I recently took part in a carrier's "Advisory Council" for voluntary benefits, which are often referred to as worksite products. The carrier responsible for hosting the meeting gathered a group of more than a dozen voluntary benefits enrollment companies, brokers, a systems person and TPA. As a limited medical person, I was very interested to listen and learn from this group. I was invited because limited medical and worksite sometimes cross paths.

As this council tackled many issues including the delivery of voluntary products, product selection, product design, top-selling programs, enrollment successes and disasters, and marketplace dynamics, I learned a lot about their business and what is important to companies who focus on voluntary markets. I think the carrier will benefit greatly as they develop their vision and set priorities because their strategy will include real input from people in the trenches.

The point I am compelled to share is that one of my long standing opinions was justified before my eyes (which is always a great feeling!) Limited medical plans or "mini-medical plans" are truly a group benefit sale that occurs much more like a group major medical sale than a worksite or voluntary sale. That is not to say that we do not want to work with worksite or voluntary benefits producers. We absolutely love working with those folks and have great, successful relationships with many of them. My encounter included a lot of discussion about limited medical programs and where they are successful. But at the end of the day, the voluntary benefits producers really focus on life, disability insurance, accident and major illness type coverage's.

I was not surprised because voluntary benefits encompasses a much larger audience than limited medical plans. Everyone who has insurance may still want to purchase a voluntary benefit or two, myself included. But hourly employees who have limited income to spend on benefits often do not wish to purchase the voluntary benefits, they prefer to purchase coverage that will help them on a day-to-day basis, such as going to the doctor, having basic tests run, access to emergency care, and help purchasing prescription drugs.

It is with this hourly worker that limited medical really makes a difference. What do you think? Is limited medical a worksite product or should it be a group benefit sale? Write me back and let me know where you think limited medical fits best.