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Group Retirement - Group Benefits

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Benefits Brokerage & Consulting

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Our approach to benefits consulting starts with a thorough assessment of all existing benefit programs in an effort to highlight any inefficient components. Our evaluation considers historical claim utilization data, demographic information, employee contribution strategy and current benefit plan offerings. Based on our findings, we will tailor a program that meets both the fiscal requirements of our clients as well as the well being of their employee population. If the core benefits program alone is unable to provide a sustainable solution, our expertise with voluntary benefits allows us the flexibility to implement a properly balanced combination of employer sponsored core benefits and employee paid voluntary plans.

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Our expertise in the management of health plan expenses encompasses the continuum of traditional network based managed care plans such as PPO, POS and HMO’s, to consumer directed programs including HRA’s and HSA’s for both fully insured and self-funded plans. Our knowledge of the marketplace allows us to identify the most cost efficient vendors for ancillary services including employer and/or employee paid dental, Life/AD&D and disability.

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Self Funding Solutions

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A self-funded group health plan is an efficient way for employers to unbundle the various components of a traditional fully insured plan and gain more control of their plan expenses. Utilizing our proprietary approach, we have succeeded in limiting annual trend increases to well below national averages while adding budget predictability.

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Advantages of a self-funded plan include customization of the plan design, exemption from state insurance mandates and premium taxes as well as improved cash flow and lower administrative expenses.

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An effectively designed self-funded program is protected from catastrophic or unpredictable losses through the use of Stop Loss insurance. Our experience and knowledge of the Stop Loss insurance marketplace enables us to ensure that our clients receive appropriate pricing, coverage requirements and favorable terms.

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Information Management

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The cornerstone of a properly managed benefit program is the collection and analysis of information. Through our strategic partner StrateBen, we utilize and maintain a robust and leading edge medical and pharmacy data warehouse which provides a web-based reporting solution, predictive data analytics and population/member health usage tools.

 

Reporting capabilities include:

• Trending Analyses of both Medical and Rx costs

• Pooling Reports

• Large Claim Analysis including diagnosis and cost/savings impact

• Network Effectiveness by calculating Access and Savings

• Customer Service Benchmarks

• Prospective Analytic Reports that predict future plan costs

• Industry Benchmarking for benefit design, cost and employee contributions

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Health Management and Wellness Services

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Upwards of 75% of our national healthcare costs are attributable to preventable chronic conditions. Employee health and wellness programs are designed to provide tools needed to modify behaviors. We assist employers in the design, implementation and management of these wellness programs, ranging from morale oriented programs designed to educate employees to results oriented clinically based health management programs.

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Vendor Carrier Management

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Using our significant industry experience and knowledge of the markets/insurance carriers and other service providers, we achieve efficiencies that include preferred underwriting, multiple year rate guarantees, favorable terms and customized strategic account management for both employer paid and voluntary benefit programs.

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Communications Services

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Employee communication materials play a critical role in the employees’ knowledge and satisfaction of their benefits program. The goal is to increase employee understanding of their benefits program while providing them with tools to efficiently utilize each of their respective benefits with confidence. We design targeted communication strategies tailored to the meet the client’s desired objectives.

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Sample communications include:

• Open Enrollment Announcements/Materials

• On-site Enrollment Presentations

• Benefit Newsletters

• Benefit Statements

• Confirmation Statements

• Monthly Communication Campaign

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Benefits Administration & Technology Solutions

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We recognize the increased demands placed on benefits departments as well as the need for a more efficient approach to the administration of employee benefit programs. Regardless of size or funding approach, we make available administrative solutions that leverage the best in class technologies to deliver a seamless and cohesive administrative platform. These technology based solutions deliver ease of use, mobility and accuracy.

 

Services include:

• On-Line Enrollment

• Eligibility Management

• Premium Billing & Reconciliation

• Customer Service Call Center

• COBRA & FSA Administration

• Monthly Communication Campaign

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Regulatory & Compliance Services

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Plan compliance is an ever changing component in managing all employee benefit programs today. The legislative environment has become very complex and we have dedicated compliance expertise that includes all aspects of ERISA based plans. We support our clients in all areas such as Department of Labor (DOL) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations and healthcare reform.

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Our services include:

• Initial regulatory compliance assessments and reports

• Carrier contract review

• Preparation of Form 5500 , including Summary Annual Reports

• Preparation of Plan Documents and Summary Plan Descriptions

• Preparation of Wrap Documents

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