Episode 2218 notes

As president and CEO of RPS Benefits by Design, based in Overland Park, Ks, Maria Ahlers has built an incredibly strong agency with a reputation for service, relationships, and doing what's right for clients. Now, Leavitt Group's Jenni Leavitt and Maria join me to see what the new partnership will bring to the insurance industry and what it means for clients.

The name is changing from RPS Benefits by Design to Leavitt Strategic Benefits.

Maria Ahlers has led the agency’s growth and operations for several years, supporting its continued development. As part of this partnership, she will continue to lead the agency as president. 

Jenni Leavitt is an Agency Partner and Vice President of Agency Operations at Leavitt Group, based in Cedar City, Utah.

This is season 22 Ep 18 of America's Healthcare Advocate. I'm Cary Hall.

Learn more about Leavitt Strategic Benefits at https://www.leavitt.com/ or call 913-385-2224

As always, if you need help or have something to share, contact me using this form on my website and let me know what's on your mind, the issues you are dealing with, or any other health, healthcare, or health insurance questions or concerns. Visit: https://www.americashealthcareadvocate.com/contact-us

Episode 2218 Transcript:

00;00;00;21 - 00;00;25;09

Cary Hall

Coming up on today's show in studio with me, Jenni Levitt and Maria Ahlers. They're going to talk about the acquisition and partnership between RPS Benefits by Design and Leavitt Strategic Benefits. You'd be surprised what you're going to hear today. Stay tuned. Listen and learn. Oh, and now America's Healthcare Advocate Terry Hall. Hello, America. Welcome to America's Healthcare Advocate.

00;00;25;09 - 00;00;52;28

Cary Hall

Show broadcasting coast to coast across USA. Here on the HIA Radio Network. You can find out more about us by going to the website AmericasHealthcareAdvocate.com. As always, these shows are up on our 16 podcast channel platform, several of which now allow us to post the videos as well. And our YouTube channel. By the way, the combined effort on both of those now is 683,000 views downloads by all of you in the audience.

00;00;52;28 - 00;01;12;17

Cary Hall

It's really quite remarkable, and I can only say thank you to you and to all of our terrestrial radio partners around the country on our 243 affiliates. If you are chronologically challenged or looking for ACA, you can always call the good folks over at Rp's Benefits by Design. They're happy to help you in any way they can anywhere in the country.

00;01;12;25 - 00;01;26;05

Cary Hall

And if you're looking for employee benefits, employer benefits, group benefits, the lovely Maria Ahlers, who just happens to be in studio today, we'll be happy to help you anywhere in the country if you're looking for group health insurance. So welcome back, Maria.

00;01;26;06 - 00;01;26;26

Mariah Ahlers

Hi, Carol.

00;01;27;01 - 00;01;32;00

Cary Hall

I told everybody you're here, Jenni Levitt. Welcome, Jenni. We're happy to have you here.

00;01;32;01 - 00;01;33;10

Jenni Leavitt

Thank you for having me, Carrie.

00;01;33;12 - 00;01;46;03

Cary Hall

Well, we have some exciting news to share today. So there is a partnership now between Levitt Strategic Benefits and benefits by design. So my old namesake is going to go away. The benefits by design portion.

00;01;46;04 - 00;01;48;05

Mariah Ahlers

But your spirit will always be there. Thank you very.

00;01;48;05 - 00;02;01;11

Cary Hall

Much I appreciate it. So why don't we talk a little bit about why this decision was made, Maria, what it means to AARP's benefits by design and how it's going to help you in the marketplace with brokers and clients.

00;02;01;11 - 00;02;24;09

Mariah Ahlers

Yeah, yeah. We are so excited about this partnership. We've been looking forward to this for a long time. RFPs benefits by design is now has now been acquired by the Levitt Group out of, Cedar City, Utah. We will be changing our name to Levitt Strategic Benefits. Here in the next couple weeks.

00;02;24;09 - 00;02;51;23

Mariah Ahlers

You'll hear more about that in our press release. Carrie, this isn't a change. Just for the sake of changing. We always are looking at ways to improve and, do what's best for our clients. And Levitt really, was a great match for us. You'll have the same team, so nothing's changing locally. Same relationships. But what Levitt Group brings to, to all of our clients is more resources.

00;02;51;28 - 00;02;57;21

Mariah Ahlers

So with that said, I probably should let Jenni, speak for why Levitt Group chose RFPs. But if it's by design.

00;02;57;21 - 00;03;18;11

Cary Hall

Well, before you do that, let me tell the audience a little bit about Jenni. So Jenni is an agency partner and vice president of agency operations at Levitt Group. She brings over a decade of leadership and experience in the insurance industry. Throughout her career, she has played a key role in helping independent agencies grow, scale and thrive within an increasingly complex marketplace.

00;03;18;13 - 00;03;35;14

Cary Hall

I don't think, Jenni, anybody would argue that it's increasingly complex and it's not getting any less complex as time goes on. So let's talk about this. Why did you pick, RFPs benefits by design? Your thoughts about the Kansas City metro, this marketplace and why you wanted to be here?

00;03;35;14 - 00;04;23;12

Jenni Leavitt

Jenni, first of all, thank you for having me. This is a great opportunity and I am so excited to be here with Maria. Maria. And, our a formerly RFPs. Now, Levitt Strategic Benefits is really a great fit for the liver group culture. Levitt, really looks for agencies that, fit from a cultural standpoint. And it's kind of a great model just because, it's got that local feel and local ownership and the investment that is there on the ground making, the business better, doing what's best for the agency locally and for the clients and the employees, that is able to take advantage of the natural resources that come along

00;04;23;12 - 00;04;25;28

Jenni Leavitt

with being part of a larger group.

00;04;26;01 - 00;04;55;19

Cary Hall

Well, Maria, you've got to feel pretty good about this because when when you're a medium to, you know, small to medium size agency and benefits. But as I was the smaller agency in RFPs, the two came together and made a bigger agency. But having the resources and the tools, when you're up against, you know, the locked horns of the world and, and and and some of the at the hubs and some of the other mega agencies and you're, you're competing with them, and oftentimes beating them, I might add.

00;04;55;21 - 00;05;15;28

Cary Hall

Yeah. Thank you. I had to get that in there. Yes, but but but having the resources and again, you said being able to scale to to grow the agency, it's very difficult to do if you don't have those resources to talk about that and what they bring to the party as far as your being able to now do some of the things you couldn't do before.

00;05;15;29 - 00;05;44;23

Mariah Ahlers

Well, and to your point, Carrie, earlier when you said health industry benefits is really a complex, industry. And so with, with Levitt Group. Yeah, we're we're absolutely excited about it. We're able to provide our clients with more resources. A lot of the things that are coming, into that's emerging in the market is, you know, pharmacy consulting, data analytics, benchmarking.

00;05;44;26 - 00;06;11;29

Mariah Ahlers

We definitely have the systems, just the different resources Leavitt can bring to us that is more at the larger corporate level. But you still get that local feel. And that type of model really works for us. We love it. We think it's exciting. All the things that we are doing now. We have a great, marketing team that, does all these wonderful, releases for us and media for us.

00;06;12;01 - 00;06;26;15

Mariah Ahlers

They have a resource center, that is mainly for all Leavitt agencies. And that resource center has, data analytics, benchmarking, technology.

00;06;26;21 - 00;06;44;23

Cary Hall

Those are all things that are that are critical now in today's world because you're trying to keep up with the larger mega agencies, if you will, out there. As I mentioned in the past, Leavitt happens to be pretty good size agency itself. You've got 80 agencies and 209 locations in 30 states. Jenni, you're not exactly small potatoes anymore.

00;06;44;26 - 00;07;06;06

Jenni Leavitt

That's true. We have grown substantially over the last 20 years. We've focused a lot on acquisition. Leavitt Group did start, 70 years ago. So we do have a number of years of experience. And this partnership has really been able to prove to be successful because of that local feel and the national resources.

00;07;06;06 - 00;07;30;08

Cary Hall

Yeah. You've been around since 1952, not exactly new in the business. So that that that's definitely some time, 70 years in the business. It's a pretty good deal. So they definitely bring experience and and all of these resources to the party. So when we come back from the break, we'll talk a little bit about specifically what they hope to accomplish here in the Kansas City metro and what they're going to do to improve the opportunities for employers out there.

00;07;30;10 - 00;07;48;16

Cary Hall

But they're looking for something other than the book of models that might make a big difference in the cost of their health insurance. Stay tuned. We'll be right back after the break. You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocate, broadcasting on the HIA Radio Network. Coast to coast across the USA. If you want to learn more, go to the website leavitt.com.

00;07;48;23 - 00;08;06;17

Cary Hall

That's leavitt.com. Or call Maria today at 877-385-2224 anywhere in the country. They're happy to help you stay right there. We'll be right back after the break.

00;08;06;19 - 00;08;32;27

Cary Hall

You welcome back. You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocate Show, broadcasting coast to coast across the USA here on the HIA Network. I want to give a shout out to KNTR 94.3 FM in Phoenix and Prescott, Arizona. They've been with us a long time. Happy to be on the air down there. We appreciate all of you out there in the Western United States listening to the show in studio with me, Maria Ahlers and Jenni Leavitt

00;08;33;01 - 00;09;00;23

Cary Hall

We're talking about the acquisition and the partnership between Leavitt Strategic Benefits and the formerly RPS Benefits by Design. You know, when I was looking through the show notes this morning, I saw started by Dixie Leavitt in 1952. So, first of all, who is Dixie Leavitt then? And the other thing it's interesting to me is rarely do you see a third generation family and the baton off, and they continue with that business success.

00;09;01;00 - 00;09;11;15

Cary Hall

So tell us a little bit about the history. Who is Dixie. And I want to hear the full name, by the way, because you said it off air. And just tell us a little bit about the company.

00;09;11;17 - 00;09;23;20

Jenni Leavitt

Absolutely. It's a story that is dear to my heart because it was my grandfather, Dixie Lorraine Leavitt was with its star, Dixie Lorraine. Isn't that beautiful? Yeah. Yes.

00;09;23;20 - 00;09;26;12

Cary Hall

So, you probably did think it was so beautiful in grade school.

00;09;26;13 - 00;09;28;22

Jenni Leavitt

I love it. It's like a it's like a boy named Sue.

00;09;28;23 - 00;09;29;18

Cary Hall

Yeah.

00;09;29;21 - 00;09;45;26

Jenni Leavitt

But it has my. My father always said that he would talk to his grandmother about where that name came from, and she would just sternly say, I liked it. She really wanted a girl. And so. Oh, she had already found that name.

00;09;45;27 - 00;09;47;25

Cary Hall

Oh, that's hilarious to it.

00;09;47;27 - 00;10;15;03

Jenni Leavitt

So Dixie love it. He was always, and still is. He is nearly 97 years old to be 97, in August. And he started as a schoolteacher, just started selling insurance on the side to supplement his family's income. And when he learned that he was good at this, he grew his business when Las Vegas was really just growing and in the developmental stage were all the contractors.

00;10;15;03 - 00;10;34;26

Jenni Leavitt

And that's really where he got his start. And this model started. He learned that he couldn't be in two places at once, southern Utah and Las Vegas. And this model really came about because, he brought his brother Bert Leavitt, who has children and grandchildren, still run that agency in Las Vegas today.

00;10;35;00 - 00;10;46;17

Cary Hall

That's amazing. That that speaks a lot to family values and what you all value. That's really, seriously quite remarkable in today's world. I don't see it that often.

00;10;46;19 - 00;11;18;01

Jenni Leavitt

It's been very strategic. I will tell you my family has taken a very, very conservative approach to this business, and we really look at it as, just a role that we play to provide a livelihood for so many families and their children and their, and so really, we've taken it and, and they've decided that, you know, long term, we're going to hold on to the majority share of lever Group enterprises as long as we possibly can.

00;11;18;04 - 00;11;22;22

Jenni Leavitt

We've talked about going public, but it just doesn't fit our goals for. Yeah, we would like.

00;11;22;23 - 00;11;25;13

Cary Hall

I could see where that would. That would be. That would be no.

00;11;25;19 - 00;12;02;00

Jenni Leavitt

Absolutely, absolutely. So, just building on that where we, found the most value in this acquisition, was the like minded people that were with the agency. We really wanted to partner and grow and come into a new state with, namely Maria, because we could see that she was going to be, really living this legacy that she has started with the help of, bringing additional resources and being able to continue to grow.

00;12;02;02 - 00;12;21;13

Cary Hall

So how important is culture to you? And you look at Maria when you said that, I know her exceptionally well because I've worked with her for a long time. And when the baton got handed off to her by Phillip, and making her the president, I thought it was the smartest thing he ever did. How important was that culture to you?

00;12;21;13 - 00;12;32;08

Cary Hall

And you came in. You met her. You met the staff. I'm sure you've met Hannah and and Jackie and all of them. And they all, you know, they're there for one reason. And it's sitting right here between the two.

00;12;32;09 - 00;12;55;20

Jenni Leavitt

I learned that very, very quickly in our relationship. And I will say let a group looks at culture. Number one. We've walked away from deals that could be very profitable and could add a lot to our group purely because of that culture. And Maria was such a great fit, and it really did turn out to be a very good partnership.

00;12;55;26 - 00;13;14;01

Mariah Ahlers

I love their model, Carrie. They, one of the requirements of level Group is to have local presence and local leadership. They're not coming in to, to flip us and, and, you know, go through another acquisition. We are in it for life.

00;13;14;02 - 00;13;18;01

Cary Hall

Oh my God. It started in 1962. They're not exactly it overnight.

00;13;18;02 - 00;13;31;23

Mariah Ahlers

Yeah. Yes. So they really pride themselves on the model of providing that larger corporate feel, but at that local, level. And that's what we like. So it really fit well with us.

00;13;31;26 - 00;13;50;00

Cary Hall

Well, it's going to help you grow. I mean, yeah, absolutely. With the resources they have available and what they're going to bring to the party. It's got to make a huge difference for you when you're competing with the mega agencies out there. You know, that certainly going to give you a better opportunity that you've had in the past.

00;13;50;01 - 00;14;12;21

Mariah Ahlers

Yeah. They bring a lot of specialties to us that we, we're seeing that's emerging from employee benefits. You know, a lot of it is our clients want to do a lot of risk management. We know premiums are going up. We know renewals go up. So part of that is that risk management, the employee benefit piece is so vital to every organization.

00;14;12;27 - 00;14;19;18

Mariah Ahlers

I think you and I have talked about it. Studies have shown that, benefits is one of the top.

00;14;19;18 - 00;14;19;29

Cary Hall

Number.

00;14;19;29 - 00;14;46;09

Mariah Ahlers

Two reason, yeah, of why people go work for an organization. So we want to make sure we provide that value to our clients. You know, they have stronger career relationships. They have advisory services for us. Things that we keep in-house and also they have property and casualty. Oh. Did you know that? Yes, yes. So now we can be a one stop shop for all of our clients who want benefits and PNC.

00;14;46;16 - 00;15;05;27

Cary Hall

That's nice, because it puts everything under one roof. You've got a great reputation here in town. You've grown the business. And and it's doing very well. But the fact that they can add to that now, what made you decide? I'm just curious, Kenny. What made you decide before you leave even knew about benefits by design.

00;15;05;27 - 00;15;16;22

Cary Hall

Or maybe you knew about benefits. RFPs, benefits by design. Kansas City. This particular metro and market was because of the agency first. Or was it because the metro first?

00;15;16;24 - 00;15;17;28

Jenni Leavitt

Definitely the agency.

00;15;17;29 - 00;15;20;10

Cary Hall

Okay. That's interesting. Absolutely. Okay.

00;15;20;12 - 00;15;38;01

Jenni Leavitt

You know, it's it's so much based on relationship and based on the people. And once that is aligned and our culture is a good fit, everything else kind of falls into place. There is opportunity in the Kansas City area. But the agency came first.

00;15;38;03 - 00;15;55;17

Cary Hall

Yeah. Well, that that that makes a lot of sense when you think about it. I mean, you mean you've got a lot of clients outside of Kansas City? Some of those are still the benefits by design clients like David Wickham. We're from Glass Town, Restore, Kansas. I mean, you've got people that with that agency are heading to your agency for 20 years.

00;15;55;17 - 00;16;01;24

Mariah Ahlers

That's right. And, Levitt has the same retention with theirs, so it's just the right fit for us. Well.

00;16;01;26 - 00;16;22;00

Cary Hall

That's what makes that's what makes sense in that that is what makes a difference. We come back to the break. We're going to talk about some of the specific things they're going to be able to do that are different than what they've done in the past, how you as an employer might benefit from that. Stay tuned. You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocate Broadcasting here on the HRA Radio Network.

00;16;22;06 - 00;16;49;23

Cary Hall

Coast to coast across USA. Once again that website. Levitz.com. That's leavitt.com or call Maria today at 877385 2224. If you need help give them a call. Stay tuned. We'll be right back after the break with more.

00;16;49;25 - 00;17;11;17

Cary Hall

Welcome back. You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocate show, broadcasting coast to coast across USA here on the HIA Radio Network in studio B today, Maria Ahlers and Jenni Leavitt. We're talking about Leavitt Strategic Benefits, how they are now RPS Benefits by Design or other way around. I think it's RPS Benefits by Design is Leavits Strategic Benefits. What is it?

00;17;11;18 - 00;17;34;26

Cary Hall

What are they bringing to the marketplace here? That's going to change some of the landscape in the in the Kansas City metro and across Kansas because they're they're clients of benefits by design in Wichita, in Hays and Scott City in the Boot Hill of Missouri, all over in local areas, as well as some out-of-state clients as well. So let's just talk a little bit about some of the things that you're looking forward to.

00;17;34;28 - 00;17;37;20

Cary Hall

There going to be a lot different than what they've been in the past. Maria.

00;17;37;21 - 00;18;00;12

Mariah Ahlers

Yeah. Well, Carrie, I think the most important thing that I want to stress that will not change is we're going to have the same team, just stronger support. So all of our all of our account managers, all of our client services, all of our benefits consultants, we're all it's all going to be the same. Clients do not need to worry about getting change in staffing.

00;18;00;15 - 00;18;21;13

Mariah Ahlers

You're still going to work with the same people with the same relationship that we know. Your organization, and you're going to get this at least the same level of high quality service, if not better, with the Levitt Group. So we love it that we had the local feel, but the national strengths. And what does that mean? The national strength.

00;18;21;13 - 00;18;59;01

Mariah Ahlers

It means expanded tools, expanded data analysis, research resources for that includes data analytics, pharmacy consulting, actuarial support, compliance support, technology claims advocate support, wellness, strategies, all of those things that the larger brokerage has. But sometimes you get lost in those larger brokerages. Oh, yeah. Yeah. We're here. You have that capability, but you still get that local feel.

00;18;59;08 - 00;19;06;06

Mariah Ahlers

And the nice thing is, is Levitt Group is able to support us in all of our markets. We're in Arizona, we're in New Mexico, where I started.

00;19;06;07 - 00;19;06;17

Cary Hall

I forgot.

00;19;06;17 - 00;19;23;05

Mariah Ahlers

About that. Yeah. Where are their offices are we're in Saint Joe, Missouri, Fort Scott, Kansas. And then of course, our corporate offices in Overland Park, Kansas. So we're so excited that they're able to provide the support to all of our markets and all of our clients all across the nation and internationally.

00;19;23;07 - 00;19;42;16

Cary Hall

Well, see, you're going to continue with the local feel. That's right. But it's so thoughtful about how some of this technology, because you've mentioned it a couple of times, the AI and some of the other things that you're going to be able to do and that you haven't been able to do in the past that are going to impact the clients in a very positive way.

00;19;42;18 - 00;19;51;18

Cary Hall

And for those of you listening to the show that may be looking for something different, maybe you're not real happy with the current broker. You may want to give this a thought, but talk a little bit about that.

00;19;51;20 - 00;20;26;17

Mariah Ahlers

When you have a large national strength back up or support. What that means for our clients is we have more buying power, more negotiation power with the bookers, with the carriers. But also what we have is the ability to look outside the box, which means the non buka carriers. We've done that with some of our clients recently. We did that with one of our clients who got a 47% increase from one of the bookers.

00;20;26;20 - 00;20;57;26

Mariah Ahlers

We went to market and we reduced it to less than 10% from where they're currently at. And how do we do that? My broker competitors out there like, no, it's not true. Well, what happens is we use non buka carriers that still uses the same network. So this one was on the Aetna network. Same providers same services. But they're able to give it at a lower rate because they're using AI.

00;20;57;27 - 00;21;13;04

Mariah Ahlers

They're using AI for their underwriting. Now they're not using AI for their customer service which really doesn't matter because you are using us anyway. So we would deal with that. We would call the, as you put it, the one 800 don't give a damn number.

00;21;13;04 - 00;21;21;08

Cary Hall

Is that that's a famous commercial from years ago, folks. You probably might have heard it. If you want to call the one 800, I don't give a damn number. Or you can call benefits.

00;21;21;11 - 00;21;21;23

Jenni Leavitt

Sponsored.

00;21;21;28 - 00;21;22;20

Mariah Ahlers

That's it, that's it.

00;21;22;25 - 00;21;28;26

Cary Hall

By the way, that commercial got a lot of play. Yeah, it was it. Did you really say that? Yes. I didn't really say that. And I met.

00;21;28;26 - 00;21;39;19

Mariah Ahlers

It. Yes, yes. So call us then. You don't have to face that. But because of those partnerships and because of Leavitt, we have more buying power and more negotiation power.

00;21;39;21 - 00;21;42;06

Cary Hall

Well, customer service has always been your strong suit.

00;21;42;07 - 00;21;42;23

Mariah Ahlers

Absolutely.

00;21;42;23 - 00;22;08;05

Cary Hall

And now you're adding to that by this the the partnership, the association here with Leavitt Strategic Benefits and and it's going to it's going to tilt things differently in terms of giving you the ability to compete and and bring new product. Let's you just said they got a 40% 47% increase. Right. And they and you move them down to 10%.

00;22;08;05 - 00;22;11;07

Cary Hall

I guess you're probably going to have a client for life out of that group.

00;22;11;10 - 00;22;34;02

Mariah Ahlers

And that's what we do. We we really focus on the strategy. We focus on what's doing, what's right for our clients. More and more, we hear from our clients. They want strategy. They don't just want us to present them with, oh, here are your benefits plan. Here are your options. Here's what's going to cost you. We talk about let's create an HSA with that particular client.

00;22;34;02 - 00;22;45;17

Mariah Ahlers

We saved them enough that they were able to we added an HSA plan. So then they were able to contribute to the employees HSA, which help them with recruiting and retention that strategy. So you.

00;22;45;17 - 00;22;45;29

Cary Hall

Connect the.

00;22;45;29 - 00;23;06;29

Mariah Ahlers

Dots. That strategy it is strategy isn't. Well, let's just switch out the plans. That helps. But strategies, putting in something in place that really helps keep those employees feel they're, being invested in. And that's what we're passionate about. I mean, look, you know, my background is HR. I'm so passionate.

00;23;07;01 - 00;23;15;14

Cary Hall

We don't we don't hold back, okay? She was a research director. That's correct. I cringe, all of you out there.

00;23;15;17 - 00;23;36;01

Mariah Ahlers

But it's my passion. Is helping people. And that's what we do at Benefits by Design or Leavitt Strategic group. And honestly, with all the, the collaboration with Leavitt Group enterprise, they're on the same wavelength as we are. We go to them with ideas, especially Jenni, and she's like, let's do let's let's think of it this way.

00;23;36;01 - 00;23;42;07

Mariah Ahlers

Let's think of it that way. So we're so excited of what's coming in the future, and what we can do together.

00;23;42;10 - 00;24;03;10

Cary Hall

Well, go back to that, that example, because that was really kind of interesting. You go from 47% increase to a 10% increase in this. This employer obviously was pretty smart because they were smart enough to go, let's put some of that back into the company and help our employees. Well, the message that sends to the employees, you know, they really do care about us.

00;24;03;10 - 00;24;03;29

Mariah Ahlers

That's right.

00;24;04;02 - 00;24;24;24

Cary Hall

Because employers are struggling with this. I mean, if you're not a thousand life group, they can go out and do a Perrette or contrarian RI or Berkeley Hamilton captive, a major self-funded plan. They're the ones that are trapped in this and they can't get out of it. And so you've got to have somebody that's got the ability to look at them and go, there's a better way to do this.

00;24;24;27 - 00;24;25;25

Cary Hall

Let's show it to you.

00;24;25;25 - 00;24;45;06

Mariah Ahlers

And and to this clients credit. She was very open to what is it we need to do. We can't afford 47%. So we presented it to her and go, okay, here's how much we're going to save you. Here's what we suggest you do. And even with the contribution that she was providing, putting into her employees HSA account, they still had a savings.

00;24;45;09 - 00;25;21;08

Mariah Ahlers

Overall from from what we did, again, I can't stress enough to to my clients or to any company out there. Strategy isn't just about just changing plans or changing careers. Strategy is about thinking about how this is going to impact your employees. Long term strategy is really looking at how do we create more a robust benefits package, but yet save the company money, save the employees money with but not saving on the benefits, giving them the the benefits that employees really need.

00;25;21;11 - 00;25;24;15

Cary Hall

So Jenni, just sitting here listening, this is just the reason why.

00;25;24;17 - 00;25;32;14

Jenni Leavitt

You just that's why she's passionate and that drives everything really.

00;25;32;16 - 00;25;41;03

Cary Hall

And you're your family owned company and you're you're looking at this is she's in there now becoming part of your family. Exactly right. And that's really what you're trying to.

00;25;41;04 - 00;25;43;03

Jenni Leavitt

That's representation that we look for.

00;25;43;08 - 00;25;55;06

Cary Hall

Yeah. Because you've got to have that connectivity in the marketplace. But the key to the thing is connecting the dots Maria, like you just talked about, you've got if you know the typical broker walks in and goes, okay, here's the spreadsheet. Pick your poison.

00;25;55;07 - 00;25;55;19

Mariah Ahlers

That's right.

00;25;55;21 - 00;26;03;01

Cary Hall

That's not a strategy. No okay. No. Yeah. Showing up once a year with the spreadsheets. Not a strategy. What you just described is a strategy.

00;26;03;06 - 00;26;21;23

Mariah Ahlers

Yeah. We met with another client, that had a large increase. Their demographic of employees were young, and they had all these PPO plans that were, as you know, are expensive. Right. And we suggested, is there a reason why you're not doing a high HSA plan or a Meg plan for that matter?

00;26;21;29 - 00;26;22;27

Cary Hall

I didn't know what it was.

00;26;22;28 - 00;26;40;02

Mariah Ahlers

That's right. They said our broker didn't even talk to us about that. That strategy looking at not just the rate of the premiums and what the participation is. Let's do a deeper dive. Let's look and see what your claims are. Let's look and see what your risk are. Let's look and see what your your your employee demographics are.

00;26;40;08 - 00;26;41;10

Mariah Ahlers

All that matters.

00;26;41;14 - 00;26;59;00

Cary Hall

Matters a lot. And that is why you probably should pick up the phone and give them a call at 913385 2224 anywhere in the country. By the way, doesn't matter where you are, they can help you. As I said, they're New Mexico, Arizona, you know, they're there. They can help you any place in the country if you want help.

00;26;59;00 - 00;27;23;24

Cary Hall

913 385 2224 the website leavitt.com that's leavitt.com. Stay tuned. We'll be right back after the break with the wrap it up. You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocate broadcasting here on the HIA Radio Network. Coast to coast Cross, USA. Don't go anywhere.

00;27;23;27 - 00;27;43;26

Cary Hall

Welcome back. You're listening to America's Healthcare Advocates broadcasting coast to coast across the USA here on the HIA Radio Network. You want to find out more about us, go to the website AmericasHealthcareAdvocate.com. You want to tell somebody about what you're hearing here today? Maybe you're an art director and, you know, you guys are not happy with who you've got for a broker.

00;27;44;04 - 00;28;05;01

Cary Hall

You might want to refer them to the podcast or to the YouTube. All the shows are posted up there for you, each and every one of them. If you have a question or comment, go to the website America's Healthcare Advocate. Send me an email. I get a lot of them, but I answer each one of them. So, Maria, what can people expect now from you as you go through this transition and this change?

00;28;05;03 - 00;28;21;24

Mariah Ahlers

We have, a lot of things that are, happening and that will be coming out. Jenni, you want to talk about what can our clients expect as far as, communication and, and what, what it looks like now that we're the Leavitt Strategic Group.

00;28;21;28 - 00;28;48;20

Jenni Leavitt

Absolutely. So we've really been working closely with level groups, marketing and media team to put together, smooth transition. And this press release and the announcement of the new name, really, clients are going to be able to enjoy the same benefits they've always had. It's the same staff. It's the same name. Not name, but it's the same team name has always been there.

00;28;48;22 - 00;29;00;09

Jenni Leavitt

And just increased visibility and the ability to be able to take advantage of a lot of the new services and resources that will be coming out.

00;29;00;09 - 00;29;09;24

Mariah Ahlers

That's exactly right. We'll be putting out a press release this week, and then, on May 18th, we will officially be using our leavitt.com. Oh my birthday.

00;29;09;24 - 00;29;10;18

Cary Hall

That's amazing.

00;29;10;21 - 00;29;11;13

Jenni Leavitt

Okay.

00;29;11;16 - 00;29;16;00

Mariah Ahlers

That was on purpose. The man who started. So.

00;29;16;07 - 00;29;17;03

Cary Hall

That's good.

00;29;17;06 - 00;29;29;27

Mariah Ahlers

That was on purpose. So we'll be sending out, postcards to our, clients to let them know of of our acquisition. And then, of course, this radio show that we'll be posting to let our clients know as well.

00;29;30;00 - 00;29;46;15

Cary Hall

You will indeed talk a little bit about if you know, there are brokers out there that small producers out there that are looking for a way to affiliate with, with, with a company, with an agency that's really going to treat them the way they want to be treated. So talk a little bit about that, Jenni. You can talk about that.

00;29;46;15 - 00;30;04;05

Cary Hall

And then Maria talked about that a little bit about you know, I heard you mentioned off here you're meeting with somebody tomorrow and having a conversation. So it's a different feel coming into this group than it is going to one of the giant producers out there and trying to function in that in and swim in that water. So talk a little bit about that.

00;30;04;06 - 00;30;32;14

Jenni Leavitt

So this is a family owned company and partnering with Maria who oversees all of it. It really does make a difference. We we really encourage autonomy in every agency. And it provides, opportunity for producers and, flexibility and the ability to be able to grow in ways that really could be limited with larger brokerages.

00;30;32;20 - 00;30;55;05

Cary Hall

Yeah. They are. It seems like the, you know, the small time indicator brokers and endangered species right now, to a large degree, okay, because they're competing and they don't have the tools. And, you know, you have the tools. You had some of these tools before, but you most certainly have them now. So, you know, brokers out there, if you're listening to this and you're thinking maybe you might want to have a conversation with these folks, right.

00;30;55;08 - 00;31;27;29

Mariah Ahlers

Love to have conversation with them. I think what really sets us apart, Carrie, is we as we grow, there are opportunities and opportunities that we count on our team to come up with the ideas. You're not just a number within our organization. What you say matter. I listen to my team a lot as far as their feedback on what we can do better, what our clients need, and then we as a team decide how we're going to roll that out, implement it.

00;31;28;04 - 00;31;41;14

Mariah Ahlers

So if you're somebody who has a passion for service, for helping people, I don't know that anybody really has a passion for benefits and insurance, but.

00;31;41;16 - 00;31;48;03

Cary Hall

I don't know if think you've had a message from time, right? I just say I've been doing it for 31 years. So I just have to say there is some.

00;31;48;05 - 00;31;51;21

Mariah Ahlers

Very I have a passion for helping people, but that's how.

00;31;51;21 - 00;31;52;05

Cary Hall

You do it.

00;31;52;06 - 00;32;15;25

Mariah Ahlers

That's right. And so if you have a passion for that and you really want you have an entrepreneur mind, this is the place for you. There isn't layers and layers and layers of of approval. It's let's work together. Let's figure out what we need to do. Let's figure out how we can do better. I think, you know, Jenni has spent some time with me where she sees the light bulb comes on, and I'm just like, Jenni, let's do this, Jenni, let's do that.

00;32;15;25 - 00;32;39;05

Mariah Ahlers

And she's like, yes. And she helps now at that corporate level to help implement or roll out that strategy. Furthermore, what is so exciting is that we take the ideas from each of the agencies that are under the Levitt Group, and we come together and collaboratively think about what is best for our clients and what we can do better for our clients.

00;32;39;08 - 00;32;57;12

Mariah Ahlers

If these decisions aren't just made at the top, where the ones that sit, you know, in the C-suite are going, oh, let's let's figure this out. It's coming from the frontline people, the people who are dealing, you know, helping our clients, the people who are out in the market, the people who are seeing what each market needs,

00;32;57;14 - 00;32;58;13

Cary Hall

They're all different.

00;32;58;15 - 00;33;22;20

Mariah Ahlers

They are. And so for us to be able to find those, get those feedback from our, our team, and then really roll it out either locally or at the national level. It's just so exciting. Well, you one of those actually, Carrie is gig care. We're talking about rolling out gig care. I talked to Jenni about it and she got excited about it.

00;33;22;20 - 00;33;25;26

Mariah Ahlers

So now we're meeting with, corporate to discuss it.

00;33;25;29 - 00;33;48;15

Cary Hall

And get their product to the table, put together. We rolled it out with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska. Now we're working with Aetna. And it's for ten non employees. And that's exactly what Marie is talking about. It's a product that is very different than it is a non book a product from that standpoint. And you're successful with it and you're doing very well with it and you're going to be doing more of it eventually.

00;33;48;15 - 00;33;59;00

Mariah Ahlers

We're hoping to do a lot more of it. And with, the Leavitt groups corporate help, at, we're hoping to really expand it, because we see a need for it. What did you say?

00;33;59;00 - 00;34;00;16

Cary Hall

How many? 88 million.

00;34;00;17 - 00;34;02;24

Mariah Ahlers

88 million contractors.

00;34;02;25 - 00;34;24;13

Cary Hall

And 99 employees out there today. Those are realtors. Those are franchise owners. Those are truck drivers. They're Uber drivers. They're Fedex drivers. Believe it or not. Those Fedex drivers are 1099 drivers that are driving those local delivery trucks. Those are all ten out of ten drivers. So there's a huge need. And and we think gig care said space pretty well.

00;34;24;15 - 00;34;31;10

Mariah Ahlers

And Levitt Group enterprises feels that way too. And that's the beauty of working with such an organization like this.

00;34;31;16 - 00;34;32;28

Cary Hall

I think you're excited.

00;34;33;00 - 00;34;34;13

Mariah Ahlers

A little bit. Just a little bit.

00;34;34;15 - 00;34;56;10

Cary Hall

Thank you both for being here today and great. Hope to have you back again and talk about some of the other things we're doing. You know, if you want information, go to the website. There's a lot of information up there. Or just reach out to Maria. Hey, maybe you're that producer out there that really would like to grow US agency or hurried and see and and you don't have the ability to do that.

00;34;56;15 - 00;35;18;08

Cary Hall

These folks do. They'd be happy to talk to you once again. The phone number 913385 2224. The website leavitt.com. That's leavitt.com. And now I leave you with this thought from Albert Einstein, the one who follows the crowd. We usually get no further than the crowd. The one who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been.

00;35;18;11 - 00;35;44;25

Cary Hall

Remember, friends, is the funny thing about life. If you refuse to accept anything but the very best, you most often get it. Thank you for listening to America's Healthcare Advocate Show, broadcasting coast to coast across the USA. Here on the HIA Radio Network. Goodbye America. You. You.