Broker of the Month: Laurie McDonald

We are pleased to announce that? Laurie MacDonald is our broker of the month!

Laurie is a dedicated professional who has made it her mission to bring success to her clients.

With over 190+ lives enrolled with Excel Health Plans, Laurie has proven to be a true leader in the industry.

But what drives her?

We had the pleasure of speaking with Laurie and she shared with us some of that inspiration and where it comes from.

Here's what Laurie had to say:

1. What success story with Excel Health Plans are you most proud of?

"I see 3 main levers that can be tweaked in creating a health plan: cost, richness of benefits, and ease of navigation.??Excel has reduced cost and given members richer benefits. The third lever is the trickiest, but Excel Health Plans has partnered with people like me to facilitate a good member experience.?I believe Excel is committed to delivering the best product and is in it for the long haul.?I have observed that they are constantly evaluating the best vendors in the market and investing in compliance and contract review.?Because of this product, I have been able to help some employers avoid dropping health insurance.?You can imagine the cultural hit an employer would take if they dropped health insurance."

2. What has been a time you've wanted to give up? What did you do to keep pushing forward?

"Advisors want their employers and members to have a good experience and we work hard to accomplish that.?I had spent a lot of time helping a group achieve great financial results. In addition, the deductible was $0 and inpatient stays were $500/outpatient surgery $250. This was a rich plan!?I asked the president of the company what he thought of it. He said he thought it sucked.?I thought to myself, “I have worked way too hard on this plan for you to think it sucks.” Of course, he did not want to terminate the plan because he liked the price and the coverage.?I realized he really did not understand how much better this plan was from a quality standpoint and I understood my job was to hold the high vision and keep bringing him along by educating him. Employers need to understand how much the “easy button” has hurt them; however, there is initial resistance that advisors need to expect and accept."

3. What keeps you motivated every day?

"I am motivated by creating a better process to use healthcare. We are part of something big.?I have learned so much about the healthcare system and better ways to access it. It is exciting! Before, I only understood health plan spreadsheets. I did not realize I could impact health care. I am also inspired by my peers.?I appreciate the sense of community I have with many of them. Support is necessary and I have that with my Health Rosetta , Next Gen, and Mitigate Partners friends."

Thank you Laurie for sharing! Looking forward to our continued growth together!

Sincerely,

Michael Patton

President of Excel Health Plans