History

Capitol Benefits Group is an independent benefits agency located in Iowa’s capitol city of Des Moines.  Our group specializes in solutions to meet your employee benefits needs.   We take a strategic approach to analyzing your employee recruitment and retention needs and budget, then develop a targeted strategy to satisfy those needs and add value to your business with insurance solutions and HR support. 

Not one program that we design looks identical to another because we customize and tailor our recommendations to each individual client.  And most importantly – we are independent and non-captive which means that we represent you, the client, as your benefits advocate rather than insurance companies and benefit plan administrators. 

Capitol Benefits Group is a part of the Iowa Association of Health Underwriters (IAHU) and National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP).  NABIP is a large grassroots association headquartered in Washington D.C. dedicated to lobbying for meaningful solutions to improve the cost of healthcare and reduce the burdens placed on businesses and individuals across the United States and in Iowa. Being an active NABIP participant means that we represent the top one percent of benefit professionals in the insurance industry and we are committed to professional development, education and advocacy on behalf of each client that we serve. 

Get in touch

At Capitol Benefits Group we know that finding the right benefits is a choice not to be taken lightly. That’s why we offer free consultations to walk you through your needs, the scope of your goals, and your budget.

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Partner

Licensed accident/health & life agent

Marcie

Marcie Strouse brings 25 years of experience as an independent agent in the benefits industry. Currently, she is serving as the President for the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP)/Iowa Chapter—a professional association dedicated to protecting insurance consumers, where she has also served in various leadership capacities. During her years of service with NABIP, the area Marcie is most passionate about is government relations; it has become her true calling. In 2018, Governor Reynolds appointed Marcie to the Medical Assistance Advisory Council (MAAC) for the State of Iowa where she was just re-appointed to serve another two-year term. Marcie is also serving as the Co-Director of Advocacy for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).

Marcie and her husband have three awesome kids, Sid, Ella and Libby. She has been a CASA volunteer (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for children in foster care since 2018. She has also worked closely with the Muscular Dystrophy Association since her twins were diagnosed with a neuromuscular disease at just seven years old.

Benefits Advisor

Nichole

Nichole is AHIP-certified with the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS).  As a Medicare specialist, she can extend agent support to Medicare beneficiaries in selecting policies and plans that best fit their needs and budget after turning age 65. She keeps up to date with the ever-changing Medicare legislation to ensure that her clients are educated year-after-year and help in making policy changes at renewal when necessary.

In addition to Medicare, Nichole is Healthcare.gov marketplace certified which allows her to support pre-65 aged individuals and families without access to workplace benefits or affordable coverage.

Outside of her time at work, Nichole enjoys spending time with her 3 boys and is a passionate leader in the health and wellness space.  She was raised in the mid-west and values working hard and perseverance to achieve life goals!

Senior Account Manager

Diane

Diane has 18 years of industry experience as a benefits professional and serves as one of the primary day-to-day team contacts for group clients on insurance issues such as claims resolution, reconciliation of new and terminating employees, and providing overall administrative support to delight and impress you! As a team, we work closely together to ensure we deliver the highest standard of service.

Diane lives in Ankeny with her husband, Tom, and dog, Halo. Diane and Tom have one wonderful son named Sam who also lives in Ankeny and proudly serves the Iowa National Guard. In her spare time outside of work, Diane enjoys spending time with her husband and church family, camping, hiking, and being outdoors.

Controller

Dan

Dan serves in the role of Controller and manages the agency’s financial health and well-being. As the leader of the accounting team, Dan oversees the daily accounting functions and guides financial decisions by establishing, monitoring, and auditing tax and payroll compliance for the organization. Dan is an outstanding financial resource both for internal and external clients.

ACCOUNT EXEcUTIVE

Alicia

Alicia is a passionate and experienced benefits professional currently serving as an Account Executive at Capitol Benefits Group (CBG). She enjoys exploring innovative opportunities to manage healthcare costs while providing a comprehensive and competitive benefits package for her clients. Alicia thrives on educating both employers and employees about all aspects of benefits and enjoys acting as an advocate for them.

Her clients trust her expertise to handle their renewal and open enrollment processes, assist with resolving claims issues, and leverage relationships and industry resources to develop effective plan design strategies. Alicia’s background in administering pre-tax benefits solutions makes her a valuable asset to our organization. She is a subject matter expert on a wide range of pre-tax plans, including FSAs, ICHRAs, HSAs, and HRAs. Alicia is often invited to present on these compliance topics within the local industry.

Additionally, Alicia serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP) as the Corporate Sponsor Chair and is involved in various community leadership opportunities and projects.

Outside of work, Alicia, a self-proclaimed benefits nerd, enjoys fishing, boating, and kayaking with her husband, son, and their three dogs. The family loves hiking, exploring, and spending time outdoors.