2008 Information Below - Check back for 2009

Preliminary Conference Program

• David Albertson, Editorial Director, Employee Benefit News, Washington, DC

With health care costs crippling major corporations, and nearly 1 in 7 Americans lacking coverage, demands for change have shaken the very roots of the employer-based benefits system. In his opening remarks, Albertson will frame the issues confronting all benefit sponsors, assessing the stakes in the 2008 Presidential elections and private-sector reforms already being tested. He will outline issues to be addressed in launch our full day conference program featuring outstanding speakers and timely topics covering health care quality and cost containment, as well as retirement plans and ways of incorporating benefits into employee recruiting and retention strategies.

• Julie Hanson Snyder, Analyst, Forrester Research, Cambridge, MA

This important session will cover health insurance, cost containment strategies, consumer directed health plans, HSAs, disease management, HR support programs and portals, and more.

An opportunity to meet exhibitors and examine solutions for health care and benefits. See the list of exhibitors in the show that runs from 8 am to 4 pm.

• David Hom, Chairman, Center for Health Value Innovation

David Hom is currently chairman of the non-profit Center for Health Value Innovation, and the former vice president of Strategic Initiatives at Pitney Bowes, Stamford, CT. Mr. Hom developed a nationally recognized and award-winning integrated health care strategy that focuses on increased employee productivity through disease, disability and demand-management programs. David is the co-author of 2 books on value-based design for employee health benefits.

• Linda Cahn, President, Pharmacy Benefit Consultants, Morristown, NJ

• Audrey Browne, Director of Regulatory Compliance & Contract Procurement, DC 37 Health & Security Plan, New York, NY

This session describes how negotiating a new PBM contract for a major public sector union benefit plan has led to millions in savings. DC 37 is a consortium of 56 public-sector unions primarily located in NYC. The DC 37 Health & Security Plan provides a prescription drug benefit for over 300,000 lives.

Session 5. 12-1 pm
Luncheon

Another opportunity to meet exhibitors and examine solutions for health care
and benefits.

• Rob J. Thurston, President, HR Consulting Group

• James O'Sullivan, Program Manager, IBM Global Health Benefits Operations, IBM Human Resources On-Demand.

This session will cover changes in consumer driven health for 2008.

• Joan Smyth, Principal, Mercer, New York, NY

This survey is conducted annually and includes private and public employers with 10 or more employees. The new Mercer Survey will be released in March 2008 with new information on strategy around wellness and disease management.

• Ronald S. Leopold, MD, VP, MetLife, Long Island City, NY

Where are you spending your benefits dollars and what are you getting for your money? Employers need to see more relevance for their benefits dollar: survival requires realigning benefits strategies with business realities.

An antiquated health delivery infrastructure that rewards acute and tertiary care still preempts our need to focus on chronic condition care, prevention and wellness. Sharing costs, incentives and accountability with individual employees is the new mantra.

As employers focus more on employee retention, they are realigning their benefits strategies to differentiate themselves from their competition. The new metrics for successful benefits professionals link benefits satisfaction to job loyalty.

This presentation will take on the tough questions facing benefits professionals, and examine how employers are thinking about the future of benefits.

• Wayne Bogosian, President and Managing Director, The PFE Group,
  Southborough, MA

• Michael Crowley, Associate General Counsel, National Futures Association, Chicago, IL

This session will cover new issues and communicating to your employees.

Last opportunity to meet exhibitors on a person-to-person basis.
Exhibits conclude at 4 pm.

• Christopher Calvert, Vice President, Sibson/Segal, New York, NY

Take a fresh look at wellness plans and how they can be streamlined and communicated to your employees. Identifying inventory and gap analysis. Working with vendors to tailor to your employees.

4:50 pm
Conference concludes.