As questions continue to loom around health care reform and its future remains uncertain, Rina Tikia, president of Tikia Consulting in Metairie, La., understands that her clients need a knowledgeable, dedicated partner more than ever. Leaving the office at 7 or 8 p.m. is not uncommon for her, she says, and clients are welcome to call her at any time, whether that happens to be during a late night or weekend.
"To be successful in this profession, you have to be very dedicated and have a good attitude," Tikia says. "I'm available 24-7. I have never lost a client due to poor service."
Of course, considering the ever-changing benefits environment, Tikia strives to stay current on all regulations and industry news. While there always seems to be a learning curve, brokers cannot afford to become complacent when it comes to knowledge, Tikia says. Employers still have a lot of questions surrounding benefits in relation to health care reform, and they rely upon their brokers to design the most effective plan that is compliant with all current regulations.
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"You can never say you know it all because it's constantly changing," Tikia says. "There's never a dull moment, but you have to stay on top of the industry. I'm always trying to learn more, and one of my biggest strengths is I'm very creative. I always think outside the box."
Part of Tikia's creative approach includes incorporating self-funded plans, even for smaller employers, she says. In particular, adding dental offerings to the self-funded plans has been helpful for Tikia's clients. Unlike medical claims, dental claims are never catastrophic in nature, which makes it affordable for employers, and including that extra benefit is attractive to employees.
"Self-funding not only helps the employer reduce its costs because you're only paying as you go, but it's also a good offset to employees in terms of a benefits package," Tikia says. "You'll never have a million-dollar claim in dental."
Although the future of health care reform is still unknown, Tikia remains positive about the future. Traditional health care may be changing, but there are so many other ways brokers can help their clients find the right solutions for them. New health care-related options are continuing to become more prevalent, and it just takes a little creativity and hard work to find the plan that fits.
"I'm very optimistic," Tikia says. "There are so many types of offerings you can do besides just health care. You have your voluntary products, you have your worksite products, you have your self-funded plans, and you have your ACOs. There's so many other avenues to explore."
Find out who the other Broker of the Year finalists are as we announce them April 23 – April 27 on BenefitsPro.com.
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