Danielle Smith Email & Phone Number

Spokane, Washington Area

Washington State

LICENSES & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTLife & Disability AgentLong Term Care AgentLife & Disability ProducerTeam Management TrainingSales Training from Mahan KhalsaLeadership Spokane GraduateAFFILIATIONS / BOARD REPRESENTATIONNational Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU)Greater Spokane Incorporated (GSI)Inland Northwest M.S. Board Member, 2008 – 2010Leadership Spokane Board Member, 2012

Spokane, Washington

Premera Blue Cross, Spokane, WA 7/2013 – 2/2016 MANAGER, MEDICARE DIRECT SALES Lead a team of seven licensed agents responsible for all direct sales throughout WA state. Built the Medicare Advantage program from the ground up by helping develop internal and producer certification requirements, training and all internal policies and procedures. Responsible for contributing to business growth targets through leads produced through a variety of marketing efforts. During the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), I was responsible for on-site training for internal certification and product training to an additional 98 licensed agents that assisted Premera through a third party vendor. Achievements• Successfully managed a team of 7 full time agents that exceeded company-set goals the three years the Medicare Program was handled internally at Premera. • Clear, daily communication with senior leadership across the state on exactly how the program was performing; any identified issues or roadblocks were called out during my daily report-out. • Worked closely with the Marketing and Compliance departments. My contributions have included: assistance with the development of standard reporting, building of policies and procedures in compliance with CMS and personally showcased in a prospective member marketing flyer that went out to over 200k homes. • Partnered with Large Group Director to develop unique ways we can use each other’s lines of business to assist one another. • 2015 Platinum Club recipient.• Four Star Medicare Plan rating achievement bringing in an additional $13 million dollars to Premera.

MANAGER – ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT: Lead team of 24 driving retention of all business with 50+ employees east of the cascades. Oversee combined book of business totaling 256 commercial large groups, trusts, chambers, associations, and national accounts. Consult and advise on best medical insurance options. Negotiate with underwriters to obtain favorable terms, enabling account managers to quickly finalize renewals. Facilitate business growth by securing new and cultivating established clients. • Built powerful relationships with all clients, consistently earning highest satisfaction feedback vs. peers state wide.• Increased efficiency and productivity by adopting Lean principles to streamline various processes. • Drastically improved transition of new groups from sales to account management by introducing targeted implementation meetings to bring together all group-facing departments. • Maintained constant communication with all brokers in community, proactively addressing any/all requests, questions, or problems. • Formed comprehensive matrix containing pertinent data on all employer groups, and including de-tailed worksheets on renewal, rates, group contacts, broker contacts, and interactions. • Worked closely with Self-Insurance/Alternative Funding AVP to develop standard reporting, provide sample contracts, and author alternative funding definitions document.

Seattle, Wa

CONSULTANT: Advised clients on strategies for employee benefits, communications, and financials. Developed competitive benefits plans while conducting negotiations with insurance carriers. Drafted and analyzed clients’ RFPs, making suggestions to both client and management. Performed against individual marketing and sales goals. Conducted yearly open enrollment meetings. • Cultivated individual book of business with ~32K member lives and $99.4M+ annual premium.• Ensured top-caliber service to client’s HR department when clarification of coverage or advocacy with claims issues were needed. • Earned reputation for helpful, dynamic presentations on complex benefits packages during open en-rollment process.

Bellevue, Wa

MARKETING ANALYST: Provided broker with in-depth assessment of insurance benefits/rates for clients and leads. Researched and negotiated rates, plan designs, benefits, and guarantees with insurance carriers. Drafted proposals by summarizing complex data into a logical format for presentations. Executed all administrative activities in support of assigned accounts. Served as key liaison between client and insurance carriers.

Tukwila, Wa

BENEFIT SPECIALIST: Worked at Boeing HQ as onsite specialist on medical, dental, and vision plans. Generated timely, accurate replies to client staff questions and concerns. Provided preauthorization requirements and issued override numbers to members per plan guidelines.