Category: Corporate News

Solution will Automate Benefit Customers’ Claim Reporting and Data 

CAMDEN, NJ (December 2, 2021) – CogniSure AI, a Delaware-based corporation, has announced the launch of their “Benefit Insights” solution, an AI platform that automates the process of extracting data from unstructured benefit documents received from health insurance providers and provides detailed insights on the data. With the CogniSure Benefit Insights platform, brokers can expect to dramatically reduce manual effort and access actionable real time insights that can be shared with their self-funded employee benefit clients, deepening their client relationships, and enhancing their client offerings.

“For self-funded employers, benefit plan claim reporting remains a major pain point. In representing our clients, we get a myriad of unstructured data from health plans and insurers that makes data evaluation time consuming and complex. It takes hundreds of hours of manual manipulation to harmonize reams of disparate reports and turn them into actionable data points to help clients better manage self-funded plans” , says Joe DiBella, National Benefits Practice Leader at Conner Strong & Buckelew. “Thankfully, CogniSure AI has revolutionized this archaic process with their new Benefit Insights solution. Their platform systematically merges data from multiple vendors across multiple lines and creates a powerful web-based data set we can use to help clients implement strategies to bend the cost curve”, says DiBella.

Conner Strong & Buckelew will use the Benefit Insights platform to produce regular claim and performance reports for self-funded customers. The system will create an online platform for employers and plan sponsors to panoramically view all self-funded claims data on a regular basis. Benefit Insights pulls in unstructured claims and eligibility data securely from health plans, PBMs and other vendors and creates online harmonized data results so that employers and plan sponsors can focus on trends, drivers of cost and other opportunities around plan management.

“Unstructured data is a massive problem in the insurance industry. With tremendous success on our loss runs and submission intake solution for the P&C insurance industry, we are excited to launch our “Benefit Insights” for the employee benefits and health insurance industry. We are grateful to Conner Strong & Buckelew for their support and strategic partnership in bringing this solution to the employee benefits market”, says Sai Raman, Founder and CEO, CogniSure

“Data is key in effective benefit plan management and having access to data in a more centralized format will help us deliver better results for our customers,” says Tammy Brown, Practice Leader of Data Analytics and Actuarial Services at Conner Strong & Buckelew. “Our adopting the Benefit Insights solution will help us take data management to the next level”, says Brown.

About CogniSure:

The CogniSure AI platform provides actionable insights from unstructured data buried in insurance documents such as submissions, loss runs, policies, schedules, and employee benefits. Created by insurance professionals, CogniSure goes beyond data extraction and provides unrivaled insights to address the complexity of insurance document processing. Learn more at CogniSure AI.

About Conner Strong & Buckelew:

Conner Strong & Buckelew is among America’s largest insurance brokerage, risk management and employee benefits brokerage and consulting firms. The firm is an industry leader in providing high-risk businesses with comprehensive solutions to prevent losses, manage claims, and drive bottom-line growth. Its employee benefits practice focuses on providing best-in-class benefits administration, health and wellness programs and strategic advisory services.

Founded in 1959 with offices in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Massachusetts, Florida, and Delaware, Conner Strong & Buckelew has a team of 450+ professionals, serving clients throughout the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.connerstrong.com or follow us on LinkedIn (@ConnerStrong&Buckelew), Twitter (@connerstrong), Facebook (@connerstrongbuckelew) Instagram (@connerstrongbuckelew) and YouTube (Conner Strong & Buckelew)

Learn more at Conner Strong Employee Benefits.

At Conner Strong & Buckelew, we constantly strive to keep our clients abreast of emerging trends, regulatory changes and other important industry updates. To further enhance and formalize the training and education programs we offer, we are proud to introduce Conner Strong Academy.

Conner Strong Academy is the new name for all of our thought leadership, including the client seminars, webinars, articles, whitepapers, and trainings we share today.

We are deeply committed to providing our clients with the most up-to-date resources necessary for advancing their business, and the launch of Conner Strong Academy further emphasizes our commitment to sharing our experts’ collective knowledge with our clients.

Click here to access all Conner Strong Academy thought leadership.

Des Moines, IA — November 15, 2021 – BrokerTech Ventures (BTV), the industry’s first broker-led convening platform and accelerator program focused on delivering innovation to the insurance broker industry, has opened the application window for its 2022 BrokerTech Ventures Accelerator program.

The company, backed by 15 of the most sizable and innovative brokerage firms in North America and 13 of the most notable and respected insurance companies and wholesalers with both domestic and international presence, is dedicated to fostering innovation in the insurance space by providing early-stage insurtech companies the support to develop tech solutions for the industry.

“BTV has experienced amazing results from the first two cohorts, generating over 100 proofs of concepts, pilots, and customer engagements while increasing the reported startup valuations by more than $200 million,” said Dan Keough, Holmes Murphy chairman and CEO and BrokerTech Ventures co-founder. “With the third cohort, I believe we can expect new insurtech solutions with greater influence and even more diversity of thought for the industry. I’m excited to see what the startups will bring to the table.”

The concept of the BTV Accelerator is to be an “innovation hub” and proof of concept environment for broker-centric products and technology solutions, ultimately bringing validated solutions to the industry. Those startups who took part in the inaugural cohort had nothing but great things to say.

“You can raise capital and hope to figure out distribution and product-market fit or you can figure those things out upfront, bring in non-dilutive capital (AKA revenue), and then raise capital knowing you can scale,” said John Jackovin, BrokerTech Ventures Accelerator Executive Director. “As an entrepreneur and a startup founder for the last 20 years, I know that if I had an insurtech startup, I would absolutely apply to the BTV Accelerator. Nothing accelerates your company quite like customers.”

The deadline for BTV Accelerator submissions is December 17, 2021. The initial review will be in January, with the top 20 startups chosen to take part in the Selection Series in early March. The Selection Series will be a virtual event where BTV partners can dig deeper into the products, companies, and teams. Subsequently, the cohort will begin the five-week Accelerator program in April 2022. More than $500,000 in funding is at stake for the selected broker-centric, seed and early-stage startups, with each startup receiving up to $50,000.

To submit an application for the 2022 Accelerator, go to www.brokertechventures.com.

If you would like to arrange a media interview to discuss the BTV Accelerator or other BTV activities, please email Susan Hatten, BrokerTech Ventures Chief Operating Officer, at [email protected].

About BrokerTech Ventures

Based in the insurance nucleus of Des Moines, Iowa, BrokerTech Ventures (BTV) is the first broker-led convening platform focused on delivering innovation to the insurance broker industry. Founded in 2019, BTV provides a venue for the best minds in insurance and technology to collaborate and bring to market leading-edge ideas and solutions. BTV invests in the research and testing for each of the chosen startups, provides access to veteran industry mentors, and helps scale the technology to market through broker distribution channels. Learn more at www.brokertechventures.com, or follow us on Twitter (@BrokerTechVen), LinkedIn, or Facebook.

Leading Insurance, Risk Management and Employee Benefits Brokerage and Consulting Firm Recognized for its Commitment to the Health of its Employees

CAMDEN, NJ (October 28, 2021) – Conner Strong & Buckelew, a leading insurance brokerage and employee benefits consulting firm, announces its recognition as New Jersey’s Healthiest Employer by the national awards program Healthiest Employers^®. In addition to other considerations, Conner Strong & Buckelew was praised for its commitment to healthcare affordability and the company’s 92% completion rate of annual physicals and biometric screenings among its employees, with those who complete the program seeing an average of $2,880 in savings per year per family.

“Our goal is to keep our employees healthy, not just care for them when they are sick. The focus is on prevention and health education as well as sick visits, and we’re honored to have received recognition for our commitment,” said Alexis Wolfson, Chief Human Resources Officer, Conner Strong & Buckelew. “We encourage all of our employees to take full advantage of the many ways to stay engaged with their health, including in-person appointments, virtual screenings via our secure mobile app, urgent care access, and more.”

The Healthiest Employer award is presented each year and honors the best and brightest in workplace wellness. The assessment is scored on a scale of 1-100, composed of six categories with yes/no, multiple choice, and short answer questions. A Healthiest Employers Index (HEI) is assigned to each applicant to rank finalists.

The 6 categories evaluated were:

• Culture and Leadership Commitment
• Foundational Components
• Strategic Planning
• Communications and Marketing
• Programming and Interventions
• Reporting and Analytics

To view the complete list of the 2021 Healthiest Employers of New Jersey, click here.

About Conner Strong & Buckelew
Conner Strong & Buckelew is among America’s largest insurance, risk management and employee benefits brokerage and consulting firms. The firm is an industry leader in providing high-risk businesses with comprehensive solutions to prevent losses, manage claims, and drive bottom line growth. Its employee benefits practice focuses on providing best-in-class benefits administration, health and wellness programs and strategic advisory services.

Founded in 1959 with offices in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Delaware, Florida, and Georgia, Conner Strong & Buckelew has a team of more than 400 professionals, serving clients throughout the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.connerstrong.com or follow us on LinkedIn (@ConnerStrong&Buckelew), Twitter (@connerstrong), Facebook (@connerstrongbuckelew) and Instagram (@connerstrongbuckelew).

About Healthiest Employers^®
Healthiest Employers^® is a trusted awards program that recognizes people-first organizations taking a more proactive approach to employee health. Our goal is to be a resource for organizations focused on improving their employees’ health, creating a community invested in their populations’ health and wellbeing.

BrokerTech Ventures Announces Launch of BTV LATAM Partnership with Domestic Presence in Eastern United States

BTV Also Elevates Broker-Led Partner Platform to 15

Des Moines, IA – September 30, 2021 – As BrokerTech Ventures (BTV), the industry’s first broker-led convening platform and accelerator program, gets ready to take center stage by leading out BrokerTech Connect during InsureTech Connect (ITC) in Las Vegas, Nev., the company is also making two major announcements.

First, BTV is elevating its already international presence by pledging to counsel and advise the LATAM (Latin American) Accelerator operation fueled by the foundational guidance of members from the BTV leadership team. BTV LATAM will have its domestic presence in Miami, Fla.

BTV also represents The Israeli Insurtech Accelerator, which operates out of Tel Aviv, Israel, and was founded in November 2020.

“We are incredibly excited to partner with the team in Latin America,” said Mike Mitchell, Vice Chairman of the Graham Company, with locations in Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and New York. “As we look to build on our success of pushing the envelope for insurtech in the U.S. to a global scale, our work ahead with the Latin America team will be instrumental. We look forward to exchanging innovative ideas that will exceed expectations for how insurance is done across the globe — and with our own clients.”

“BTV’s wide array of knowledge and thought leadership from our broker and agency partners combined with LATAM’s drive to enhance and maximize the delivery of client-centric insurance solutions makes this a win-win for all,” said Mike Tiagwad, President & CEO at Conner Strong & Buckelew, based out of Camden, N.J.

The LATAM Accelerator will be formed and led by Pablo Duarte and Hilario Itriago, Co-Founders of Insurt3ch and NetBrokrs. Both men bring more than 20 years of experience each in the insurance and insurtech/fintech industries. Using the BTV Accelerator program, LATAM hopes to maximize emerging technologies for insurance companies through tailored input centered on specific business issues.

“We could not be happier and more motivated to bring BTV to LATAM,” said Itriago. “A rich history of brokerage exists in all our countries across the region, and at this crucial time in our industry’s transformation, it is more important than ever to bring broker-centric innovation and investment. We are to be the firsts in Latin America with this approach, and in doing so, we hope to spark great participation in BTV LATAM.”

On top of this news, BTV has also announced the addition of its newest industry-leading broker partner UNICO Group.

“Our BTV network continues to increase in expansion across the country, allowing us to be the first to stake our position in cultivating, curating, and fostering innovation for brokers,” said Dan Keough, Holmes Murphy Chairman and CEO and co-CEO of BTV. “UNICO Group is a well-respected brokerage with a commitment to innovation and thought leadership, and we’re excited to have their cutting-edge ideas at the table.”

The addition of UNICO Group brings the BTV industry portfolio to 15 of the most sizable and innovative brokerage firms in North America and 12 of the most notable and respected insurance companies and wholesalers with both domestic and international presence.

“UNICO Group is excited to partner with BrokerTech Ventures and its members in our joint mission to collectively embrace insurtech solutions,” said Ric Stoakes, UNICO Executive Vice President, Risk Consultant.  “BTV’s dedication to innovation and technology aligns with our future-focused drive and motivation. We were humbled by the invitation from such well-respected firms and are energized to begin working together on this new opportunity for the benefit of those we serve.“

On top of this news, between the BTV Accelerator and Early-Stage Investment towers of operation, BTV now also represents 24 insurtech companies in its portfolio, with investments and commercial engagements in each. The application window for the 2022 BTV Accelerator will open in November.

For more information on BTV, please visit www.brokertechventures.com.

About BrokerTech Ventures
Based in the insurance nucleus of Des Moines, Iowa, BrokerTech Ventures (BTV) is the first broker-led convening platform focused on delivering innovation to the insurance broker industry. Founded in 2019, BTV provides a venue for the best minds in insurance and technology to collaborate and bring to market leading-edge ideas and solutions. BTV invests in the research and testing for each of the chosen startups, provides access to veteran industry mentors, and helps scale the technology to market through broker distribution channels. Learn more at www.brokertechventures.com, or follow us on Twitter (@BrokerTechVen), LinkedIn, or Facebook.

About Conner Strong & Buckelew
Conner Strong & Buckelew is among America’s largest insurance, risk management and employee benefits brokerage and consulting firms. The firm is an industry leader in providing high-risk businesses with comprehensive solutions to prevent losses, manage claims, and drive bottom line growth. Its employee benefits practice focuses on providing best-in-class benefits administration, health and wellness programs and strategic advisory services.

Founded in 1959 with offices in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Delaware, Florida, and Georgia, Conner Strong & Buckelew has a team of more than 400 professionals, serving clients throughout the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.connerstrong.com or follow us on LinkedIn (@ConnerStrong&Buckelew), Twitter (@connerstrong), Facebook (@connerstrongbuckelew) and Instagram (@connerstrongbuckelew).

Conner Strong & Buckelew is pleased to announce we have been selected as a finalist in Business Insurance’s 2021 U.S. Insurance Awards for the category of Insurance Consulting Team of the Year.

There were 170 submissions in 2021, so it is an honor to be named a finalist. This significant achievement reflects our dedication to our clients and our commitment to providing innovative solutions.

We were nominated by three Fortune 500 life science clients, who highlighted our subject matter expertise, ability to provide insight on complex coverages and structure integrated insurance programs, as well as develop customized solutions to meet each clients’ unique needs. Our team includes professionals with diverse backgrounds and unique expertise and we are deeply honored that our clients place a very high value on our consultative advice.

This recognition is a testament to the hard work our entire organization does in service of our clients. In particular, we would like to acknowledge the team that was nominated:

Congratulations to the team for leveraging their knowledge and relationships in the industry to help our clients achieve their business objectives and reduce their overall cost of risk!

Learn more about the finalists for the 2021 U.S. Insurance Awards program here.

Expansion of firm’s existing offering establishes a coalition that’s among the largest in the nation, delivering significant savings for clients

CAMDEN, NJ (July 27, 2021) – Conner Strong & Buckelew, a leading insurance brokerage and employee benefits consulting firm, is proud to announce CSB Rx Advantage, a private and exclusive pharmacy coalition available to the firm’s employee benefits clients. The new coalition is powered in part by Collaborative Centric Solutions (C2) Solutions, a national leader in driving collaboration with insurance carriers and brokers, technology and other partners and members. With more than three million covered individuals driving exceptional purchasing power, CSB Rx Advantage is among the largest pharmacy coalitions in the United States – and will help members combat rising prescription medicine costs.

Conner Strong & Buckelew supports the expanded offering with a world-class clinical team, including clinical pharmacists that will strategize overall pharmacy design and analytics. As a result of stronger negotiating power, greater purchasing power, expert support, multiple PBM options, and competitive pricing, the new coalition is expected to save clients 10 to 15 percent in their annual pharmacy spend, with both traditional and pass-through pricing options available.

“Pharmacy concerns and the need for better solutions is a critical issue for all of our clients, both public and private,” said Joseph DiBella, Executive Vice President of Conner Strong & Buckelew. “Through the expansion of our pharmacy coalition, we expect CSB Rx Advantage to bring even greater value to our clients, allowing them access to the best available pharmacy solutions for their employees.”

CSB Rx Advantage includes multiple Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) partners, including Express Scripts, Capital Rx, Optum and Welldyne.

Further, the expanded service will make the following tools available:

• A custom preferred medication list that combats low-quality, high-cost drugs
• Integrated patient assistance in appropriate medication use powered by Prescription Care Management (“PCM”), a high-touch patient and physician medication management program to drive better outcomes
• Solutions around manufacturer assistance plans for patients
• Custom data reporting and analytics to identify medication manageme nt opportunities

The CSB Rx Advantage coalition will be made available to all Conner Strong & Buckelew employee benefits clients immediately.

About Conner Strong & Buckelew

Conner Strong & Buckelew is among America’s largest insurance, risk management and employee benefits brokerage and consulting firms. The firm is an industry leader in providing high-risk businesses with comprehensive solutions to prevent losses, manage claims, and drive bottom line growth. Its employee benefits practice focuses on providing best-in-class benefits administration, health and wellness programs and strategic advisory services.

Founded in 1959 with offices in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Delaware, Florida, and Georgia, Conner Strong & Buckelew has a team of more than 400 professionals, serving clients throughout the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.connerstrong.com or follow us on LinkedIn (@ConnerStrong&Buckelew), Twitter (@connerstrong), Facebook (@connerstrongbuckelew) and Instagram (@connerstrongbuckelew).

About Collaboration Centric Solutions (C2) C2 Solutions is an alliance of member firms and preferred partners that work together to fundamentally change the face of employee benefits consulting. Through strategic collaboration with its clients, carriers, and technology partners, the organization creates innovative product and service offerings that deliver greater quality and value. For more information visit www.poweredbyc2.com or follow us on LinkedIn @C2Solutions.