Broker of the Month: Ross Gunnels of HUB International
Key Takeaways A Quick Summary
Key Takeaways
- The Difference Card recognizes Ross Gunnels, Area President at HUB International, as Broker of the Month for his leadership in helping Texas employers address rising health insurance costs.
- Ross and his HUB team have partnered with Amy Calderon and the Difference Card Central Texas sales team to introduce the Difference Card Medical Expense Reimbursement Plan (MERP) as an alternative to accepting carrier renewals.
- The MERP strategy pairs higher-deductible health plans (lowering employer premiums) with employer-funded reimbursements for eligible employee medical expenses to offset increased out-of-pocket exposure.
- A consultative approach—evaluating alternative plan designs, modeling potential savings, and tailoring MERP implementations—enables HUB and Difference Card to preserve benefits while controlling costs.
- The approach has produced meaningful savings for multiple Texas employers, supports broader collaboration between HUB and The Difference Card, and the Difference Card reports clients average 18% annual healthcare savings.
The Difference Card is proud to recognize Ross Gunnels, Area President at HUB International, as our Broker of the Month.
Ross and his team have built a strong reputation for helping Texas employers navigate an increasingly challenging employee benefits environment. As organizations continue to face rising health insurance costs, Ross and his colleagues on the HUB team have taken a proactive approach, looking beyond traditional renewal strategies to find creative solutions that can reduce costs while preserving high-quality benefits for employees.
That approach has led to a growing partnership with Amy Calderon and the Difference Card Central Texas sales team, with the two organizations successfully introducing the Difference Card Medical Expense Reimbursement Plan (MERP) strategy to several Texas employers.
Turning Challenging Renewals Into Opportunities
For many employers, receiving another significant health insurance increase can feel inevitable. Ross and his team have challenged that assumption.
Working alongside Amy Calderon, HUB International has identified several Texas customers where a Difference Card MERP could create an alternative to simply accepting the carrier's renewal.
The strategy starts by evaluating higher-deductible health plan options that can substantially reduce the employer's fixed insurance premiums. The employer can then use a Difference Card MERP to reimburse employees for designated medical expenses and help offset the increased out-of-pocket exposure created by the underlying plan.
The result can be a powerful combination: lower fixed health insurance costs for the employer while maintaining competitive benefits for employees.
Ross and his team have successfully brought this approach to several customers, helping employers reduce their health insurance renewals and create meaningful savings.
A Consultative Approach to Employee Benefits
One of the qualities that makes Ross an outstanding Difference Card partner is his willingness to challenge the status quo.
Rather than viewing the carrier renewal as the final answer, the HUB team works with customers to evaluate alternative plan designs and funding strategies. The Difference Card MERP provides another tool that Ross and his team can use to address one of employers' biggest concerns: controlling healthcare costs without simply shifting additional expenses onto employees.
With a properly designed MERP strategy, an employer can pair a lower-premium medical plan with employer-funded reimbursements. Because the employer only reimburses eligible expenses that are actually incurred, the strategy can create savings opportunities that aren't available through a traditional premium-only approach.
This combination of premium savings, thoughtful plan design and employee benefit protection has made the Difference Card an increasingly valuable part of the HUB International team's toolkit.
The Ross Gunnels and Amy Calderon Partnership
Behind these customer successes is a strong partnership between Ross Gunnels and Amy Calderon of the Difference Card Central Texas sales team.
Amy works closely with Ross and the HUB team to evaluate opportunities, model potential savings and develop MERP plan designs tailored to each employer's goals. Together, they can analyze an employer's existing health plan, explore alternative carrier plan designs and demonstrate how a Difference Card strategy may improve the overall financial outcome.
The relationship also reflects the importance of collaboration between the benefits advisor and the Difference Card team. Ross brings a deep understanding of his customers and the Texas benefits marketplace, while Amy brings specialized expertise in MERP plan design and implementation.
Together, they are helping employers turn difficult renewals into opportunities to rethink how they finance their health benefits.
“Ross and his colleagues on the HUB International team understand that a difficult renewal doesn't have to mean choosing between higher costs and worse benefits. They are willing to explore creative strategies and find a better solution for their clients. It has been exciting to work alongside Ross and his team to bring the Difference Card MERP strategy to more employers throughout Texas.”
— Amy Calderon, Difference Card Central Texas
Building on the HUB International Relationship
Ross and his team’s position as a HUB International company also makes this partnership particularly exciting.
The Difference Card has worked with HUB advisors in markets across the country to help employers evaluate alternative health insurance strategies. The success Ross and his team are having in Texas demonstrates how the MERP strategy can provide HUB advisors with another solution for clients facing challenging renewals.
As healthcare costs continue to rise, employers need advisors who are willing to bring new ideas to the table. The collaboration between HUB International and the Difference Card demonstrates what can happen when experienced benefits professionals combine local market expertise with innovative cost-containment strategies.
Congratulations, Ross!
The Difference Card is proud to recognize Ross Gunnels as our Broker of the Month for his leadership, creativity and commitment to finding better outcomes for his clients.
Through his partnership with Amy Calderon and the Difference Card Central Texas team, Ross and his colleagues at HUB are helping Texas employers challenge rising healthcare costs while continuing to provide valuable benefits to their employees.
We look forward to building on this partnership and helping even more HUB International customers discover how the Difference Card can turn their next health insurance renewal into an opportunity for savings.
Congratulations to Ross Gunnels and the entire HUB International Insurance team on this well-deserved recognition!
About The Difference Card
The Difference Card helps employers across all industries deliver better benefits at a lower cost. Our clients average 18% annual savings on healthcare, often while improving the employee experience. With a proven, multi-year strategy and tailored plan designs, The Difference Card is a trusted partner for brokers and employers seeking smarter solutions to rising healthcare costs.
Curious how much you could save? Request a proposal here.
