BlueStone Advisors, an independent insurance brokerage firm, has appointed Michael Hansen as vice president in the employee benefits division. Based in BlueStone's home office in Lombard, Illinois, Hansen will be responsible for new business development in the privately held middle-market space. He joins from Trustmark Health Benefits, an independent benefits administrator and maintains valued industry relationships to serve mid-size employers. Hansen expertise focuses on optimising employee benefit plans to guide employers in maximising the value of their healthcare investment. BlueStone explains that as the cost of group health insurance continues to rise, employers are looking at alternative approaches like self-funding and value-based health care to save money on their premiums. Hansen’s experience with cost containment strategies at managed care organisations provides insight to help employers reduce their healthcare costs. "The demand for new models is especially strong among fully insured mid-size businesses that are lacking the scale and resources of their larger counterparts to drive significant change," Andrew Royce, president at BlueStone Advisors. He adds: "Hansen’s ability to thoughtfully structure benefit plans to reach their full potential will provide our clients with a competitive advantage with regards to retaining human capital." Commenting on his new role, Hansen notes: "I am delighted with the opportunity to apply my industry expertise and provide BlueStone's clients with best-in-class benefit plan solutions, thereby improving their bottom lines. My focus will be on developing custom solutions in the middle market space to reduce spend, minimise risk, and maximise the value of benefit plans."
