Experts Available to Discuss Health Insurance for Small Businesses.

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TOPIC: Across the nation, small businesses are addressing their concerns regarding affordability of health insurance. The Utah Insurance Department recommended a legislative committee concentrate on the health care issues that small businesses face this year, according to an article by Deseret Morning News. The department suggests lawmakers create a health insurance product suitable for small businesses that would be affordable. The department is also proposing a study on how small businesses are affected by health insurance mandates.

EXPERTS: ExpertSource can offer several highly qualified experts to comment on this story:

Mark Reynolds is chief executive officer and president of Ben-e-lect, a leading third party administrator (TPA) that provides administrative and claims services to small and medium-sized employers throughout California and Colorado. The company is recognized as an innovator of employer driven health plan models, delivering consistent, innovative solutions and services to agents/brokers so they can offer quality benefits solutions to their clients. Since acquiring Ben-e-lect in 1996, Mr. Reynolds set out to position the company as a leader in the employee benefits market. He created the concept of "shared funding" for employers, enhanced the company's benefits and administration system, and introduced new programs as well as an online quoting system. Under Mr. Reynold's leadership, the company has experienced unprecedented growth. Ben-e-lect's product portfolio has increased to eight insurance carriers and 18 plans, covering over 3,000 groups. Its operations have expanded to eight regional sales offices in two states. A Registered Health Underwriter (RHU) and licensed Third Party Administrator (TPA), Mr. Reynolds' involvement in the health benefits industry spans over two decades. His expertise includes extensive experience in the planning, development, marketing, and management of employee benefits and managed cost programs. He served as senior vice president of Quorum Insurance Administrators, a full-service TPA with clients throughout the western United States, until he facilitated the sale of Quorum to Dunn & Bradstreet Corporation in 1993. Mr. Reynolds is sought for his expertise and has authored articles for industry trade publications including California Broker. He has conducted continuing education courses for nearly all California Association of Health Underwriters (CAHU) chapters throughout the state and various National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) chapters. He has also presented at conferences and meetings of various trade groups including the Pacific Water Quality Association and Asphalt Paving Association as well as Employee Benefit News seminars and local chambers of commerce. For years, he has played an active leadership role in the industry. He was a founding member of the Inland Empire Association of Health Underwriters and past president of the Health Care Administrators Association (HCAA). Currently, he is a member of CAHU, the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU), and the Society of Professional Benefit Administrators (SPBA).

PR Contact: Linda O'Hanlon

818-386-1916

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A Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS), Barry Reid is the past president and a board member of the Northwest Chapter of the International Society of Certified Employee Benefits Specialists (ISCEBS). Reid, president of the Financial Design Group, is a highly experienced financial advisor. He provides counsel on benefits programs to over 50 small business owners and advises plans for hundreds of employees. He serves on the Pierce County Alliance Board of Directors and has been a Guest Professor at the University of Washington teaching Asset Management for its CEBS Program. Barry is also an expert on estate planning and charitable giving programs. A registered principal, he is the owner and supervising manager of a financial planning and advisory business in the Seattle area.

PR Contact: Becky Reid

206-388-5788

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Dr. Phil Wenk is executive vice president of Renaissance Health Services Corporation, a not-for-profit organization comprised of companies that focus on affordable health care benefits, employee benefit and claim management services, and access cards to reduce health care costs for small groups and individuals. Dr. Wenk has more than 30 years experience in health care, including 20 years as a practicing dentist and 10 years in executive leadership with insurance companies. He has been appointed to serve as a member of the University of Tennessee Dental Alumni Board of Trustees and was named to the Nashville Business Journal's Healthcare 100, a listing of the 100 most influential healthcare executives and professionals in the Middle Tennessee area. Dr. Wenk received his B.S. degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1973 and D.D.S. from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry in 1977. He has served as Secretary and President of the Second District Dental Society and as a delegate to the Tennessee Dental Association. Dr. Wenk is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists, a member of the International College of Dentists, and a recipient of the Fellowship Award for Distinguished Service from the Tennessee Dental Association. In 2005, he was appointed by Governor Bredesen to serve as a member of the Board of Economic Development for the State of Tennessee. He is also a member of the Cabinet for the Governor's Books from Birth Foundation, a statewide literacy organization that helps fund Imagination Library projects for all Tennessee counties. Renaissance is affiliated with the second largest group of not-for-profit dental care corporations in the country. The Renaissance family of companies dates back to 1957 and today has offices in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, New York, and Florida. Collectively, Renaissance provides coverage for more than six million people with annual revenues of nearly $2 billion. www.RenaissanceFamily.com.

PR Contact: Lauren Panaretos

313-567-4058

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