American Benefits Podcast

Common Sense, Common Cause: Talking Health Care Value with National Alliance CEO Shawn Gremminger Mar 22, 2024

Shawn Gremminger recently assumed the role of president and CEO of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Associations -- a Council member and frequent ally on health care policy. In this episode, we discuss the National Alliance's unique structure and composition, its policy priorities and the importance of getting value for every health care dollar.

Windows on Benefits: Introducing New Board Chair Fred Thiele (Microsoft Corporation) Jun 23, 2023

Fred Thiele, vice president, global benefits and mobility for Microsoft, will serve as chair of the American Benefits Council's Board of Directors for the 2023-2024 term. In this episode, he speaks with host Jason Hammersla about his company's unique approach to benefits, outlines his priorities for the next year and drops a few tales of questionable reimbursement requests.

Episode 45: Bigger Data: The First Step to Improving Health Equity (with Jennifer Haley, Urban Institute) Sep 01, 2022

Diversity, equity and inclusion is a priority for many of the American Benefits Council’s member companies, who have in turn directed us to engage with these issues as they relate to employee benefits.

Over the previous 12 months, the Council has established a task force to address social determinants of health and joined with a number of other esteemed organizations to release the research report, Collection of Race and Ethnicity Data for Use by Health Plans to Advance Health Equity.

The project was a collaboration with Urban Institute and Deloitte’s Health Equity Institute, as funded by Elevance Health. In this podcast episode, Jennifer Haley, senior research associate in the Urban Institute's Health Policy Center, talks to host Jason Hammersla about the recent collaborative study examining the collection and sharing of race and ethnicity data and how that data might be used by health plans to advance health equity.

Episode 44: Follow the Leader: Getting to Know the Council’s New Board Chair (with Tracy Watts, Mercer) Aug 17, 2022

If the American Benefits Council is to be a leader in the employee benefits world, we must have strong internal leadership. The Council’s policy agenda is carefully considered and set by our Policy Board of Directors, made up of knowledgeable and dedicated human resource and benefits professionals at each of our most engaged member companies.

Holding the gavel at the head of that table is this episode's special guest. Speaking to host Jason Hammersla is Tracy Watts, senior partner in Mercer’s Washington D.C. office and the company’s National Leader for U.S. Health Care Reform. As one of the nation’s foremost experts on the intersection of health policy and business strategy, Tracy speaks with Jason about the latest in employer innovation, the importance of the Council's advocacy and her vision for the organization's future.

Episode No. 43: Thinking Globally, Acting Locally: A Round-Up of the Council's International Benefits Activity Aug 03, 2022

For many multinational companies, figuring out how to scale employee benefits for a global population is a critical element of their economic competitiveness. But if providing comprehensive employee benefit programs in the United States is like playing advanced chess, doing so on a global basis is like playing advanced chess on a moving speedboat.

The American Benefits Council's policy team is not only engaged with the whole wide world at the “big-picture” level, it is also focused on practical matters for global employee benefit plan sponsors like governance, employee mobility, mergers and acquisitions and more.

Guiding members and staff across those choppy waters is Lynn Dudley, our senior vice president, global retirement and compensation policy, and Mike Mullins, chair of the Council's Global Benefits Committee. In this episode, host Jason Hammersla talks to Lynn and Mike about how global benefits differ from domestic programs and what major challenges global companies face today.

Episode 42: Into the Deep End: The Big Splash of Pooled Employer Plans (with Rick Jones, Aon) May 20, 2022

Even as policymakers discuss and debate the so-called "retirement savings gap," employers and others are starting to take part in a newly-minted coverage expansion tool: the SECURE Act of 2019 birthed the inception of the Pooled Employer Plan (PEP), which allows separate companies employers to team up and share plan administration for their collective employees.

On this episode of the American Benefits Podcast, host Jason Hammersla is joined by Rick Jones, senior partner in Aon’s National Retirement Practices group. Together they discuss the state of employer plan sponsorship, barriers to plan formation and how PEPs might improve the environment for plan sponsors.

Episode 41: Get Out the Map: Paid Leave and the State of Play May 05, 2022

Paid leave may not be an “employee benefit,” strictly speaking, in the same way that health coverage and retirement coverage are. But providing it has become a significant pressure point for employers, especially as an increasing number of states and localities have erected their own mandates over the last decade.

In this episode, host Jason Hammersla talks about this slow-motion explosion of paid leave mandates with one of the nation's foremost legal authorities on the subject: Josh Seidman, a partner in the Labor and Employment department of Seyfarth Shaw, LLP.

Together, Jason and Josh talk about the history of state and municipal paid leave statutes, how to think about them in their present form, and what the future holds. We also, somehow, touch on a couple of classic cinematic comedies.

View Josh's bio here: https://www.seyfarth.com/people/joshua-d-seidman.html

Council members can access the State Paid Leave Atlas here: https://www.americanbenefitscouncil.org/atlas

Episode 40: No Surprises, Please: The Twisty Tale of 'Surprise' Medical Billing Apr 21, 2022

The 2020 enactment of legislation to eliminate “surprise” medical billing was not just the most significant health care coverage legislation since the Affordable Care Act. It was also the culmination of a remarkable show of (relatively) swift and bipartisan lawmaking.

Since that enactment, however, the story has taken dizzying twists and turns, with more to come as the regulatory implementation phase gives way to nationwide litigation over the Biden administration's rules.

In this episode, host Jason Hammersla speaks to Katie Keith, a member of the research faculty for the Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reforms, and who has been following the surprise billing saga closely as a contributor to the Health Affairs blog. Keith puts the 2020 law in context, explains how regulatory agencies have sought to implement the law and breaks down the six different lawsuits scattered throughout the country.

You can find Katie Keith's writing on Health Affairs' Following The ACA Forefront article series and the recently launched Health Reform newsletter. You can also find her recent article on the surprise billing litigation at The Commonwealth Fund.

Episode 39: Plumbing and the PBGC: How Plans and Participants are Getting Stuck Mar 24, 2022

Even casual observers know that, over the past several decades, the nation's retirement system has evolved from a predominantly defined benefit system to a predominantly defined contribution system. That said, there are still nearly 47,000 defined benefit plans in the United States, (half of which are insured by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or PBGC), covering almost 33 million people and totaling more than $3.2 trillion in assets.

On this past New Year's Eve, the PBGC’s Participant and Plan Sponsor Advocate, Connie Donovan, issued the 2021 Annual Report of the Participant and Plan Sponsor Advocate, highlighting the agency’s successes and improvements, as well as areas of lingering concern. (See the report here: https://www.pbgc.gov/documents/2021-annual-report-participant-and-plan-sponsor-advocate)

In this episode, Donovan speaks with host Jason Hammersla about the customer experience with PBGC, including what she has characterized as “internal administrative issues” within the agency.

Episode 38: Nontraditional Workers and Barriers to Retirement Savings Mar 10, 2022

The current labor market is in flux, with many industries still in pandemic recovery while the "great resignation" creating a talent vacuum. Contingent or "nontraditional" work may not be as trendy a topic as it was five years ago, but it could represent a resource for companies seeking to fill important roles.

In this episode, host Jason Hammersla speaks to John C. Scott, director of the Pew Charitable Trusts Retirement Savings Project, about recent research on the retirement preparedness of "nontraditional workers" and remaining barriers to their improved financial security.

Episode No. 37: Still V.B.I.D.: Chronic Disease and the Drive to Health Care Value Feb 24, 2022

According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6 in 10 adults in the U.S. have at least one chronic disease, while 4 in 10 have two or more. The CDC also estimates that 90% of the nation’s health care expenditures are for people with chronic and mental health conditions. And it’s very likely that the pandemic has exacerbated chronic disease by disrupting access to chronic disease treatment and control services.

If we have any hope of lowering health care costs and improving outcomes – which is the crux of the Council’s health policy agenda – we have to address chronic care.

On this episode of the American Benefits Podcast, the Council’s Senior Advisor, Health Policy, Katy Spangler speaks to Dr. A. Mark Fendrick, professor of Internal Medicine in the University of Michigan School of Medicine and a Professor of Health Management and Policy in the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan, and Paul Fronstin, director of the Health Research and Education Program at EBRI, about a recent study they published on employer take-up of pre-deductible chronic care services.

Episode 36: Polak's Republic: A Dialogue on Working Smarter Mar 31, 2021

Over the past year, the American workforce has undergone a forced evolution, with work environments and habits thrown into chaos. But even before the pandemic, human resources strategy had shown signs of strain under a rigid definition of "productivity."

In this episode, host Jason Hammersla speaks to internationally respected HR consultant Richard Polak, who thinks there is a better way. Polak explains the philosophy behind his new book, Work Smart Now: How to Jump Start Productivity, Empower Employees, and Achieve More, what "compassionate productivity" means and why "work-life balance" is a misnomer.

Episode 35: Law and Order with Meaghan VerGow Dec 08, 2020

With the nation in the throes of a lame-duck congressional session and slow-motion presidential transition, the judiciary is the only branch of the federal government that is working smoothly at the moment, even in the wake of seismic change in the U.S. Supreme Court’s personnel. And, as it happens, employee benefits policy hangs in the balance.

On November 10, the high court heard oral arguments in California v. Texas, the latest lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. A number of other important benefits cases will also come before the court in the coming months.

In this episode, special guest host James Klein, American Benefits Council president, speaks with Meaghan VerGow, a partner and litigator with the law firm of O’Melveny and Myers and a former clerk for Supreme Court Justice David Souter and for D.C. Appeals Court Judge Merrick Garland. VerGow and Klein discuss the fate of the ACA, the nuances of ERISA litigation and where the “highest court in the land” really is.

Please rate and subscribe the American Benefits Podcast on iTunes. For more information on the Council or the American Benefits Podcast, please email us at info@abcstaff.org.

Better Know a Council Colleague: New Health Policy Senior Counsel Katy Johnson Jan 28, 2020

The American Benefits Council is known for its staff continuity, with seven of our 15 staff members having been here for at least two decades. Occasionally, however, the employee benefit gods require new blood and new energy. The most recent addition to the Council family is Katy Johnson, who succeeds the newly retired Kathryn Wilber as Senior Counsel, Health Policy, directing the analysis and advocacy of health policy regulation and litigation.

In addition to her tireless work ethic, Katy brings a wealth of experience to the role after stints at the U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service. In this episode of the American Benefits Podcast, she talks to host Jason Hammersla about the origin of that work ethic, the path that led her to the Council and her favorite break room snack.

Episode 33: Benefits Calling: The World of Church Plans with Rev. Jeff Thiemann Dec 18, 2019

While we often focus on the Fortune 500 companies that dominate the world economy, another group of employers plays a fundamental role in the daily lives of millions of Americans: the churches, religious institutions and affiliated organizations that employ hundreds of thousands of clergy, lay workers, and their family members. This is a population with very typical health and retirement needs but also very unique practices and perspectives.

Ably representing these perspectives in the advocacy world and in the American Benefits Council is the Church Alliance, a coalition of the chief executive officers of 38 church benefit programs. In this episode, host Jason Hammersla speaks with Reverend Jeffrey Thiemann, vice chair of the Church Alliance and president and CEO of Portico Benefit Services (a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), to talk about what makes church plan benefits so challenging -- and rewarding -- to administer.

Episode 32: It’s a Big World After All: Going Global with Mark Azzarello, International Paper Dec 03, 2019

The American economy crosses borders, oceans, time zones, cultures, languages and great walls. And therefore, compensation and benefits has gone global, too. For many multinational companies, figuring out how to scale employee benefits for a global population is a critical element of their economic competitiveness. Here at the Council, we’re engaged on global benefits in numerous ways, from functioning as the U.S. chapter of the International Employee Benefit Association (or “IEBA”) to serving as a private-sector advisor to the U.S. delegation to the Organizational for Economic Cooperation and Development. We’re also focused on practical matters for global employee benefit plan sponsors like governance, controlling costs, health plan offerings, employee mobility, mergers and acquisitions and much, much more.

In this episode, host Jason Hammersla talks to Mark Azzarello, vice president, global compensation & benefits, for the International Paper Company. Azzarello is a member of the American Benefits Council’s board of directors and chair of the Council’s Global Benefits Committee. In this wide-ranging conversation, Azzarello describes the objectives of the Global Benefits Committee and the upshot of the group’s October 2019 meeting. He also describes International Paper’s distinctive approach to employee benefits policy including global governance, employee financial wellness and electronic disclosure.

Episode 31: All Debts, Public and Private - Helping Employers Help Employees Pay Down Student Loans Oct 08, 2019

Retirement benefits are obviously one pillar of employee health and financial security, but despite all that employers do the “retirement savings gap” between what people have and should have, continues to grow. One of the biggest barriers to savings is student loan debt, which now exceeds 1.5 trillion in the U.S., while tuition rises 8% year over year. In an effort to help their employees, more companies are now seeing value in helping to allay this burden.

The American Benefits Council is part of a broad, multi-stakeholder coalition called Debt Free Tax Free, whose mission is to help employers provide student loan repayment on a tax-free basis, if they want to do so. In this episode of the American Benefits Podcast, Debt Free Tax Free spokesperson Tara Fung (vice president at CommonBond for Business) speaks to host Jason Hammersla about how student debt is different than other kinds of debt, why student loan repayment programs are a good investment for companies – and the government, via the tax code – and what to do about the tuition “bubble.”

Episode 30: All In the Families - Building a Better Health Care Engine with Families USA’s Frederick Isasi Aug 12, 2019

We talk all the time about employee benefits for the evolving global workforce, but the truth is that benefits are important for more than just workers. For example, many covered lives are those of the spouses and children of workers with job-based health insurance. The voice of these families in Washington DC belongs to Frederick Isasi and his colleagues at Families USA, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization whose stated mission is “the achievement of high-quality, affordable health care and improved health for all.” In May of this year, Families USA launched Consumers First, a broad, multi-stakeholder alliance that seeks to address the fundamental economic incentives and design of the health care system. The American Benefits Council serves on the steering committee of Consumers First.

As Families USA’s executive director, Isasi wants to make the American health care system work better for all the money we pour into it. In this episode, Isasi talks to host Jason Hammersla about ways to “build a better health care engine” instead of putting more gas in the tank.

Episode 29: The Compensation of ‘Independents’ - Designing Portable Benefits with the Aspen Institute’s Shelly Steward Jul 18, 2019

The independent workforce – a potent mixture of temp workers, contingent workers, “gig” workers and others – represents anywhere between 4 and 40% of the overall labor market and constitutes an interesting economic challenge: in a nation where employment is central to one’s health and retirement benefits, how do we provide financial security to those who do not have long-term, consistent employment? In recent years, the Council has grappled with this question, setting forth The Five “Cs”: Principles for Policymakers Regarding Benefits and Independent Workers. Others are approaching the issue from the other direction. Shelly Steward, research manager for Aspen Institute’s Future of Work Initiative, recently co-authored Designing Portable Benefits: A Resource Guide for Policymakers, a paper that defines and describes benefits that are “portable, prorated and universal.” In this episode, Steward talks to host Jason Hammersla about why large employers should entertain and embrace the notion of portable benefits.

Episode 28: The People Have Spoken - What Do 2018 Election and Polling Results Mean for Employee Benefits? Dec 13, 2018

As a result of the 2018 midterm elections, Democrats will assume control of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2019. And while Republicans still control the White House and the Senate, this one change has the potential to derail the whole legislative process, like when one bulb goes out in a string of Christmas lights. So what does that mean for the rest of 2018 and the next two years?

That’s a good question for James A. Klein, Council president and political prognosticator-in-chief. In this special podcast episode, Jim speaks with host and loyal underling Jason Hammersla about the waning days of Congress’ Lame Duck session, how much gridlock we can expect on health and retirement policy and what to make of the election day polling results commissioned by the Council. Happy Holidays!

Episode 27: Cover Me, I’m Going In - Talking Workplace Health Insurance with AHIP’s Adam Beck Nov 01, 2018

On the cusp of the 2018 midterm elections, health care remains a major issue for American voters. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 71 percent say that health care policy is “very important” in their decision about how to cast their vote and a plurality – 30 percent – say that health care is the most important issue in the midterm elections. Since more than half of all Americans, 181 million people plus, are covered by health insurance through an employer, policies affecting workplace coverage are of paramount importance.

Enter America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the national association whose members provide coverage for health care and related services. They recently launched a campaign, Coverage@Work, which provides resources to educate policymakers and the public about employer-provided coverage. In this episode, Adam Beck, AHIP’s vice president, employer health policy & initiatives, talks to host Jason Hammersla about workplace coverage from the perspective of the payers – insurers and the insured – and the major policy threats on the horizon.

Episode 26: Where Do We Go From Here? Talking Retirement Policy with Mike Barry Oct 10, 2018

Retirement policy is supposed to be a bastion of stability and security, but the history of that policy is characterized by constant change: changing demographics, workforce patterns, plan designs and political priorities – to say nothing of rising financial markets and falling interest rates. The resulting story has unfolded like a drama with an uncertain ending.

Author, attorney and benefits professional Mike Barry has written a new book, Retirement Savings Policy: Past, Present and Future, telling that tale and speculating on how the story might continue. He joins host Jason Hammersla to talk about the fundamental risks of retirement savings, the trouble with tax incentives, exit ramps for employers and how The Office helps explain our idea of the workplace.

Episode 25: Scenes from a Webinar: How Employers are Combating the Opioid Epidemic Sep 27, 2018

On average in the United States, 115 people die each day from an opioid overdose. As this epidemic has touched workers, employers have sought to address it through innovative plan design and outreach. Meanwhile, Congress is poised to enact legislation designed to stem the tide of opioid abuse and addiction. Earlier this year, the American Benefits Council, in partnership with the Midwest Business Group on Health (MBGH), hosted a webinar in which we discussed the efforts and challenges for employers working to make a difference in this area. In this week’s edition of the American Benefits Podcast, we share the audio from that webinar, which is normally provided for Council members only. The webinar featured moderators Kathryn Wilber, American Benefits Council senior counsel, health policy, and Cheryl Larson, MBGH president and CEO, as well as guest speakers Dr. William Lopez, senior medical director-behavioral health at Cigna Healthcare, [12:42] talking about insurer initiatives to improve plan design and treatment strategies; Jason Parrott, manager of healthcare strategy & policy for The Boeing Company, [23:51] recounting his company’s efforts to that maintain quality of care while ensuring tighter controls for dosing and quantity limits; and Sarah Bassler Millar, partner with Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, [44:56] describing the legislative, regulatory and legal landscape surrounding these issues. To participate in future webinars, consider joining the American Benefits Council, which offers programs like these at no charge as part of the member company’s annual investment.

Resources:

Episode 24: "Father of the 401(k)" on the Promise and Problems of Today's Retirement System Sep 04, 2018

The defined contribution retirement savings plan is now the preeminent savings vehicle for working Americans. DOL data tells us that two-thirds of all full-time civilian workers have access to a defined contribution plan at work, and 72 percent of those individuals participate in the plan, adding up to nearly 100 million participants nationwide. It accounts for, conservatively, more than $10 trillion in retirement assets. The most common and well-known type of defined contribution arrangement is the 401(k) plan, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. But just because a guy happens to be the putative “father of the 401(k),” that doesn’t mean he’s averse to issuing a little constructive criticism. R. Theodore “Ted” Benna, is a consultant, an innovator and an author, and in his new book, 401(k), 40 years later – and this episode of the American Benefits Podcast – he talks candidly about the promise and the problems with today’s retirement system.

Episode 23: When You’re Sixty-Four: NCOA’s Jim Firman on ‘Graduations,’ Third Acts and Happy Endings Jul 10, 2018

It’s not just you: the workforce is getting older. Health care advances and increased life expectancies mean people are working longer and later, while low birth rates mean that there are fewer workers to succeed the ones who retire. As of 2016, the median age of the labor force was 42, up from about 38 in 1996. That puts increased pressure on the federal social safety net as well as for workplace health and retirement benefits. The unique needs and desires of older Americans, therefore, takes on increased importance for all stakeholders in the benefits system.

Over more than two decades as president and CEO of the National Council on Aging (NCOA), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people aged 60 and over, James Firman has sought to lead the conversation on on benefits access and economic security for older adults. In this episode, he speaks with host Jason Hammersla about pervasive misconceptions about aging, the evolving role employers can play preparing workers for retirement and the enduring search for “purpose.”

Episode 22: EBRI Little Thing They Do Is Magic: Lori Lucas and the Role of Benefits Research Jun 27, 2018

The Employee Benefit Research Institute (or “EBRI”) describes itself as the place “where the world turns for facts on employee benefits.” Founded in 1978, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, EBRI is considered the gold standard for authoritative data and research on these critical, complex issues. Today, EBRI is led by Lori Lucas, who took over just four months ago, at a societally auspicious time for the valuation and understanding of fact.

As president and CEO, Lori is responsible for leading EBRI in its mission to provide unbiased, fact-based research and data on retirement, health care, and other benefits that provide financial security for American workers. In this episode, she speaks with host Jason Hammersla about the importance of empiricism, the future of the “employee” in employee benefits and why EBRI membership is more than just good karma.

Episode 21: We Need to Talk About Millennials: Young Americans and the Struggle to Save May 01, 2018

Millennials – roughly, those born between 1981 and 1996 – are the most well-educated, most diverse and most populous generation in the workforce today. They told us in our national poll last year that employer-provided retirement benefits would be the most important benefit to them over the next ten years. And yet, a new report suggests that they are lagging behind in their preparedness for retirement.

In this episode of the American Benefits Podcast, host Jason Hammersla speaks with Jennifer Erin Brown, manager of research for the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) and the author of a new study, Millennials and Retirement: Already Falling Short. Jason and Jennifer discuss the economic misconceptions about millennials, the challenge of student debt and how it all comes down to employer coverage. Then, Jason checks in with Ben Brown, founder and leader of the Association of Young Americans, to get his take on the report.

Episode 20: Innovations in Health Coverage: Mercer’s Tracy Watts and the Power of a Good Idea Apr 17, 2018

The American Benefits Council and Mercer, a global human resource consultancy firm, recently released a paper, Leading the Way: Employer Innovations in Health Coverage, which shows how large companies are using their stature and their ingenuity to try and tackle the pervasive problems surrounding health care, including high costs and inconsistent service.

Podcast host Jason Hammersla speaks with Tracy Watts, who spearheaded this project. Tracy is a senior partner in Mercer’s Washington D.C. office and the company’s National Leader for U.S. Health Care Reform. In this episode, Jason and Tracy talk about how to define “innovation” in employer-provided health plans and what that means for working families.

Episode 19: Better Know a Council Staff Member: Meet Ilyse Schuman, Senior Vice President, Health Policy Apr 03, 2018

Even though the Council boasts more than 7,300 members from 440 companies worldwide, the Council staff itself is only 15 individuals strong. The latest addition to the Council family is Ilyse Schuman, the Council’s new senior vice president, health policy. Ilyse succeeds the previous VP, Katy Spangler, and now directs the development and advocacy of all health policy priorities.

In this episode of the American Benefits Podcast, host Jason Hammersla learns about Ilyse’s origin story, her tenure with the Senate HELP Committee and her breakroom snack preferences – and enjoys a friendly game of word association.

Episode 18: Let’s Make It Simple: The American College of Employee Benefits Council and its $10,000 Prize Mar 14, 2018

William Shakespeare’s admonition about lawyers notwithstanding, most employer-sponsored benefit plans could not function without the sage counsel of the attorneys who have devoted their careers to employee benefits law. The “hall of fame” for these skilled attorneys is the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, which recognizes the small share lawyers who have made lasting contributions to the benefits field.

As part of its mission to advance the public’s understanding of the employee benefits system, the College is now sponsoring the First Annual Employee Benefits Simplification Prize, with a $10,000 prize going to the winner. The deadline for this award is April 1, 2018.

In this episode of the American Benefits Podcast, host Jason Hammersla speaks with Henry Eickelberg, ACEBC treasurer, and Randy Hardock, chair of the simplification award committee, to talk about the privileges of ACEBC fellowship and how to win that grand prize.

Episode 17: Benefits for a Cause: How ‘The Greater Give’ Could Revolutionize Philanthropy Mar 07, 2018

Payroll-deduction, defined contribution plans have changed the way we save for retirement and may yet change the way we pay for health care and pay down college debt. Now the CEO of a large third-party administrator (TPA) has a plan to use it to create a nation of “everyday philanthropists.”

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is likely to reduce the percentage of Americans who itemize – and thereby have access to the charitable giving tax deduction – to less than ten percent, eliminating much of the tax incentive to contribute. Enter Dan Rashke, CEO of TASC, the man behind The Greater Give, a campaign in favor of legislation that would allow employers to set up Flexible Giving Accounts (FGAs). With an FGA, an employee could dedicate a portion of their pre-tax compensation to philanthropy, thereby expanding the federal tax incentive while reducing employers’ payroll tax obligations. In this episode, host Jason Hammersla speaks with Rashke about TPAs, building a corporate culture of philanthropy and the march toward FGA legislation.

Episode 16: Profiles in Paid Leave: A Hallmark Case Study Feb 08, 2018

While health and retirement benefits have long been the twin pillars of the American Benefits Council’s policy agenda. As time has gone on, however, other kinds of employee benefits have arisen – namely, paid leave – posing unique challenges for employers’ benefit programs. Unfortunately, Congress has thus far ceded this issue to the states, spurring a patchwork of state- and municipal-level laws. In response, the Council has advocated for a federal solution in the form of a voluntary minimum standard for paid leave.

In this episode, host Jason Hammersla speaks with representatives from Hallmark, a world-renowned company for which paid leave policy has emerged as an important issue. Then Lynn Dudley, the Council’s senior vice president, global retirement and compensation policy, joins us to provide an update on the current legislative landscape for paid leave.

Episode 15: The Future of the Workplace, featuring an All-Star Employer Panel Jan 17, 2018

In this session from the Council’s 50th Anniversary Symposium on November 30, we find out how companies are reimagining their employee benefit programs to recruit and retain the talented workers of the future. We hear from an all-star panel of employer representatives spanning human resources, benefits, consulting and government relations. They talk extensively about the challenges associated with meeting the needs of the present and future workplace:

Tami Simon [Moderator], Managing Director, Conduent HR Services
Kevin Avery, Manager, Federal Government Affairs, ConocoPhillips
Jennifer Graham-Johnson, Chief Human Resources Officer, WestRock Company
Tom Sondergeld, Vice President HRIS, Global Benefits & Mobility, Walgreens Boots Alliance
Fred Thiele, General Manager, Global Benefits, Microsoft

Episode 14: The Future of the Workforce, featuring Guest Speakers Representing Emerging Employee Populations Jan 03, 2018

A full accounting of the future of employee benefits would be incomplete without the perspectives of employees themselves. If employers are to develop innovative, effective and responsive benefit programs, they must be able to anticipate the needs of the future workforce.

In this excerpt from the Council’s 50th Anniversary Symposium on November 30, we hear from representatives of organizations representing millennials, women and Latinos, each of whom are expected to comprise a larger share of the workforce over the coming decades. These speakers talk about the unique challenges facing their constituencies and the opportunities to design programs that meet their specific needs.

Episode 13: Employee Benefits Past, Present and Future, featuring Council President James Klein and Benefits Legend David Walker Dec 12, 2017

Few, if any, Americans have held as many senior federal government positions with direct responsibility for health and retirement security as David Walker, former Assistant Secretary of Labor, public trustee of Social Security and Medicare, and Comptroller General of the United States.

In this excerpt from the Council’s 50th Anniversary Symposium on November 30, Council President James Klein interviewed Walker on the future of private sector benefit plans, the viability of government health and retirement entitlement programs, and the evolving role of states in regulating employee benefits.

The Council has recently published new polling data on Americans’ attitudes about employer-sponsored benefits.

>> Results from the Council's National Poll

Episode No. 12: From Here to Retirement Security, Featuring Bob Reynolds, President and CEO, Great West Financial and Putnam Investments Oct 17, 2017

As lawmakers get closer and closer to tax reform – and have to find a way to pay for it – it is becoming increasingly likely that they will seek to alter the tax incentives supporting workplace retirement savings. Bob Reynolds, president and CEO of Great West Financial and Putnam Investments, sees this as a dangerous and counter-productive change to our national retirement savings policy.

Reynolds’ new book, From Here to Security, describes the history and strengths of the 401(k) savings system and makes the case for building on that system by making wise policy decisions to enhance their effectiveness. In this episode, he talks with host Jason Hammersla about workplace coverage challenges, the power of automatic features and other opportunities to strengthen the system.

Episode No. 11: Congress and the Tax Reform Tightrope, Featuring Former Rep. Jim McCrery (R-LA), Partner with Capitol Counsel Oct 03, 2017

With the congressional Republicans’ health care “repeal-and-replace” efforts stymied, attention on Capitol Hill now turns to the difficult business of tax reform, where incentives for workplace health and retirement benefit plans continue to hang in the balance.

The Council is working with the Save Our Savings coalition and Capitol Counsel to ensure that Americans’ retirement savings are not affected by comprehensive tax reform legislation. To help us understand that challenge, Capitol Counsel Partner and former Congressman Jim McCrery (R-LA) talks with host Jason Hammersla about lawmakers’ temptation to tap those retirement savings incentives for present-day revenue, and the “budget gimmick” that makes it possible. He also weighs in on other hot-button topics like business tax reform, Social Security and health care reform.

Episode No. 10: The Council’s Health Policy Priorities, Featuring Katy Spangler, Senior Vice President, Health Policy Jul 25, 2017

The fate of the Affordable Care Act – and legislation to repeal and replace it – is at hand. Whether it succeeds or fails, the Council will continue to advocate for the employer-sponsored system of health insurance, which covers more than 177 million people nationwide. This seems like an opportune time, then, to revisit the Council’s health policy priorities: those that have guided our advocacy efforts since the beginning of the repeal-and-replace endeavor, and which will be used to evaluate the final product, in the context of an ACA repeal, replace or repair bill, and possibly comprehensive tax reform. Katy Spangler, the Council’s senior vice president, health policy, talks to Jason about these priorities and what they have to do with the jaws of a crocodile, ants at a picnic and the potential dangers of making salad.

Episode No. 9: The Trouble with Tax Reform with Janice Mays, Former Democratic Chief Counsel and Staff Director, House Ways and Means Committee Jul 12, 2017

If you want to trace the history of employee benefits, one good way to do so is to look at the tax code. Employer-sponsored health and retirement benefits are governed in part by the tax code, and over the years the incentives for these plans have been dialed up and down, often to meet certain revenue goals.

Congress is now toying with the idea of comprehensive tax reform once again. To give us some perspective on that process, host Jason Hammersla talks with Janice Mays, who is currently the managing director of Washington National Tax Services Tax Policy Services at PricewaterhouseCoopers, but recently left Capitol Hill after 40 years, including more than 22 years as the Democratic chief counsel and staff director for the House Ways and Means Committee, from which all tax law must originate. They discuss the personalities, pitfalls and promise behind past and present tax reform efforts.

Episode No. 8: Minding the National Savings Gap with John C. Scott of the Pew Charitable Trusts Retirement Research Project Jun 27, 2017

Public perception and prevailing data suggest the presence of a “retirement savings gap,” the difference between what Americans have saved for retirement versus what they actually need. In this episode, Jason Hammersla talks with John C. Scott, Director of the Pew Charitable Trusts Retirement Savings Project, about the real challenges and potential improvements to building retirement savings, including the rise of state-based programs for private-sector workers.

The mission of the Pew Charitable Trusts Retirement Research project is to “study the challenges and opportunities for increasing retirement savings,” specifically examining “barriers to retirement savings.” Before joining Pew, John was a professor and researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and served for a time as director of retirement policy for the Council, so it seems fitting to have him come by to chat in our 50th anniversary year.

Episode No. 7: Starting from scratch on a national retirement policy with the Council's Lynn Dudley Jun 13, 2017

On June 6, the Council released a document of some import: ten principles for building a national retirement policy. In an effort to forge such a policy, we have gathered the insights of our member companies that sponsor these retirement plans into this one document that summarizes our recommended approach.

In this episode, Jason Hammersla talks with Lynn Dudley, the Council’s senior vice president, global retirement and compensation policy, about the provenance and purpose of these principles as well as the challenges that lay ahead.

Episode No. 6: The Millennial Workforce & What They Value with Young Invincibles’ Colin Seeberger May 31, 2017

Millennials now constitute the largest share of today’s workforce. Colin Seeberger, strategic campaigns advisor for Young Invincibles, sits down with Eunju Namkung to discuss Millennial wants and needs with regard to health benefits, retirement savings and other financial challenges.

Young Invincibles is an advocacy organization founded in 2009 to represent the interests of 18- to 34-year-olds, including matters related to health care, education, jobs and financial security. Colin manages the organization’s health care campaign, as well as its public education and outreach efforts around higher education reform and the 2016 elections.

Building a Secure Retirement for Women with WISER President Cindy Hounsell May 15, 2017

What are the unique disadvantages that women face saving for and during retirement? Cindy Hounsell, the president of Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER), sits down with host Jason Hammersla to discuss these challenges, as well as what can be done to build a more secure retirement reality for women.

Cindy Hounsell is the President of WISER, the Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement, a nonprofit organization that seeks to improve the opportunities for women to secure retirement income and to educate the public about the inequities that disadvantage women in retirement. Hounsell was appointed in 2011 to the ERISA Advisory Council, and in 2008 to the Advisory Panel on Medicare Education (APME) representing the field of retirement and financial planning. She is widely quoted and frequently invited to speak and teach as an expert in securing financial futures for women.

Talking Health Care Costs and Value-Based Insurance with Harvard Professor Michael Chernew May 02, 2017

Katy Spangler, the American Benefits Council’s senior vice president, health policy, talks to Harvard Medical School Professor Michael Chernew, PhD, about health care costs, the promise of value-based insurance and what it all has to do with peanut butter and jelly.

Talking Tax Reform, Retirement Policy and State Plans with former U.S. Representative Earl Pomeroy Apr 19, 2017

In the second of a two-part conversation with former U.S. Representative Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), host Jason Hammersla asks about the process and politics behind comprehensive tax reform, contemporary retirement policy challenges, and the rise of state-based benefits legislation.

A Closer Look at Repeal-and-Replace ft. former U.S. Representative Earl Pomeroy Apr 04, 2017

In the first of a two-part conversation with former U.S. Representative Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), host Jason Hammersla discusses the American Health Care Act, the stalled Republican measure to repeal and replace President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. We talk about the substance and the process behind the bill and what’s next for lawmakers as they consider further efforts to reform health policy or perhaps move on to comprehensive tax reform.

The Future of the Workplace and Employee Benefits ft. Cam Marston Mar 06, 2017

The American Benefits Council’s Jason Hammersla is joined by guest, Cam Marston, a noted author, columnist, blogger, and lecturer on generational change and its impact on the workplace.

On this episode, Hammersla and Marston consider the future of work, human resource challenges and opportunities, and employee benefits. As a business strategist who advises on how generational characteristics and differences affect every aspect of business – including recruiting and retention – he offers insight on the application of generational trends and attributes to the design of health and retirement benefit plans.

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