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Association Update: Thank You for Choosing WBA EBC in 2023

Bankers insure locally with trusted professionals

By Daryll J. Lund

In 1982, the Wisconsin Bankers Association Employee Benefits Corporation, Inc. (WBA EBC) was formed to provide flexible, high-quality health benefits and insurance coverage exclusively to members of the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA). As our corporation moves into its 41st year, I thank each WBA member bank that has entrusted our team with their insurance needs.

As our organization continues to expand, it remains a top priority of our team to ensure that WBA members receive the options and preferred pricing that is typically reserved for large employers. Since 2018, WBA EBC has offered a statewide Association Health Plan (AHP) to all members. The AHP, administered by UnitedHealthcare (UHC), has saved WBA-member banks over $2.1 million in the last five years. By spreading the risk over large numbers we have been able to help nearly 50 banks and over 2,200 members.

By joining the WBA AHP, bankers enjoy benefits such as working with a dedicated, local association team; opportunities for cost savings; more plan options; a strong national network; and convenient resources.

Whether your bank is looking to add coverage to dental, medical, prescription drug, vision, or life and disability — WBA EBC is the one-stop-shop in providing your employees with afford- able, high-quality benefits for their well-being. Additionally, WBA EBC’s online portal allows for member-driven control of enrollment or changes, provided transparency with costs and expenses, as well as ensured banks have the ability to control administrative costs in the future.

Thank you to the 100+ banks throughout the state that have chosen the WBA-EBC for their insurance programs for 2023. With your enrollment, nearly 4,000 members have gained access to affordable insurance. WBA EBC Vice President Brian Siegenthaler, our dedicated team, and I look forward to continuing to provide flexible plans and wellness solutions to you and your employees.

Please visit wisbankins.com or contact Brian Siegenthaler at 608 441-1211 to learn more about the advantages we offer.

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Five Years In, AHP a Financial Success for Members

Experience the savings with WBA’s Association Health Plan

By Brian Siegenthaler

Five years ago, the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) became the first Wisconsin business group to launch a statewide Association Health Plan (AHP). AHPs provide the same flexibility to small businesses that large organizations enjoy when it comes to negotiating pricing and coverage options for healthcare.

The plan — offered exclusively to WBA-member banks through WBA Employee Benefits Corporation (EBC), a subsidiary of the WBA, is administered by UnitedHealthcare (UHC). Since its inception, WBA’s plan has saved WBA-member banks over $1.8 million. We’ve added 2,000 members and are UHC’s fastest- growing AHP.

Joining the WBA AHP has several benefits, including:

  • A Local Association Team

We provide a consultative approach to help you create a desirable benefit portfolio for your association groups. Our strong customer support helps teams ease the process of addressing healthcare needs.

  • Opportunity for Cost Savings

As a small group of 1–50employees, you can access plans that give you strength in numbers. For rating purposes you’re seen as a large employer, and not subject to Adjusted Community Rating. For groups with 51 or more eligible employees, UHC is offering a Premium Discount and a Renewal Rate Cap of 9% for the first renewal.

  • More Plan Options

UHC offers plan flexibility with dozens of plan designs to choose from — allowing flexibility in options to balance costs. Consumer-driven plan flexibility includes high deductible options, health reimbursement accounts (HRA), and health savings accounts (HSA). The AHP features a customized 45-plan package for the WBA Association Health Plan Employers.

  • Easy to Switch

Our array of plans, doctors, and services are likely similar to what members have today, making for a smoother transition.

  • Strong National Network

The nation’s single largest proprietary network that reaches 98% of the United States’ population — more than 907,000 physicians and healthcare professionals at over 5,500 hospitals.

  • Convenient Resources

Mobile, online, or person-to-person resources that help members make well informed choices about their healthcare costs and needs.

The process to receive a fully underwritten AHP health insurance proposal has been improved. Just two items are needed to receive firm rates — a quote checklist and census.

In addition, WBA EBC is thrilled with the successful launch of the online system for streamlined insurance and human resources tasks. The online portal, accessible through a partnership with the Iowa Bankers Insurance Services, provides member banks with enhanced service, better transparency on costs and expenses, member driven control of enrollment or changes, and the ability to better control administrative costs in the future.

For more information or if you have any questions about WBA EBC’s insurance options, please visit wisbankin.com.

Siegenthaler is vice president for WBA EBC, a WBA Gold Associate Member.

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Association Update: Now’s the Time to Review Your Coverage

EBC and MBIS offer flexible security for WBA-member banks

By Daryll J. Lund

As National Insurance Awareness Day approaches on June 28, all WBA-member banks should take a moment this month to review their insurance policies. While this is good practice in preventing certain aspects of the bank from going underinsured, it is also important to verify your bank and employees are getting the best offers for the best price.

The Wisconsin Bankers Association – Employee Benefits Corporation (WBA EBC) offers WBA-member banks competitively priced plans covering life and disability, dental, medical, prescription drug, and vision insurance. Our flexible plans allow Wisconsin community bankers the purchasing power usually only offered to larger groups and access to an online insurance portal. Contact Brian Siegenthaler at 608-441-1211 or bsiegenthaler@wisbank.com to learn more.

Additionally, Midwest Bankers Insurance Services (MBIS), co-owned by WBA, offers banks throughout Wisconsin security with three distinct lines of coverage — professional lines (FI bond, D&O liability, and cyber liability), property casualty lines (building, liability, business auto, workers compensation, and umbrella liability), and lending-related lines (mortgage protection/E&O, lenders single interest, force placed hazard, and flood). These coverage lines protect banks across the Midwest and allow them to stay ahead of the unexpected. MBIS offers solutions and protection from the best carriers in the insurance industry. Contact Jeff Otteson at 608-217-5219 or jeffo@mbisllc.com to learn more about enrollment.

As uncertainty in our daily lives remain — be certain that WBA EBC and MBIS are here to offer the best, competitively priced policies for both your bank and employees. Take the first step in strengthening your employee benefits package or bank coverage lines this June by enrolling with WBA Insurance Services!

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Thank You… We Appreciate Your Choosing WBA Employee Benefits Corporation in 2022

By Daryll J. Lund

The Wisconsin Bankers Association Employee Benefits Corporation, Inc. (WBA EBC) was formed in 1982 and as our Association Health Plan (AHP) begins its fourth year, I would like to thank each WBA member that has chosen to trust us for their insurance needs.

The flexibility of our high-quality health benefits (dental insurance, medical insurance, prescription drug plans, and vision) as well as life and disability insurance are typically reserved for large employers but — through the purchasing power of WBA EBC — are offered exclusively to WBA members at preferred prices. In the last three years alone, our member banks have collectively saved $1.8 million thanks to their member-driven AHP.

This year we are pleased that nearly 40 banks throughout the state have chosen the WBA AHP through UnitedHealthcare for their health insurance program. Through your enrollment in our AHP, 1,800 members will have access to affordable, highquality benefits and insurance throughout Wisconsin. In addition, our partnership with Lincoln Financial provides life and disability coverage for 10,000 members and our Delta Dental plans cover 7,000 members.

I, along with WBA EBC Vice President Brian Siegenthaler and our dedicated team look forward to continuing to assist you and your employees through our one-stop-shop for members enrollment and administration. We thank you once again for choosing WBA EBC to provide for the well-being of all employees in your organization.

Visit www.wisbankins.com or contact Brian Siegenthaler at bsiegenthaler@wisbank.com or 608-441-1211 to learn more about the advantages we offer.

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WBA EBC’s Kathy Gallagher To Retire After Nearly 30 Years

After nearly 30 years of dedicated service, Kathy Gallagher will be retiring at the end of May. We are very appreciative of all of Kathy’s efforts over the years and she will be greatly missed.  

Kathy began working at the Wisconsin Bankers Association on Jan. 20, 1992, as the Employment Benefits Company’s (EBC) insurance trust enrollment administrator. At the time of her hiring, she wasn’t the only new part of the company — her position was brand new as well! As a result, Kathy figured parts of the position out as time went on and quickly mastered her responsibilities while she got to know the many bankers she would regularly communicate with each day. In a 1997 WBA Profile titled “She ‘Benefits’ All”, Kathy noted that, “It’s exciting to interact with such a variety of people in the industry on a daily basis.”  

Although Kathy began as trust enrollment administrator, she has had many new titles since her hiring. In 2004 she was promoted to client service specialist and in 2010 was promoted to assistant director of insurance services. Since 2015, Kathy has taken on the role of director of insurance services, and in 2017 she celebrated her 25-year anniversary with WBA. Four years later, she now celebrates her retirement after almost three decades with the association.  

In her ‘97 WBA Profile, she also noted that “It’s challenging, but very rewarding, to be able to assist more than 225 banks in the state on so many different aspects of the Insurance Trust.” Several members that Kathy has worked with in the past have reached out to share how grateful they’ve been to have Kathy to contact. One member recalled their first experience speaking with Kathy and noted her “sweet, patient, completely knowledgeable voice on the other end of the line” who helped them understand everything from “health, life, dental, AD&D, vision, LTD insurance — you name it, she knew it inside and out.”  

Thank you, Kathy, from all of WBA, for the countless memories and the 29 years of incredible work! 

By, Alex Paniagua

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Launching on Oct. 1: New Online Insurance Portal

WBA EBC is excited to announce the upcoming launch of an innovative new online system for streamlined insurance and human resources tasks. The online portal, accessible through a partnership with the Iowa Bankers Insurance Services, will provide member banks with enhanced service, better transparency on costs and expenses, member driven control of enrollment/changes, and the ability to better control administrative costs in the future. 

This upgrade and all included features are available to all WBA EBC bank clients for free as a value-add for your membership with WBA and commitment to our industry through your partnership with WBA EBC.  

The transition to an online system will benefit WBA EBC’s customers by facilitating fast, smooth, and consistent workflows that save time and money. Client banks will now have more time to devote to the strategic initiatives that drive the institution's bottom line rather than filing and documenting. 

After go-live, WBA EBC clients will have access to a one-stop-shop portal for administrators and employees for medical, dental, vision, and life and disability products through WBA. The new Benefits Portal includes some of the following features:  

  • One “Benefits Portal Login” button on the WBA/EBC home page that both benefits administrators and employees will use to log into the portal. Administrators will have access to their administrator account(s) for all employer records to which they have access AND their employee account using a single login. 
  • Standardized login credentials and login process that enable users (administrators and employees) to create, retrieve, and reset their own credentials 
  • Report Builder tool that supports custom queries and reports 
  • E-signature validation for online employee enrollment and maintenance transactions 
  • Mobile-friendly user interface 
  • Ability to search for forms, SPDs, and other documents 
  • Option enabling users to provide online feedback (report issues and suggest improvements) 

Leading up to the system launch on Oct. 1, 2020, WBA EBC will host training webinars to demonstrate features and provide tips on how to navigate the portal.  

If you are a WBA EBC client and haven’t registered yet for your training, please contact me at dlund@wisbank.com or WBA EBC Account Manager Racheale Ward at rward@wisbank.com, 608-441-1260.  

Hurry! Trainings are scheduled for Sept. 1 at 1:00 p.m. or Sept. 3 at 10:00 a.m.! 

Click here to register

For more information or if you have any questions about WBA EBC’s insurance options, please contact WBA EBC Director – Sales Brian Siegenthaler at bsiegenthaler@wisbank.com or 608-441-1211. 

Lund is WBA executive vice president – chief of staff and president of EBC and MBIS. 

By, Ally Bates

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questions@wisbank.com

608-441-1200

4721 S Biltmore Ln.
Madison, WI 53718

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