According to what you’ve read or heard most recently, these are—take your pick—either the worst of times or the best of times for industry marketers. It’s all, of course, in the eye of the beholders—quickly followed by seemingly endless messages of optimism (a few) or woe (a lot). No wonder so many practitioners are puzzled. To cut-to-the-chase, these are neither the best or worst of times…but something in-between for marketers. On the negative side, ears continue burning from the words coming out of Washington, D.C. A great amount of the justified concern relates to... Read More

It is hard to believe it has been almost one year since our 24th Annual Meeting in Washington D.C. Personally, it feels like the time has evaporated overnight. However, during that time, a great deal has occurred within the healthcare/benefits community and within MI2. As my term as President of MI2 draws to a close, I would like to review some of the significant accomplishments of the Institute. Like all worthwhile organizations, MI2 is a living, breathing entity, undergoing a continual metamorphosis. And yet, even as it changes to reflect the needs of its membership, MI2 has remained... Read More

My son attends a Jesuit high school in Kansas City where part of the curriculum includes a two-year course in Latin. While reviewing his first semester progress recently, I was reminded of my own experience in the same institution, nearly thirty years ago. I thought to myself, “Tempus Fugit – time flies. ” The next day at the office, I received a phone call from an agent I had not heard from in ten years. (Tempus Fugit.) He had seen an article I had published in the Health Insurance Underwriter magazine and called to say hello. We talked for quite a while, he reminded me... Read More

The future wellness of sales of ancillary group medical insurance products – dental, vision, long-term care, for example – could fluctuate depending on the final health care reform package bestowed on U.S. citizens. It is too early to predict what this package will be and how everything that comprises the group market will mesh. Regardless, savvy life and health insurance professionals won’t be waiting to see what may or may not happen; they’ll be out making sales in the ancillary group products market. Agents and brokers have the opportunity to fill in coverage gaps... Read More

What do Pizza Hut, North American Van Lines, Cunard Ship Lines, Coca Cola, Warner Lambert, Hershey Foods, International House of Pancakes and the Government Employees Hospital Association have in common? They have all added vision care plans or enhanced existing vision plans for their employee benefits over the last two years, much to the delight of the brokers/agents servicing their accounts. Lest anyone be misled by the recent flurry of interest in vision care benefits and programs, this highly affordable, much appreciated benefit is not new. For more than 30 years, vision care has been... Read More

by Paul J. Disser, President, Chairman, and CEO Spectrum Vision Systems, Inc. Ancillary benefits additions to small and large employer group plans provide needed services while creating new sales and revenue opportunities. There is an interesting anomaly that has been occurring during the reconstruction of employee benefits packages over the last couple of years. Whereas the conventional wisdom would have us believe that employers are “slashing” benefits and not adding new benefits, growth statistics in certain niche categories appear to run counter to this wisdom. According to... Read More

The Upbringing of a Billion Dollar Stepchild By Paul J. Disser What do Pizza Hut, North American Van Lines, Cunard Ship Lines, Coca Cola, Warner Lambert, Hershey Foods, International House of Pancakes and the Government Employees Hospital Association have in common? These companies have all added vision care plans or enhanced existing vision plans in their employee benefits plan over the past two years. Although garnering much interest, this highly affordable and much appreciated benefit is not new. For over thirty years vision care has been available to the labor force and general public... Read More

Paul J. Disser is chairman and chief executive officer of Spectrum Vision Systems, Inc., Kansas based PPO with more than 3,200 independent optometrists under contract servicing over 1.7 million members in the Preferred Vision Care and Preferred Vision Care Plus plans throughout the United States. Disser is also president of Spectrum Benefits Management Corporation, a consulting TPA working primarily with ancillary benefits products. He serves on the board of directors of the Mass Marketing Insurance Institute (MI 2) and chairs the committee for education and seminars for MI2 . He is also... Read More

The story headlined “ODs Accept Managed Care – Grudgingly” in the Jan. 25, 1993, issue of Vision Monday reminds me of the story of two people riding a bicycle built for two up a steep hill. Upon reaching the top of the hill after an arduous climb, the rider in front turns to his companion and says, “That was one tough climb!” To which his partner replies, “It sure was. If I had not kept my brakes on all the way up, I am afraid we would have slid all the way back down.” My point is simply this: If change is inevitable (and, according to the Vision... Read More

Paul J. Disser is chairman and chief executive officer of Spectrum Vision Systems, inc., Kansas based PPO with more titan 3,200 independent optometrists under contract servicing over 1.7 million members in the Preferred Vision Care and Preferred Vision Care Plus plans throughout the United States. Disser is also president of Spectrum Benefits Management Corporation, a consulting TPA working primarily with ancillary benefits products. He serves on the board of directors of the Mass Marketing Insurance Institute (MI2) and chairs the committee for education and seminars for MI2. He is also... Read More