Why the Easiest Benefits Solution Isn't Always the Right One:

Insights from Tom Polenzani

Kelly Bowman connects with Tom Polenzani, Employee Benefits National Sales Leader at IMA Financial Group, to discuss why benefits decisions have become more expensive, more complex, and increasingly important to business leaders. Tom explains how rising healthcare costs and stacked fully insured increases are pushing more employers to explore alternative funding strategies, and why organizations often struggle to evaluate those options without understanding their underlying cost drivers.

Tom discusses the importance of bringing key stakeholders together, looking beyond a single renewal cycle, and understanding the factors driving long-term costs. He also shares practical steps employers can take before their next renewal, including seeking a second opinion, assessing whether the marketplace is being fully explored, and working with advisors who understand the business as deeply as the benefits plan. Whether you’re considering self-funding, evaluating a captive, or facing another year of rising costs, Tom offers a practical perspective on what effective benefits guidance should look like when the stakes are this high.

Listen to this episode below.