As you see every day with your clients, the effort of providing retiree medical benefits has become increasingly expensive. Not only are insurance and pharmaceutical costs soaring, but the cost of administration is equally taxing. As more baby boomers head into retirement and new accounting rules take effect, the financial burden on employers is only going to get worse - much worse.

These issues are compounded by the challenges of understanding Medicare Part D. As you know, Medicare D, the new prescription drug benefit, takes effect January 1, 2006. This is the most sweeping reform to occur around Medicare since its inception in 1965.

As a benefit broker/consultant, you have significant opportunities to position yourself as a resource for your clients. At NEBCO, we understand there isn't a 'one-size-fits-all' solution to this monumental reform. As you can imagine, the range of options facing your customers is broad and can be quite confusing.

NEBCO is prepared to help you analyze the issues to determine the best strategy for your customers. We have been planning for Medicare D for over two years. We understand the legislation and its implications on your clients.

NEBCO is positioned like no other wholesale broker or third party administrator to provide you solutions. In conjunction with our carrier partner, we have applied to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to become a Prescription Drug Provider (PDP) for Medicare. In fact, we believe we (in conjunction with our carrier partner) will be the only national PDP offered exclusively to employer groups and unions. This is significant because your clients will have access to a fully integrated solution for basic Part D and supplemental prescription coverage.

We would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you in more detail. If you would like to learn more about our strategies and how we can help prepare your clients for Medicare Part D and beyond, please feel free to contact us at 877.739.3330.