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Ep. 12 - The Knowledge That Wins Your Benefits Renewal Is the Knowledge That Earns Trust - with Holly Lutz

Ep. 12 - The Knowledge That Wins Your Benefits Renewal Is the Knowledge That Earns Trust - with Holly Lutz

A 26% benefits renewal increase came down to 11%.

Holly Lutz, Director of Human Resources for the US Division of NOABRANDS, walks host James Weier through how she got that increase down by more than half, using knowledge she already had about her workforce's claims and usage before the carrier's letter ever arrived. That knowledge is also what let her take the account to market instead of settling for a smaller concession from her incumbent carrier. Her plan design decisions followed the same logic: a steep specialist copay hike she once refused outright, and a claims pattern she reads very differently than her carrier does. Rolling the new plan out in person and in multiple languages was no less deliberate, a choice built from the start to earn employee trust.


You'll learn:

1. Why direct renegotiation with an insurance carrier rarely moves the number far enough
2. How workforce claims and usage data becomes the real negotiating leverage in a benefits renewal
3. What separates a non-negotiable from a negotiable cost during a plan redesign
4. How an in-person, multilingual rollout was designed to build trust
5. Why the priciest health plan isn't automatically the right one for your workforce

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Holly is open to connecting about benefits strategy and renewal negotiation. If you'd like to exchange perspectives, reach out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-lutz-42604660/

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About the host James Weier:
James is Director, US at EGYM Wellpass and President of the Denver Chapter of the Level Up HR Community. With 10 years of HR experience, James brings a collaborative, community-focused approach to his work. When he's not elevating employee experience or strengthening HR leadership, James enjoys spending time with his wife and their two young boys in Colorado's great outdoors.

Get in touch with James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesweier/

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More episodes and insights: https://www.level-up-hr.com/en

About

In conversations with decision-makers and thought leaders from people, organization, and new ways of work, we explore the topics shaping HR today and defining it for tomorrow, including:

  • How employer branding works and what matters beyond campaigns
  • How talent can be attracted, developed, and retained over the long term
  • What defines a healthy organizational culture and how it is translated into everyday practice
  • How organizations can build resilience and navigate pressure and stress responsibly

The podcast is driven by personal insights, real-world experience, and conversations with leading voices in the HR space - for those who don’t just work in HR, but are actively in shaping its future.

Hosted by

James Weier, Director US at EGYM Wellpass