Earlier this year, Drew Neslin joined BCS as Head of Ancillary Benefit Solutions (ABS). Previously Vice President of Voluntary Sales (Southeast Region) for Aetna/CVS, Drew is now responsible for developing, implementing, supporting, and ensuring the goals of the award-winning ABS segment at BCS – which includes accident, hospital indemnity, a first-of-its-kind critical illness product, and a fixed fixed indemnity product designed for hourly and seasonal employees.
A few months into his new role, we asked Drew what brought him to #TeamBCS, where he sees the role of ancillary benefits in the marketplace, and how he’s liking the Chicago-area.
Q: What brought you to BCS?
A: I was very excited by the opportunity to build something new and unique in the employee benefits space. After hearing about BCS, I did some digging and found out about the forward-looking provisions in their plans, like the mental illness rider on the Critical Illness plan. I also was pleased to hear how they had been the number one provider of Fixed Indemnity products for the staffing industry and had a lot of experience in that solution for part-time/variable hour populations, which I had experience in.
Q: What has your first impression been of the company?
A: A nimble team committed to their customers. Our priorities are to develop an innovative portfolio of voluntary products that offer meaningful benefits for employees with an unparalleled member experience. We are all rowing in the same direction [with this], and it shows.
Q: What’s your take on the role of ancillary benefits in the healthcare market?
A: There is a large interest in group voluntary benefits, but there is also a question of shelf-space for it with all of the other competing priorities for employers. Both employers and brokers are looking for both a streamlined, intuitive process for implementation, along with the expertise and client management support on the back-end. Our BCS Gateway is able to help address this unique need in the market.
Editor’s Note: Drew expanded more on this topic, and the role of group voluntary benefits in helping to expect the unexpected in a recent article for Employee Benefits News.
Q: Who or what do you look to for inspiration or mentorship?
A: I look to the servant leaders, the ones who aren’t the cult of personality but are quietly getting things done and changing the world at the same time.
Q: Favorite Chicago food (so far)?
A: Have to go with deep dish pizza, though I am excited to try more classic dishes.
With Drew at the helm, now is a great time to find out how BCS’s ancillary benefits can fit into your client’s benefit strategy. With flexible and easy-to-implement products like accident, hospital indemnity, critical illness, and fixed indemnity, there are options available to fit any employer group.
Connect with Drew and learn more today! Reach out to [email protected].
