What can a school do to control benefit costs without sacrificing quality?
THE COMPANIES THAT ENJOY OUR OFFER
Meet Alera Group
Connecting educational organizations to a stronger financial future
Resource Center for Educational Institutions
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At Alera Group, we harness the power of collaboration to bring you greater connectivity. Connectivity to specialists deeply entrenched in the education sector to bring you unique solutions. Connectivity with our network of resources to bring you the right products. Connectivity with data and insights to help you navigate increasing industry complexities. It’s how we help you manage your unique risk as an educational institution, build your business, strengthen financial opportunities and reach the future you’ve always imagined.
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A New Strategy for Managing your Healthcare Costs
What can be done about Pharmacy Costs in your plan?
Christopher J. DeLorey
Senior Vice President
518-646-2578
Chris began his career in the Life insurance business and quickly realized many of his clients needed help with the complex world of health insurance and employee benefits. He specializes in complex alternative funding for employee benefits, as well as advocating for the needs of employees and employers alike.
In 2006 Chris was appointed to the Governor’s Quality & Cost Council in Massachusetts, part of the first healthcare reform legislation in the country and helped with the effort to build the first comprehensive transparency tool in the state.
Chris has been building Multi – Employer and Group Purchasing programs for various industry groups, including Education and Not for Profits for over 20 years, delivering quality healthcare programs made possible by the leverage of the larger collective.
In addition to his work in Insurance and Employee benefits, Chris is also passionate about closing the achievement gap in Education, providing children with the opportunity to succeed in education and life regardless of their Zip Code. He is a former Board Chair of Excel Academies Public Charter Schools and current board member of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education (MBAE)
Chris lives in Boston with his wife Wendy and three grown children
James D. Schutzer
Senior Partner
914-644-9232
Jamie Schutzer is an employee benefits and health insurance expert with more than 25 years in a variety of leadership positions. Through JDM Benefits, the firm he joined as a partner in 2011, Jamie has provided healthcare insurance and benefits consulting for organizations of all sizes in the New York metro area. In August 2020, JDM Benefits joined Alera Group Company, an independent national insurance and financial services company focused on delivering powerful relationships, industry experience and resources with the goal of elevating the client experience. Jamie remains a senior partner at JDM Benefits, An Alera Group Company and is based in White Plains, NY. Before joining JDM Benefits, Jamie spent 15 years working in sales and consulting for Wellpoint/Anthem and Oxford Health Plans/UnitedHealthcare.
As an industry veteran, Jamie understands the challenges businesses face to offer a competitive benefits program that attracts and retains top talent while managing the ever-rising costs of providing healthcare to its workforce. Jamie is a sought-after speaker on topics important to businesses and organizations of all types. He has shared his expertise in speaking opportunities focused on a broad range of health insurance topics and their impact on employers and employees, including the Affordable Care Act, Tax Exclusion and Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance / The Individual Mandate, Cadillac Tax, and Reference-Based Pricing. He also has been a featured speaker on Employee Benefit Plans, Self-Insured Health Plans, Private Exchange, PEO (professional employer organizations), and Technology & Benefits.
Jamie is also very active in civic and business organizations serving on the New York State Health Benefit Exchange Regional Advisory Council, the New York State Association of Health Underwriters (Past President, Current Legislative Chair), and as an active Board Member, and Executive Committee Member of the Business Council of Westchester, where he also serves as the Board Chair.
Jamie holds licenses in life, accident & health, and property and casualty insurance, and is well-versed with key legislative and regulatory issues which impact clients on a local, state and national level. Jamie is a graduate of the University at Albany with a degree in Political Science and was the recipient of the Daniel Colacino Legislative Excellence Award, the New York Metro Association of Health Underwriters (NYMAHU) Lifetime Achievement Award, National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) 2019 Distinguished Service Award and the 2015 Employee Benefits Advisors “14 Politically Active Brokers to Know Across the U.S.”
Pharmacy Management
Prescription drugs are the fastest growing component of healthcare costs. These costs can be prohibitive, requiring employers to change plan designs and shift even more cost to their employees. This is particularly true for specialty medications that typically represent 50% of drug spend from just 1-2% of drug utilizers.
Unfortunately, many employers don’t have the purchasing power or market leverage to negotiate better pricing. It’s also challenging for employers to identify and access money saving opportunities.
Our Alera Group Pharmacy Solutions practice has a dedicated team of experienced, in-house Pharmacy Benefits Management experts. They offer a full range of pharmacy consulting services, including:
- Prescription drug program evaluations for clients of all sizes and industries
- Comprehensive RFP management renewal, market check and RFI
- PBM contract review and negotiation
- Consultative support to identify and deploy unique cost-mitigation for specialty drug solutions
- Data analytics that enable precise financial and clinical pharmacy benefits consulting and reporting, maximizing the plan value and employee dollars
- All forms of pharmacy benefits auditing, including PBM contract pricing, plan design and clinical
- On-going risk management and cost containment under our Rx Concierge Program
With Alera Group, you have a local partner and a team of experts you can rely on to help you manage pharmacy costs and improve your outcomes today and in the future.
Our Alera Group Pharmacy Solutions experts are backed by leading-edge tools and strategic solutions focused on meeting the needs and expectations of our clients through every stage of the pharmacy process.
Expertise on all Facets of Risk and Funding Arrangements
Our team understands all facets of risk and funding arrangements and has access to the solutions you need to put the right funding structure in place for your organization. Alera Group offers:
- National partnerships with stop loss vendors and captives who provide best-in-class contract provisions and service
- Timely and accurate financial reporting to monitor plan performance and avoid surprises
- Analytics, actuarial and underwriting expertise to provide assessment and guidance
- Partnerships with top data analytics firms, with data scientists on staff to interpret results and provide data-driven recommendations.
Our strategic process is backed by national, in-house expertise, best-in-class partnerships and contracts and advanced self-funded solutions.
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