Spending Too Much on Healthcare? This Employer-Designed Conference Wil...( KANSAS CITY Mo. Dec. 29 /- The Sa...),Health

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Dec. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The Savvy Self-Funding Healthcare Conference and Expo will provide employers and health plan sponsors the rare opportunity to discuss healthcare options with both carriers and brokers during a June 1-3, 2009 conference in Kansas City, Missouri.

The conference is unique, as it is designed and sponsored by an actual employer -- not a conference promoter. Karrie Andes, Director of Human Resources for Deffenbaugh Industries, Inc. & Affiliates, a trash service provider in Greater Kansas City, created the conference in an effort to help educate employers and plan sponsors on self-funded healthcare.

"Hearing my colleagues being frustrated and seeking more information inspired me," Andes says. "I just felt that if there was more education, and benefit managers knew what questions to ask, we could do more to lower costs. The solution doesn't always have to be passing on costs or absorbing them." As a result, the conference includes a full array of exhibitors -- carriers, brokers, TPAs, PBMs, and other industries working hard to offset rising healthcare expenses. Presenters include speakers from The Center for Health Value Innovation, The Employee Benefits Security Administration, Industry Professionals, and Employers, along with breakout sessions to customize learning.

"I allow both health carriers and insurance brokers to exhibit at the expo. If you're managing a health plan, you need as many options and ideas as you can get your hands on," Andes said. "We had attendees from all across the nation attend our event in 2007. I had employers coming up to me, shaking my hand, telling me that our conference was the best they'd ever attended. The worst thing you can do is go to a conference and feel you wasted your time. This won't happen at our conference ... you'll leave feeling inspired!"

"At first, this idea was quite controversial. I wa
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