Lori Palama
Oak Creek
Summary
A Senior Benefits Analyst with self funding health plan experience. A Human Resource Manager with eighteen years of experience within a manufacturing setting. I am looking to continue to persevere, grow, and acquire new challenges within a new senior-level Human Resource Business Partner, Financial Analyst or Employee Benefits Account Manager position.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
Account Manager/ Claims Analyst
OVD Insurance
07.2023 - 07.2023
- Managed a book of clients (Pennsylvania) accounts for employee benefit programs acted as a liaison between employers, and insurance carriers to design, implement and service health plan renewals.
- Worked on steps to improve the process of streamlining and automating monthly client reporting.
Benefits Analyst
Acrisure
09.2021 - 07.2023
- Served as a Benefits Analyst for self-funded clients and fully insured clients.
- Conducted financial analysis on health plan experience and cost trends.
- Presented financial updates, projections, eligibility, medical and pharmacy claims costs experience information to self-funded clients and stop loss renewals.
- Analyzed data and created pivot tables for meetings on medical, dental, pharmacy and stop loss renewal cost information for clients’ meetings exhibits in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word.
- Gathered and completed data for stop loss renewal requests.
- Data mining management and projects on health fund census files, medical, pharmacy, and stop loss information, plan designs, calculation contribution rates nd COBRA rates.
- Assisted and participated in the implementation team on a benefits software for monthly and annual financial client reporting.
Senior Data Analyst
Marsh McLennan Agency
08.2023 - 12.2025
- Served as Senior Data Analyst for self-funded clients and fully insured clients.
- Conducted financial analysis on health plan experience and cost trends.
- Calculated IBNR reports for clients.
- Completed fully insured and self funded renewal projections.
- Completed health plan utilization reviews and presenting to clients.
- Data mining management and projects on health fund census files, medical, pharmacy, and stop loss information, plan designs, calculation contribution analysis and COBRA rates.
- Assisted and participated in the implementation team on a benefits software for monthly and annual financial client reporting.
- Analyzed complex datasets to identify trends and inform strategic decision-making processes.
- Developed and maintained predictive models to enhance client risk assessments and insurance solutions.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to integrate data-driven insights into operational practices.
- Mentored Employee Benefit Data Coordinators, fostering skill development and knowledge sharing within the team.
- Delivered comprehensive reports highlighting key trends, patterns, anomalies, presenting findings to senior management for informed decision-making purposes.
- Analyzed large amounts of data to identify trends and find patterns, signals and hidden stories within data.
- Mentored junior analysts, providing guidance on best practices in data analysis techniques.
- Produced monthly reports using advanced Excel spreadsheet functions.
- Utilized data visualization tools to effectively communicate business insights.
- Created various Excel documents to assist with pulling metrics data and presenting information to stakeholders for concise explanations of best placement for needed resources.
Benefits Consultant
Lee Jost Associates (LJA) Consulting Division of Benesys, Incorporated
10.2017 - 08.2021
- Served as a Secondary Benefits Consultant and attended quarterly (Taft Hartley) multi-employers’ health funds clients’ meetings.
- Presented financial updates, eligibility, medical and pharmacy claims costs experience information, PPO network discount performance reports and benefit bulletins at health fund clients’ meetings.
- Analyzed data and creating pivot tables for meetings on medical, dental, pharmacy, vision, and disability cost information for clients’ meetings exhibits in Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access and Microsoft Word.
- Gathered and completed data for stop loss renewal requests.
- Data mining management on health fund census files, medical, pharmacy, dental and disability claims.
- Reviewed monthly financial statements and completed financial updates for health fund financial position on the months gross and net reserve position.
- Completed financial claim cost analysis information projects for clients’ meetings.
- Updated health funds annual reports on health cost information against health fund audits with trial balance and updated spreadsheets for projections for annual clients’ health fund meetings.
- Prepared and completed medical and pharmacy data for PBM and PPO Studies.
- Reviewed Plan Documents and Summary Plan Documents.
- Completed meeting minutes and projects that were approved by the Board of Trustees at clients’ health fund quarterly meetings.
- Prepared meeting agendas and meeting materials for client’s health fund meeting booklets.
- (Formerly Benefit Plan Administration of Wisconsin, Incorporated)
Independent Contractor Recruiter
Sanborn Tube Sales, Inc.
08.2017 - 11.2018
- Recruited for shop and office manufacturing positions.
Human Resource Manager
Superior Die Set Corporation
03.2013 - 07.2017
- Supervised and was responsible for the human resource function which included employee records, employee relations, recruitment, benefits, safety and wellness programs at subsidiary company and corporate company headquarters.
- Trained and was responsible for in-house payroll, time and attendance records were in compliance with company employee handbook and union contract obligations.
- Was responsible for managing employee handbooks.
- Managed implementation of payroll and HRIS.
- Monitored and strengthened employee relations through personable management techniques used to lead, trained, reviewed, disciplined, hired, discharged, and motivated staff members.
- Oversaw recruitment for shop and office staffing needs.
- Supervised and communicated between benefit providers, health consultants and employees to ensure benefits are properly administered.
- Reviewed daily, monthly and annual projected claims for health care costs and savings.
- Oversaw company-wide health benefits which included COBRA, medical, dental, FMLA, short-term disability, long-term disability, AD&D, workers compensation, wellness, 401(k) Plan, Profit Sharing Plan and voluntary benefits.
- Reviewed and reconciled monthly, quarterly, and annual 401(k) and Profit sharing employee statements retirement plans for the 5500 for subsidiary company and the corporate company and assisted on 401(k) annual internal audits.
- Provided and calculated estimated annual budget cost projections for Human Resource department from 2013 to 2017.
- Provided general ledger health costs information and headcount monthly reporting to Accounting.
- Managed work comp claim costs.
- Maintained experience modification policy reporting under 1.00.
- Achieved annual work comp goals and the company received annual work comp dividends estimated around $450,000 over a thirteen policy year periods.
- Reduced workers compensation experience modification from 1.42 in 2004 to .85 in 2017.
- Maintained consistent cost reduction in annual insurance work comp premiums each policy year.
- Maintained and managed all OSHA 300 log injuries to ensure employees returned to work which resulted in accommodated light duty restrictions and reduction in no lost time claims.
- Maintained and was responsible for all OSHA required records to uphold optimal safety standards through annual education, training, and prevention.
- Oversaw and managed monthly safety meetings and insurance claim reviews.
- Updated all safety programs and training requirements with recommendations from loss control consultant.
- Implemented and managed wellness programs from 2001 to 2014 included: stop smoking cessation classes, weight loss and exercise programs, annual health biometric screenings and safety health fairs from 2007 to 2014 with safety consultants.
- Coordinated company wide events and employee communication meetings.
Human Resource Supervisor
Superior Die Set Corporation
03.2000 - 02.2013
Human Resource Coordinator
Superior Die Set Corporation
06.1999 - 02.2000
Education
Certification of Completion Insurance Licensing Education - Pre-License Insurance Health
Kaplan Financial Education
WI10.2021
Certification of Completion Insurance Licensing Education - Pre-License Insurance Life
Kaplan Financial Education
WI10.2021
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Carroll University
Waukesha, WI05.1999
Skills
Windows 10
License & Honors & Awards
Wisconsin Insurance Accident & Health & Life License NPN#20211399, Effective Date: January 21, 2022 Expiration Date: March 31, 2026, Paranet Leader Pro Certificate Completion Award September 2013, Wisconsin Corporate Safety Council Certificate Awards Superior Die Set 2009, United Heartland Newsletter Superior Die Set Safety 2007, Carroll College (September 1994 to May 1999), Honor Scholarship (4 year consecutive award) Merit scholarship, Carroll College Grant (4 year consecutive award) Merit grant, Robert Morava Alumni Scholarship (1 year award) Nominated as winning candidate as seen worthy by Carroll College Alumni student., MMAC {Milwaukee Metropolitan Area Chamber of Commerce} Scholarship - Merit based scholarship awarded to worthy High School recipients for outstanding academic achievement.
Timeline
Senior Data Analyst
Marsh McLennan Agency
08.2023 - 12.2025
Account Manager/ Claims Analyst
OVD Insurance
07.2023 - 07.2023
Benefits Analyst
Acrisure
09.2021 - 07.2023
Benefits Consultant
Lee Jost Associates (LJA) Consulting Division of Benesys, Incorporated
10.2017 - 08.2021
Independent Contractor Recruiter
Sanborn Tube Sales, Inc.
08.2017 - 11.2018
Human Resource Manager
Superior Die Set Corporation
03.2013 - 07.2017
Human Resource Supervisor
Superior Die Set Corporation
03.2000 - 02.2013
Human Resource Coordinator
Superior Die Set Corporation
06.1999 - 02.2000
Certification of Completion Insurance Licensing Education - Pre-License Insurance Health
Kaplan Financial Education
Certification of Completion Insurance Licensing Education - Pre-License Insurance Life
Kaplan Financial Education
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Carroll University