SIIA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Les Boughner
T
he USA is the largest selfinsurance market in the world due to the private sectors administration of workers compensation and health care benefits.. Due to it’s franchise in the self -insurance market SIIA has taken the lead in providing an education on self-insurance options both outside the USA, and in the USA for foreign multinationals. There is considerable interest by multinationals for education on how to navigate ACA in the US. SIIA continues to provide the best educational and networking opportunities. SIIA’s International committee under the leadership of Greg Arms recently held its International Conference in Newport Beach, California and will hold the 2014 International Conference June -11th 2014 in Miami Beach, FL. Previously SIIA’s has lead fact finding and educational trips to London, Barcelona and Singapore. At our upcoming 33rd Annual National Educational Conference and Expo in Chicago October 21-23rd, there will be several educational sessions addressing international issues. Some of these sessions include: Global Opportunities for Self Insurance, with Hugh Rosenbaum, Towers Watson Hugh is an Internationally recognized authority on captives and innovative solutions for multinational corportions. A free thinker, Hugh will provide his observations on the strengths that the self-insurance market in the US that can be exported to the global market, and what we
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can learn from self-insurance solutions elsewhere. International Benefits in Captives, with Mike Ponicall, Partner, Mercer Multi-national corporations are increasingly utilizing captive insurance solutions for employee benefits risks. This session will provide an overview of current trends and include case studies from General Motors, Deutsche Post AG (DHL) and HSBC. Providing Health Benefits for Outward Expatriates in the Post ACA World, with Todd A. Hancock, Executive Vice President, International Medical Group, Inc. U.S.-based self-insured employers with American workers deployed in foreign countries are confronted with new challenges related to health care reform regulatory compliance considerations.This session will focus on these issues and how leading multinational employers are adapting to the post ACA world, as well as related requirements provided for in the Defense Base Act (DBA). The Emergence of Health Care As a Global Issue, with Chris Burns, Consultant As governments around the world continue to struggle with balancing their budgets, benefits under public health programs are being scaled back and the costs increasingly shifted to employers and individuals in the private sector. As a result, employer-sponsored health programs are growing rapidly and increasingly becoming the most utilized and valued benefit program offered to employees.The financial impact of this trend is becoming significant as recent surveys have shown a 10% average medical trend increase for health care
costs around the world in 2012 and an expectation for 2013 to be the same. This presentation will discuss the overall impact of this major trend as well as the financial tools and emerging wellness solutions that global employers can adopt to help control and mitigate costs. Medical Tourism Market Update for Self-Insured Employers, with Alison Repke, Director of Operations, Global Medical Conexions and Michael Ross, Consultant Medical Tourism has attracted increased attention in recent years, but what does this marketplace look like today and what will it look like in the years ahead? Two leading industry experts will share their unique insight, with a particular emphasis on the opportunities & challenges for self-insured group health plans to take advantage of this cost savings strategy. Also addressed will be the role of Lloyd’s of London brokers and underwriters who create supportive insurance products. SIIA is fortunate and proud to be able to attract these leading experts in their Industries as speakers.This is an unequaled opportunity both for domestic companies but also foreign multinationals to send attendees to learn how to develop the most effective selfinsurance solutions. While we encourage you to attend these sessions and learn about the opportunities the international marketplace can provide,you will not want to miss the closing House of Blues event. I look forward to seeing you in Chicago. n
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