Services
Zinter Benefit Specialists can fulfill the dual roles of your Benefit Broker and Health & Welfare Consultant. We offer support throughout the Pacific Northwest: Oregon, Washington, and Idaho; and extended support to clients in Indiana and Arkansas. Our service team will act as your:
- Benefit Advisors and Strategic Planners
- Professional Vendor Intermediaries; and
- Facilitators of Day-to-Day Administrative Issues
ZBS excels in the Brokering (placement) of the following insurance (or self-funded) products:
- Group and Individual Medical coverage
- Consumer Driven Health Plans including HRA and HSA
- Dental coverage
- Vision coverage
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Group Life & Disability insurance
- Business Travel Accident
- Group Long Term Care
- Employee Assistance Plans
- Wellness Programs
- Group Homeowners and Auto
- Other Voluntary Benefits
We further excel at the following Consultative services:
- Plan design modeling, costing, and recommendations
- Medical / Rx / other claims cost analysis and management
- Renewal underwriting
- Experience / data reporting generation and analysis
- Vendor evaluation and relationship management
- Claims appeals review / management
- Plan Document / SPD / Amendment/ SMM review, technical and legal review
- Employee communications projects
- Facilitation of Executive Team meetings regarding benefit issues
- Benefit law trends, changes, and other education for your HR personnel
About Us
Christine Zinter, CEBS
Ms. Zinter has worked in the health insurance industry since 1992, and has become something of a Jane-of-all-Trades by virtue of her varied roles and responsibilities over the years. Prior to beginning Zinter Benefit Specialists she was the co-owner of Avalon Consulting for four years, and for the five years before that, a Consultant at Aon Consulting, an international full-service Health & Welfare Consulting firm.
In this near-decade of consulting, Christine has worked with individuals, employer groups, union trusts and public sector entities. She is just as comfortable helping groups with two employees find an affordable benefit plan as she is negotiating multi-million dollar renewals of groups with thousands of employees. In addition to her underwriting and technical compliance skills, Christine excels at group communications and often works directly with clients’ employees to explain renewals so that everybody gains a greater understanding and appreciation for their benefit plans.
Christine received her Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) designation, and has an MBA from the University of Washington with an emphasis on finance. She is also a current member of the International Foundation (IFEBP) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
Michael McDuffey
Mr. McDuffey is the "Golden Voice" behind the phones at Zinter Benefit Specialists. While having just shy of one year in the benefits industry, Michael has worked in sales and marketing most of his life. Michael's contagious enthusiasm and honest desire to help our clients with their service concerns makes him an exciting and important addition to the ZBS team.
As he becomes more comfortable in his dual role as marketing AND client services, Michael will be responsible for working with individuals, the Medicare market, and small employer groups.
Contact Us
We're just a phone call, fax or email away.
V: 503.251.8565
F: 503.251.8566
E: service@z-benefits.com