Talking Benefits - podcast cover

Talking Benefits

International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans benefits pros Julie Stich, Justin Held, Anne Patterson and Stacy Van Alstyne dive into retirement, health care, hot trends, or whatever else the benefits industry throws at them.
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Episodes

Benefits Bonus: PBM Fee Transparency

This episode is an audio read of a Word on Benefits blog post. Read the post here: https://blog.ifebp.org/what-the-executive-order-increasing-pbm-fee-transparency-means-for-employers/ To find more resources, including a template of a disaster recovery policy and sample documents, visit the Benefits Knowledge Center: www.ifebp.org/resources---news/b…s-knowledge-center

Jun 18, 20257 min

A Fiduciary Approach to Your Health Plan

In this episode we're talking to Chelsea Ryckis, President of Ethos Benefits on what it means to view your health plan through the eyes of a fiduciary and how that perspective could lead to savings and improved benefits for your employees. Chelsea presented on this topic at the 2024 International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists Symposium. Hear many other great presentations like hers at this year’s Symposium! https://www.iscebs.org/symposium Check out Chelsea’s own podcast from...

Jun 02, 202531 min

Financial Stress in the Workplace

This week, we focus on this years theme for National Employee Benefits Day, which is future-ready financial education. We’re diving into the financial stress and mental health of workers. Visit www.ifebp.org/benefitsday for more information.

Mar 18, 202518 min

Benefit Bonus: Disaster Planning

This episode is an audio read of a Word on Benefits blog post. Read the post here: https://blog.ifebp.org/building-resilience-how-to-prepare-your-organization-for-disasters/ To find more resources, including a template of a disaster recovery policy and sample documents, visit the Benefits Knowledge Center: https://www.ifebp.org/resources---news/benefits-knowledge-center

Mar 10, 20259 min

Four Generations, One Workplace

What do tiny houses have to do with your staff? A lot, as it turns out. Well, kind of. Host Stacy talks with International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans VP of Talent, Andie Gebert, on her advice and insights for how employers can navigate communications, policies and more for employees spanning four, sometimes five generations, all with different sets of values.

Mar 03, 202529 min

Health Plan Cybersecurity (feat. Jason Sheffield)

This week, we are joined by special guest Jason Sheffield, the National Director of Compliance at The Baldwin Group, Inc. Join us as we discuss best practices in cybersecurity and updates on recent events.

Jan 30, 202528 min

Benefit Plan Laws and Rules on Our 2025 Watchlist

Did you know there are at least 40 potential areas of employee benefit plan regulations and legislation to watch in 2025 and beyond? In this episode we discuss the things employee benefits professionals should have on their radar in this new presidential administration. Read our colleague, Jenny Gartman's wonderful blog at www.ifebp.org/blog Watch the webcast we discuss at www.ifebp.org/webcasts

Jan 27, 202514 min

Employers' Role in Health Equity

We talk with Vikki Walton, a leader of health equity on how employers can decrease disparities among their employees' and improve the health of employees and their families with benefit offerings and workplace culture.

Nov 21, 202423 min

Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefits

On this episode, we revisit the topic of mental health initiatives, in honor of World Mental Health Day on October 10th. Catch our Mental Health in the Workplace Virtual Conference on October 9th! Learn more at https://www.ifebp.org/education---events/virtual-education-and-webcasts/virtual-conferences---workshops/mental-health-in-the-workplace-virtual-conference/home

Oct 07, 202423 min

GLP-1 Coverage Update

This month, we focus on the state of GLP-1 drug coverage, and how it is effecting the benefits community.

Jul 26, 202424 min

Spotlight on Women's Health

We talk all things women's health and well-being with Dr. Lana Saal – how women's health issues impact the workforce, why employers should care and how they can help. Dr. Saal gives us the details on how new benefits or simple tweaks to your existing benefit plan can make a huge positive impact on the lives of your staff, your workplace culture and your organization's productivity.

Jun 21, 202425 min

Regulatory Update

On this episode, we discuss the recent regulatory releases out of Washington D.C. and what they mean for the health benefits industry.

May 16, 202431 min

Financial Education Trends

This month the Pod Squad discusses the trends we're seeing in employer financial education benefits and how educating employees on their personal finances can better your organization. Find all of the International Foundation resources and tools Anne and Julie discussed here: http://www.ifebp.org/retirementsecurity

Apr 30, 202415 min

Loneliness in the Workplace

This week, we focus on this years theme for National Employee Benefits Day, which is addressing loneliness in the workplace and what employers can do to help. Visit www.ifebp.org/benefitsday for more information about the best day of the year!

Mar 06, 202416 min

Family-Forming Benefits

We dive into the many options and why employers may want to consider offering benefits for family-forming services like IFV, egg harvesting, egg and sperm freezing, surrogacy, etc.

Feb 22, 202412 min

Benefits Bonus: Three Ways to Use AI in Employee Benefits

Artificial Intelligence seems to be taking the world by storm, but can it be applied to employee benefits? We dive into how this new technology can help benefits professionals and when they should be cautious. This episode is an audio read of a Word on Benefits blog post. Read the post here: https://blog.ifebp.org/three-ways-to-use-ai-in-employee-benefits/

Jan 31, 20249 min

2023 Benefits Year In Review

In what has become a Talking Benefits tradition, we're recapping all the big benefits news from 2023 in this last episode of the year. Here are links to all of the International Foundation content we mention in this episode: 2022 Employee Benefits Survey results https://ifebp.org/store/employee-benefits-survey/Pages/default.aspx Workplace Mental Health Toolkit http://www.ifebp.org/mentalhealth Webcast on menopause benefits https://www.ifebp.org/education/webcasts/Pages/webcast-ind.aspx?wcode=23T...

Dec 18, 202333 min

Benefits Bonus: Mental Health in the Workplace

Talking Benefits producer, Stacy Van Alstyne, shares her recent Word on Benefits blog post on the best practices in addressing mental health in the workplace. You can read Stacy's blog post here: https://blog.ifebp.org/six-steps-to-addressing-mental-health-in-the-workplace/ The International Foundation's Word on Benefits blog has many other great posts on a bevy of benefits topics: https://blog.ifebp.org/ Check out the Mental Health Survey Stacy mentioned in this episode. https://www.ifebp.org/s...

Nov 28, 20238 min

The Impact of Caregiving on Retirement Security

Caregiving, whether it be for children or older relatives, can impact employees' retirement security long into their golden years. In this episode, we talk with Craig Copeland, Ph.D. from the Employee Benefit Research Institute on how caregiving affects employees, who it affects, how it affects the broader economy and how employers can help.

Oct 30, 202312 min

Benefits Bonus: Could ChatGPT Be Used in Employee Benefits?

ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence tool, is making headlines. But, does it have any place in the employee benefits industry? We talked to some human experts to find out. Read Kathy's post and many other great blog posts on the International Foundation's Word on Benefits Blog: https://blog.ifebp.org/

Jul 24, 20237 min

State-Facilitated Retirement Plans

More and more states are stepping up to fill the savings gap for individuals who don't have access to employer-sponsored retirement plans. In this episode we talk to Christine Cheng, Director of the Illinois SECURE CHOICE program on how Illinois employers fit into the program, and Kim Olson, Senior Officer on the Retirement Savings Project at the Pew Charitable Trusts on what the data tells us about these types of programs.

Jun 27, 202334 min

Benefits Bonus: May the Fourth Be With You

Employee Benefits are an important part of life in any galaxy. In what has become a sort of Talking Benefits tradition, we're celebrating Star Wars Day with an imagining of the inner workings of benefits administration in a galaxy far, far away. As it turns out, it can be a bit tricky when your participants are separated by several light years or frozen in carbonite. This bonus episode is a reading of a Word on Benefits blog post. You can read it and many other great benefits blog posts here: ht...

May 04, 202311 min

Measuring Financial Well-Being

In this episode we're talking financial well-being with two staffers from the United States Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on how your employees' finances can impact your organization and how employers can help their employees become more financially secure. Check out the CFPB resources mentioned in this episode: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/educator-tools/financial-well-being-resources/ https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/financial-well-being/ https://w...

Apr 18, 202321 min

Education Benefits

Could education benefits help your organization recruit and retain talent? In this episode we'll school you on the various options available to employers in this area. (see what we did there?) Check out the items mentioned in this episode: Student loan benefits pulse survey: https://ifebp.org/store/Pages/student-loan-survey.aspx 2022 Employee Benefits survey results: https://ifebp.org/store/employee-benefits-survey/Pages/default.aspx Other great research resources from the International Foundati...

Mar 13, 202316 min

Benefits Bonus: The Rise of Fertility Benefits to Attract Talent

Host Anne shares a blog she wrote on the uptick of employers offering fertility and family forming benefits in order to attract and retain talent. Read this blog post in full here: https://blog.ifebp.org/fertility-benefits-rapidly-rising-as-employers-look-to-attract-and-support-talent/ Check out the results of the 2022 Employee Benefits Survey discussed in this episode here: https://ifebp.org/store/employee-benefits-survey/Pages/default.aspx Read all the other great Word on Benefits blog posts h...

Mar 02, 20235 min
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