| Broker | Address | Carrier | Commissions | Fees | Total comp | % of premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MICHAEL C WALKER3 Filed as: MICHAEL G. BUCK | 38233 MOUND ROAD, BLDG F STERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48310 | BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF MICHIGAN | $34K | — | $34K | 12.90% |
| PARTNER DBA SALUS GROUP BENEFITS3 | 38233 MOUND RD BLDG F STERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48310 | SUNLIFE | $7K | — | $7K | 3.47% |
| MICHAEL BUCK3 | 38233 MOUND ROAD, BLDG F STERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48310 | BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF MICHIGAN MEDICARE ADVANTAGE | $6K | — | $6K | 3.04% |
| Provider | Services | Address | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF MICHIGAN EIN 38-2069753 NONE | Claims processing; Consulting (general); Recordkeeping and information management (computing, tabulating, data processing, etc.); Other fees; Sub-transfer agency fees; Float revenue; Insurance services; Contract Administrator Service code 12 | — | $261K |
| ZENITH AMERICAN NONE | Direct payment from the plan; Plan Administrator; Accounting (including auditing); Recordkeeping and information management (computing, tabulating, data processing, etc.); Consulting (general); Claims processing; Participant communication; Copying and duplicating Service code 10 | 110 CRESCENT CNTR PRKWY TUCKER, GA 30084 | $146K |
| NOVARA TESIJA,PLLC EIN 38-2823147 NONE | Legal; Direct payment from the plan Service code 29 | — | $105K |
| BENDA, GRACE, STULZ & CO., P.C. EIN 38-2284921 NONE | Direct payment from the plan; Accounting (including auditing) Service code 10 | — | $19K |
| MICHAEL G BUCK NONE | Other fees; Non-monetary compensation; Insurance brokerage commissions and fees; Insurance agents and brokers; Other commissions Service code 22 | 38233 MOUND RD, BLDG F STERLING HEIGHTS, MI 48310 | $0 |
Benefits declared on the Form 5500 main form (✓ = also has a Schedule A insurance contract; otherwise the benefit is funded out of plan assets or via a Schedule C TPA).
The plan reports several different headcounts depending on which form you read. Each one measures a different slice of the population.
| Active participants | 219 | Currently employed and enrolled or eligible. |
| Retired/separated still receiving benefits | 38 | Continuation coverage (COBRA, retiree health). |
| Retired/separated still eligible | 0 | Vested but not currently using benefits. |
| Total participants (= "Plan participants" tile) | 257 | Active + retired/separated + beneficiaries. No dependents. |
| Coverage | Top carrier | Persons covered EOY | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health (medical) | BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF MICHIGAN MEDICARE ADVANTAGE | 54 | $195K |
| Prescription drug | BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF MICHIGAN MEDICARE ADVANTAGE | 54 | $195K |
| Stop-loss / reinsurancereinsurance(2 contracts, 2 carriers) | BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF MICHIGAN | 228 | $472K |
| Persons covered (= "Persons covered" tile) | Max across the rows above | 228 | — |
Why the numbers differ. Form 5500 line 6 counts employees + retirees + beneficiaries; no dependents. Schedule A persons-covered counts everyone enrolled, including spouses and children, so it usually exceeds line 6 by 30-60% on a working-age workforce. The medical row is normally the broadest single line because it has the highest take-up; dental/vision/life often dip below it. Stop-loss / reinsurance contracts sometimes report the carrier's full underwriting pool rather than this filer's headcount; the row is shown for transparency but shouldn't be read as "people in this plan."
Total premium grew more than 20% over prior year. Renewal pain — prime candidate for re-shopping the carriers.
Primary broker changed. Recently changed advisors; vulnerable to a second-look pitch or hostile takeover.
Broker compensation exceeds 5% of premium. Either a small-plan minimum-fee dynamic or an inefficient broker structure ripe for a counter-bid.