September 11, 2012
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Howell Benefit Services, Inc. Releases National Online Group Insurance Website in 11 States
Howell Benefit Services, Inc. announced today the release of DentalVisionPlans.comTM [www.dentalvisionplans.com], a national online group insurance website for small and mid-size employers and producers. Developed and distributed exclusively by Howell Benefit Services, Inc., DentalVisionPlans.comTM, is one of the first web-based solutions in the country that allows employers and producers to instantly obtain rates, plans and provider networks; complete group applications; enroll employees and make status changes all on one website. The solution also permits employers to pay premiums for multiple carriers and products via ACH, check or credit/debit card. Plans are currently offered in 11 states and the District of Columbia, with additional states slotted for the balance of 2012 and 2013.
The exclusive, fully insured dental and vision programs offered on the site include a variety of special benefits underwritten by United Concordia Life and Health Insurance Company, one of the country’s largest dental carriers. UCVision also offers consumers their national network of ophthalmologists, optometrists and vision service providers.
Currently, more than 3,000 employers are enrolled in plans offered by DentalVisionPlans.comTM. Plans are available in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Florida, Ohio, Arizona, California, Texas, District of Columbia, Maryland (DC Metro), and Virginia (DC Metro).
"Our solution offers small and mid-size employers’ easy access to web-based enrollment and group insurance administration is 100% paperless and convenient to navigate quickly," stated Roger Howell, President of Howell Benefit Services, Inc, a 30-year veteran of the employee benefit consulting industry.
"Although some national e-commerce insurance websites have successfully conquered online shopping, enrollment and premium payment functionality, we believe most of them have concentrated on the individual health, life and P&C markets," said Howell. "Many of the group benefit websites that promote themselves as 'online', 'electronic' or 'digital', are still technologically incapable of performing every critical function of group insurance quoting, enrollment, administration and premium collection on one website and single sign on access, without relying on human intervention at one or more stages of the process."
Chip Merkel, President and COO of United Concordia, recently commented, "We have worked with Howell Benefit Services for many years as one of our top producing agencies nationally in both the large and small market segments. We are elated they selected our product portfolio for what we believe to be a 'first' in the delivery of a full-service, multi-product, web-based group insurance procurement and administration solution."
Howell Benefit Services, Inc., located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was established in 1983 and provides employee benefit consulting, communication and administration for a diverse group of employers across the country. Howell also specializes in web-based online benefit enrollment, HRMS technology and Third Party Administration. To learn more about Howell, log on: www.howellusa.com
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