Building a Benefits Program That Protects Your People and Your Bottom Line with Ford Clemons

Send us Fan MailHealthcare costs are up. Your renewal is coming. And if you are not already having the conversation with your broker, you are six months behind.In this episode of The Moss HR Minute, Nicole Moss, Co-Founder of Moss Consulting HR Services, sits down with Ford Clemons, Managing Director of Employee Benefits at Higginbotham, for one of the most practical and eye-opening conversations the show has had on what employee benefits actually cost, what drives those costs up, and what business owners can do to stay ahead of it.Ford has spent his entire career at Higginbotham working with mid-market employers across the US, helping them build and sustain competitive benefits packages in an industry that has changed more in the last decade than in the previous three. From ACA compliance to self-funded strategies to population health management, he brings the kind of deep, healthcare-rooted knowledge that turns a confusing and expensive line item into a manageable and strategic investment.Key topics discussed in this episode:What drew Ford to employee benefits from a pre-med background — and why the intersection of healthcare and business became his callingThe compliance mistakes business owners make most often, and why not knowing is not an excuse when the penalties landWhy employee benefits is the second largest line item on most balance sheets and how treating it like a business investment changes everythingPopulation health management — what it is, why it matters, and how managing chronic conditions proactively prevents catastrophic claimsHow high cost claimants happen, what drives cancer and prescription costs, and where preventative care fits into the strategyThe honest conversation about 30 to 50 percent renewal increases — what is causing them at a macro level and how Ford navigates those conversations with clientsWhy blaming your broker for a bad renewal is one of the most common and costly misconceptions in the industryWhy the benefits strategy conversation needs to start at least six months before renewal — not 90 days outThe value of pairing a strong outsourced HR partner with a benefits broker and why Ford finds it makes every client outcome betterFord's volunteer work with Genesis Women's Shelter, the Touchdown Club of Dallas, and the Ashford Rise School — and what keeps him committed to that work year after yearThis episode is essential listening for any founder, operator, or HR leader who is tired of being surprised at renewal, wants to understand what is actually driving their costs, and is ready to treat their benefits program like the strategic business tool it is — within one Moss Minute.Connect with Ford Clemons: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fordclemons/ Email: [email protected] Phone: +1 214-346-4159 Website: https://www.higginbotham.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@higginbothamins Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/higginbotham_ins/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/higginbothaminsBook time with Nicole to talk about your HR needs: https://mossconsulting.com/book-a-free-consultationLearn more about Moss Consulting HR Services: https://www.mossconsulting.comFollow the show: @TheMossHRMinute