roles for three of New England's largest healthcare insurers: UnitedHealthcare, Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare and Delta Dental of Rhode Island.

Amy has extensive presentation experience and speaks regularly to employer groups on a range of healthcare related topics including health reimbursement accounts, health savings accounts, consumer directed healthcare options and employer wellness programs.

Amy is a frequent guest on NBC10/WJAR’s Morning Sunrise Show and is a contributing writer to national and regional publications including Employee Benefit News, Employer Benefit Adviser and the Providence Business News. Her most recent articles include "Building the Budget For Wellness" and "Taming Cost Increases with HSAs and Wellness Programs".

She is a member of RIBGH, the Worksite Wellness Council of Rhode Island, SHRM-RI, HRM-RI and WELCOA. She holds an MBA and BS in Business Administration from Bryant College. Amy holds health and life insurance licenses in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut.