Meet the Expert with Brian McKellar – Senior Client Advisor, Employee Benefits

Written by Brian McKellar

Employee benefits are more than a line item on a budget. They are a key way organizations attract and retain talent while keeping employees supported. Designing a benefits program that balances cost and employee experience can be challenging. That is where Brian McKellar comes in.

Brian has worked across the benefits ecosystem since 2011 on both the carrier and consulting sides. Early in his career he trained and led agent teams, coached brokerage firms, and advised clients directly. That experience gave him a rare 360 degree view of how benefits programs operate and how employees actually use them. Today at Buckner, Brian brings that perspective to help employers build practical and data driven programs that deliver real results.

A Specialist in Employee Benefits

Brian helps employers design benefit programs that attract top talent while keeping costs predictable. He focuses on strategies that make a tangible impact on both the organization and its employees.

Some of his top tips for navigating employee benefits renewal include:

1. Know what is driving your increase Break out trends by utilization, demographics, and pooling to identify the actual cost drivers.
2. Model funding strategies side by side Compare fully insured, level funded, and self funded programs over three years looking at premium, risk, cash flow, and volatility.
3. Add navigation and advocacy Give employees a single number or app to compare costs, book care, and resolve claims and then track the savings.
4. Primary care focus Consider zero cost primary care visits or direct primary care options for earlier, lower cost care and better management of chronic conditions.
5. Communications as a campaign Do not just send a memo. Create a 60/30/15 cadence using plain language comparisons, FAQs, and short videos to engage employees.

Data Driven Planning and Strategic Questions

Brian believes renewal decisions should always be informed by data and clear insights. Some of the questions he helps clients explore include:

1. What are our top claim conditions and categories and what mitigation plan do we propose for each?
2. Which plan design changes bend the trend with the least disruption for members and what is the impact on employers versus employees?
3. What are our three year total cost projections for fully insured, level funded, or self funded programs under best, base, and worst case scenarios?
4. How is our network performing? What are our actual allowed amount discounts, how much out of network leakage exists, and how do we address it?
5. How will we measure member navigation and advocacy success? Which KPIs matter and how will we prove ROI?

Why it Matters

Benefits are more than coverage. They are a tool to help employees make smarter choices and feel supported while keeping organizations financially sustainable. Brian puts it simply: “Benefits should recruit for you. That is the goal of every plan I design.”

Contact Brian

Ready to design a benefits program that works for your people and your business? Contact Brian McKellar at bmckellar@buckner.com or 208-584-1761 to get started.