What success story with Excel Health Plans are you most proud of?

I recently installed a new group where a member was undergoing cancer treatment and within the first week of being installed there was an issue with prior auth not being processed, come to find out, the medical provider had only requested prior auth approval 24 hours prior, but they needed the approval the very next day. It was 6pm EST on a Thursday evening and I called the CEO of Excel, Mike Patton. Mike made it his mission to get the needed approval for an 8am radiation appointment the very next morning. He set aside what he was doing prior to my call and immediately reached out the the CEO of our TPA at Aither Health. Within 2 hours of the initial phone call, this issue was solved and I was able to let the member know that we had everything ready to go for them.

How is Excel Health Plans different from the other companies you have worked with?

What I like most about Excel Health is their ability to address employer and member concerns swiftly. Having the ability to pick up the phone or shoot a text to the Excel team and get a response within minutes, not hours, days or weeks is something that sets them apart from the competition.

What motivates you (personally, professionally, or both)?

What motivates me personally is my sweet daughter, Camille. What motivates me professionally is solving problems for my clients.

Do you have a favorite quote?

No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, show up and never give up. This is how my father carried on when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I am sure there were too many days to count when he felt like doing the exact opposite, but he never did. He was and always will be the greatest champion I know.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?

When I was 17 years old I started my first business. It was a snow plow operation in St. Louis Missouri. I purchased a 1978 Ford Bronco that had holes in the floor boards and busted heat box. My first night plowing I nearly froze to death. After I made a little money I put sheet metal on the floor boards and replaced the heat box. I landed contracts with Walgreens, Firestone and a few local businesses and had a blast building my first business.

Thanks for chatting with us, Rich. We appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule.

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Let’s talk about your first sale. How did that come about?

I have a client that was staring down a hefty renewal with a level-funded plan at one of the BUCA providers (we won’t name names). The renewal was somewhere in the 40% – 50% range. I wanted to ensure I did right by this client, so I didn’t want to leave any stone unturned. I remembered receiving an email from Wyatt introducing Excel Health Plans and explaining what it’s all about, so I reached out to see if it was for real. Boy, am I glad that I did.

The plan went into effect on December 1st, 2023, and the client turned the clock back to what they had been paying three years earlier. Furthermore, once the plan details made the rounds during open enrollment, five new employees signed up. They had previously been waivers because the cost of the previous plan was just too high, but when they saw how reasonable the rates were, especially for the services offered, they elected to enroll. The five new enrollees were a younger demographic with great health, so when they joined, it benefitted the group further by having the rates decrease due to the good risk coming onto the plan.

How did the roll-out go? How has Excel been different?

The roll-out definitely went well. I was very impressed with how quickly Excel got everything together. It was Q4, but it only took 2-3 days for the client to get their group number and for Excel to have ID cards handy. That’s not indicative of the experience that I’ve had with other carriers, especially in such a busy time like Q4. Another thing that sets Excel apart is their cost containment strategies and access to the Care Navigation team. Having access to that level of member support is critical to the success of a health plan and these sort of plan features aren’t something that’s always available in a level-funded arrangement for the small group market.

In the end, it’s great having another player in the game. The installation process in the 11th hour was terrific, and I’ve had nothing but great experiences since day one.

That’s great to hear. What motivates you?

My wife and kids. They motivate me to be the best person that I can be for them.

When it comes to business, it’s the relationships. I like to concentrate on ways to reinforce a relationship with the goal of turning it into a partnership. Anyone who works on a project together does their separate tasks in the relationship. If we can build a partnership, then that means everyone is working together for a common goal. I have to say that this is one of the things I loved about my move from my previous employer over to ABC. I was delighted to get away from the churn-and-burn of the sales cycle and start building true client partnerships. That’s the type of stuff that drives the year-over-year retention.

To close it out, what is something that people may not know about you?

I used to be an avid surfer and skateboarder when I was younger. I grew up in the Long Beach Island area of New Jersey and spent a lot of my time at the beach before moving to Virginia in 2002. When Hurricane Floyd hit the Jersey coast in 1999, me and some friends decided we would go surfing, which was crazy, but fun at the same time. It just so happened there was reporter from a local newspaper on the beach watching us surf during the storm. So, when we came in the reporter did a short interview with us and the newspaper published an article about us surfing during the hurricane. That was pretty cool.

Thanks for chatting with us, Kevin. We appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule. Can’t wait to get started on your next deal so we can continue to build our partnership.

We should also thank ABC Insurance Trust for lending us Kevin to chat for a bit, so thanks! We look forward to doing more business together.

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What is your focus when consulting with a client?

I’ve been in the industry for a long time and my focus has always been to nuture long term relationships with my clients. Some of them have been with me since the beginning. Because we’ve been together so long we need to look for innovative ideas, so we don’t stay stagnant. That’s what lead me to Excel Health Plans.

What has your experience been like selling Excel Health Plans?

Everything comes down to simplicity. The quoting process? Simple and straightforward. Implementation? Aither had ID cards in the members hands in a few days. Simple. We also love the systems they use. Fully self-funded can be so time consuming to bring all the different parts and pieces together. However, my allegiance is to my clients, so if the self-funding/level-funding route is what’s best for them I’m going to figure out how to make that happen. Again, it comes down to Excel making it simple. They already have all the parts and pieces in place. It’s like self-funding that doesn’t feel like self-funding.

I can kind of compare creating a plan from scratch to building a house from scratch. 20 years ago I built a house from a blank plot of land and it was one of the most difficult experiences. You don’t reallize the sheer volume of decisions that have to be made. At first there are big decisions like what type of foundation to do, but by the end you have to choose which 25 door knobs you want. It’s crazy. That’s always how I felt about self-funding/level-funding. I don’t need to build an entire plan. Choosing between Excel’s 3 levels of plans is plenty. These pre-built solutions are proven, so I know they work.

What has support been like with Excel Health Plans?

The members love it. The plan that went live a couple of weeks ago on October 1st had been on a BlueCross plan for 17 years. Switching to Excel Health Plans saved the company a good amount of money, but bringing the plan details to the employees was the big win. Some of the employees literally did not believe how many $0 cost options there were. They thought there was a catch. Immediately everyone was feeling the uniqueness of the plan. It was a huge differentiator.

Recently we had a member drive an hour away to get a free MRI. They were happy to travel a bit to ensure the service would not cost anything out of pocket, but to make it even better, Excel covered their travel costs. No one (including me) had ever heard of a health benefit plan doing anything like that before. I don’t even know if Excel wants us telling people that they cover travel costs, but it created an amazing customer experience and it shows that they really do care.

How about renewals? How have they been?

Great. Can’t complain at all. Simple. Last year one of our accounts had a member who required a full hip replacement. At the start of this new benefit year, the member moved off the plan to Medicare. With traditional insurance companies, it wouldn’t have mattered that they were off the plan now. Their hip replacement from the previous year would have been considered in the quote for 2024. However, with Excel they actually treat every renewal like a new group. As a result, there was no retaliation for a procedure from a previous member in the previous year.

To close it out, any favorite quotes you want to leave us with?

I actually have two.

The first is a sentiment I like to remember, “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” In life, it’s inevitable, we will experience loss and disappointment. Nothing lasts forever. We have to remember to focus on the good experiences and memories we once had.

The second is, “Never forget where you came from.” Everyone starts somewhere. No one succeeds alone. There are people in our lives that help us along the way. Even the most successful surgeons, business owners, and athletes didn’t become successful without hard work, failure/defeat, and support from other people. A reminder daily to never become so successful that you forget how you got there and who helped along the way.

Thanks to Stella for taking time out of your schedule to talk with us. A lot of us here are glass-half-full people, too. We appreciate what you are doing and look forward to your next launch on January 1.

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What type of accounts do you guys service?

The Fairly Group is located in Amarillo, TX, but we have clients all over the US. We can support all types of businesses. Though I have had a bit of a run on Sports and Entertainment clients. Working with them adds a little excitement to the project.

What is your focus when consulting with a client?

We always challenge the “Why”. Specifically, why is insurance structured the way it is? Many times, the answer is, “That’s just the way it’s been.” When I hear that, I know I’m going to be able to help this client, and in the end, they are going to be happy.

What motivates you?

I know it may sound a little cheezy, but it really is about making my clients happy. At the end of the process, after they see how much they are saving, how strong the benefits are, and how easy the process was for them, they are extremely grateful and it gives me a sense of fulfillment. It’s also not just for the business. With these new plans we can make the benefits more interactive and robust which the employee’s love.

What has your experience been like selling Excel Health Plans?

At this point, we’ve put well over 20 clients on, and every account was a breath of fresh air. The clients barely know the difference between Excel and their old plans, which we think is a good thing. It’s stretching the comfortability away from traditional health care. I love that Excel has built a program that challenges what we see as the ecosystem of healthcare in the past. It has the feel and taste of traditional health care but with outside-of-the-box thinking. Excel also allows us to get aggressive on pricing, and we know they are not a fly-by-night plan provider that won’t be around for renewal.

What has support been like with Excel Health Plans?

It’s been flawless. Everyone at Excel is responsive and committed to the client (and me as the broker). And like I said before, the clients love it. It’s streamlined and there have been no disruptions vs the larger BUCA competitors.

To close it out, any favorite quotes you want to leave us with?

Yeah, I did actually see a social media posts just the other day that stuck with me. It said, ‘Consistency is what transforms average into excellence.’

Thanks to Matt for taking time out of your schedule to talk with us. We appreciate what you are doing and look forward to adding the next 20 clients together.

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Within the past year, Colton has gone above and beyond to bring his clients success. He leads by example by helping groups with over 330+ lives enrolled with Excel Health Plans – impressive!

We spoke to Colton about what inspired him in this business: no doubt it’s a true passion for helping others.

Learn from the wealth knowledge he brings to the table with his years of experience.

Here’s what Colton had to say:

1. What success story with Excel Health Plans are you most proud of?

“My team and I worked on a new prospect that was dealing with a 44% increase. We were able to come in with Excel Health to almost keep them at a flat renewal. Most importantly we have been able to better manage the frequency and severity of their claims to the plan. Additionally, members are seeing lower out of pocket costs when seeking various medical services and some prescription drugs. Win for the plan, win for the employer, and win for the members!”

2. What has been a time you’ve wanted to give up? What did you do to keep pushing forward?

“It was just a few years ago that I felt like I wanted to give up but that ended up being the same time I decided to make a change. I started educating myself more on this very complex ecosystem of healthcare (books, podcasts, conferences) and I did a lot of networking with other advisors. I am very grateful for the individuals that took the time out of their day to connect or share ideas.”

3. What keeps you motivated every day?

“People – my team, clients, their employees, everyone that has to buy or consume healthcare. We have a broken healthcare system that needs an overhaul that puts a stop to bankrupting our fellow American’s. Change is happening for the better and the wins that we are achieving here at North Risk Partners and the ones I hear about from my peers keep me motivated everyday.”

Thank you Colton for sharing your awesome story with us! Let’s go!

Sincerely,

Michael Patton

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In the past year, Jeff has gone above and beyond to bring his clients success. He leads by example by helping over 24+ groups with over 330+ lives enrolled with Excel Health Plans – impressive!

We spoke to Jeff about what inspired him in this business: no doubt it’s a true passion for helping others. Learn from the wealth knowledge he brings to the table with his years of experience.

Here’s what Jeff had to say:

1. What success story with Excel Health Plans are you most proud of?

“We have lowered multiple mid-market groups premiums by over $100,000 per year. One of them was a non-profit group that we completely eliminated their deficit. However, what I am most proud of is the number of employees who are getting $0 care. People who had put off doctor visits, prescriptions or procedures are now getting the care they need. To be able to do that, while also saving businesses millions of dollars is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my career.”

2. What has been a time you’ve wanted to give up? What did you do to keep pushing forward?

“Before I was accepted into Health Rosetta, I was completely burnt out. Like many agents, I was worn out on always delivering bad news. I was also fed up with picking 5 bad options to 5 less bad options from a spreadsheet. After I learned and studied more about building better health plans and benefits, it gave me the juice I needed to get going again. I just tried to learn a little more every single day. There are so many incredible people in the community that shared knowledge.”

3. What keeps you motivated every day?

“Vision. Since Day 1 Michael Patton sold me on having the freedom to create a true community owned health plan in my home town. (and the progress is amazing!!) If it takes me till one day before they put me in the dirt, I won’t stop until we see it through. Dave Chase, Health Rosetta-discovering archaeologist always says “Agents in Kansas City have to fix healthcare in Kansas City” The challenge of fixing healthcare for the people of my community is a task I’m ready for. We have the right people. Now it is only a matter of effort.”

Thank you Jeff for sharing your amazing story with us! Keep pushing boundaries and redefining the impossible; you are an inspiration!

Sincerely,

Michael Patton

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Ryan has been with us for some time now and has always gone above and beyond to help his clients. He is truly a GOAT of the insurance world, and we are grateful to have him.

In just 12 months Ryan has implemented 12+ groups with over 375+ member lives.

We caught up with Ryan to ask him a few questions about his business. Here’s what he had to say:

1. What success story with Excel Health Plans are you most proud of?

“We’ve had many instances we were able to save an employer on their premiums, but overall helping navigate members to get their care or medications at a significantly reduced cost is what I’m most happy with. Many employers forget that the coverages they offer should exist to truly benefit their employees. Excel Health Plans has truly helped my clients honor that promise to their members.”

2. What has been a time you’ve wanted to give up? What did you do to keep pushing forward?

“Several years ago, it was a grind. Showing the same old plans and delivering bad news to clients really wore on me. I was always on the lookout for innovative ideas, but there just weren’t many for mall and mid-sized employers. I then began hearing more about the custom plan approach and breaking free of the carrier-owned model. The more I learned, the more I liked and realized that so few employers are aware of these concepts. It really created a mindset shift in me when speaking with my clients”

3. What keeps you motivated every day?

“The best and only motivator I need is knowing that what we are doing for clients is absolutely the best option for their employees and for the long-term sustainability of their ability to continue offering high quality coverage.”

Thank you Ryan for sharing! Keep up the amazing work you are doing.

Sincerely,

Michael Patton

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