Cowles has also been appointed to the conference advisory board for his expertise, innovation, and extensive experience with consumer-directed health plans.

“Benemax is a nationally-recognized trend-setter with countless innovations to its credit,” said Skip Brickley, Chairman and CEO of The Emergent Group, producer of the CDHCC (www.cdhcc.com). “David Cowles is a tremendous asset to the conference as Benemax is always in the forefront with unique programs and services, such as their online second-opinion product, that attract employers to consumer-directed health plans. Benemax’s presentation with Parallax and Partners Telemedicine will provide a dynamic case study on how consumer directed health care is working across several companies.”

Cowles’ session on Tues., March 30, Improving Health, Outcomes, Employee Satisfaction and Increasing Productivity Through CDHC, is a case study co-presented with long-time Benemax customer Lisa Hale, managing partner of Parallax Capital Partners, and Joseph Ternullo, associate director of Partners Telemedicine, an online second-opinion program that makes consultations with Harvard-affiliated specialists available to employees worldwide.

“Today’s health plan is no longer just about paying claims,” said Cowles. “It’s about improving the health of plan members, ensuring their access to quality care, providing consumer tools and improving health care outcomes. Our online second-opinion program supports all four functions.”

The presentation will showcase Parallax Capital Partners, an Irvine, Calif.-based firm specializing in technology acquisitions and investments that has phased-in Benemax health plans for more than 1,000 employees in its portfolio companies. Hale will highlight how a first-rate benefit package supports each company’s overall human resources strategy.

With Benemax’s second opinion service, employees can, through their local doctor, obtain a consultation from one of the 4,000-plus specialists in the Harvard-affiliated Partners Healthcare network, including physicians at Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. There is no charge to employee or employer for this greatly appreciated service and, best of all, a patient doesn’t have to travel to a far-away facility to take advantage of this benefit.

About Benemax
Benemax, based in Medfield, Mass. (www.benemax.com), was founded in 1975 and manages employee benefits for 250 corporate clients ranging from start-ups to divisions of Fortune 500 companies. Benemax designs and administers attractive yet highly cost-effective employee benefit packages, including consumer-directed health and dental plans. The company has grown by an average of 30 percent annually for the past four years.