Serve as management consultant on all health plans, ancillary benefits and other related employee benefit programs. Provide advice and assistance reviewing the County’s Employee Benefits Program on a continuing basis to ensure that those plans are in compliance with federal, state and local requirements, and that there is adequacy of benefits with respect to other plans. Recommend alternative benefit designs or delivery systems as dictated by emerging plan costs or benefit practices. Assist in reviewing and reaffirming or changing the goals and objectives of the benefit design. Notification, monitoring and providing information on pending or new legislation and changes in tax law, as well as benefit and funding trends that may affect the benefits program, applying assumptions to various scenarios. Advise the County of market and business benefit trends and specifically within local government agencies. Recommend appropriate action to be taken by the Program. Negotiate favorable costs and services with vendors including semi-annual reports for budgeting and renewal purposes and quarterly reviews for plan management. Prepare and review contracts, plan documents including summary plan descriptions, contract, employee summaries, insurance policies and other documents for applicability, accuracy, understandability and legal compliance. Prepare funding/cost analysis including projecting funding needs for upcoming fiscal year. Maintain records of the financial and claims experience, condition, and progress of the County’s plans and provide quarterly reports. Set up strategic meetings, at least bi-annually, with the County. Participate with the County when requested in communications and actions with the insurance carriers and oversee the relationship between the County and vendors/carriers to allow for greater flexibility in problem resolution and monitor their performance. Help prepare materials and assist Human Resources in conducting employee benefits meetings and open enrollment meetings. Educate Human Resources on new products, legislation and trends. Conduct educational seminars for Human Resources on topics such as COBRA, HIPAA and PPACA.
