GBA 1

Directing Benefits Programs Part 1

Directing Benefits Programs Part 1

This course is required to earn the following designations: GBA, CEBS (Updated April 2022)

Organizational success in today’s competitive world places a premium on attracting and retaining global talent. Designing and administering the very best employee benefits plans is a critical success factor contributing to effective total compensation strategies. GBA 1 provides the essential framework, knowledge and competencies for designing cutting-edge health and welfare employee benefits programs. 

The course is updated to supply the latest legislative, regulatory and marketplace innovations to thrive in a post-COVID-19 world. GBA 1 details wide-ranging issues in managing employee benefit risks and supplies the expertise to meet the myriad challenges that accompany health and welfare plan administration. The course provides an approach for strategically evaluating an organization’s overall benefits philosophy and for selecting specific benefit plan alternatives on the health and welfare continuum. 

Alongside group health, dental, behavioral health and wellness programs; the course explains the various vendors and specialized professionals, such as prescription benefit managers, employee assistance professionals, and consultants whose expertise must be integrated to deliver a fully functional world-class benefits program.



Topics covered in GBA 1

  • Employee Benefits: The Environment
  • Managing Employee Benefits Risks
  • Group Health Plan Structures
  • Consumer-Directed Health Plans
  • Dental, Vision and Hearing Care Benefits
  • Prescription Drug Plans
  • Behavioral Health Care Benefits
  • Workplace Wellness Programs
  • Section 125 Plans
  • Health Care Regulation and Analysis


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Resources for GBA 1

Required

Successful completion of comprehensive exam         

$495

Essential

GBA 1 Study Guide 2nd Edition, including online access to the modules and practice exam   

$250

Essential

Employee Benefits Design and Compliance: Health and Welfare Plans, 2nd Edition,  Mahoney and Maniaci, editors, XanEdu, Inc., 2021. 

$185

Supplementary

Online Study Group With Instructor Support 
12-week sessions in fall, spring and summer

$240

Success Package - Save 20%

Save 20% when you purchase the Textbook, Study Guide, Online Study Group and Exam.

$936

 
 
 
 
 

Study Guide—Delivered in Print and Online!
The CEBS Study Guide is an essential component for mastering the CEBS material you will be tested on in the examination. Your Study Guide purchase includes both a printed study guide and access to an online environment.

  • Learning Modules provide structured coverage and highlight key elements and critical takeaways of the Assigned Reading. The learning modules draw on readings from Textbooks and journal articles written by leading academics and expert practitioners.
  • Applications are designed to make you think about how what you are learning translates to the work world. Two types of applications are provided throughout the CEBS courses—Benefits in Action and Integrated Cases (Capstone Cases).
  • Practice exam, accessible in the online environment, provides immediate results indicating the areas that may need additional study, along with page reference sources and an explanation of correct responses.

Textbook/Readings

A textbook and/or supplementary readings are required for each course, providing the theory and content of the topics covered in the study guide.

Online Study Group With Instructor Support

Need a little push to stay on track or the security of expert and peer support? Online study groups are for you. Guided study groups provide access to instructors, a structured time frame and peer interaction.

Frequently Asked Questions

​Still looking for more information? Check out CEBS FAQ for further details on curriculum updates.

 

Need More Help? The CEBS Customer Service Team is here to assist you!
Call 800 449 2327, option 3 or e-mail 
cebs@ifebp.org

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