Employee Benefits Insurance Broker and Consulting Services

The Vendor is required to provide consulting and support services for county current and future employee and retiree benefits including the aforementioned benefits and employee assistance program (EAP), FSA and HRA services and COBRA coverage.
- County’s seeks a consultant that is well versed in the state benefits market, experienced in advising comparable companies and works well with various levels of staff and management.
- Provide day-to-day consultation on plan interpretation and problem resolution, including, but not limited to, explanation of plans, assisting employees/retirees with selecting plans that meet their needs and geographic location, and transitioning retirees from early retiree plans to medicare coordinated  lans.
- Provide timely customer service and assistance to staff, employees, vendors and retirees with issues involving provider billing, claims, vendor service issues/problems, advocacy for services, disputes, interpretation of contracts and services, changes and general troubleshooting.
- Attendance as needed at meetings with county staff, employees, vendors and/or retirees to facilitate and assist in the management of county employee benefits plans.
- Act as an advocate or ombudsman in appeal, arbitration or court process between county and the providers on unresolved issues if needed; provide advice when needed to enforce county, employee, retiree or their dependents' rights.
- Assist county in proactive mitigation of negative impacts or disruption of services to employees and retirees from benefit and/or provider network changes.
- Assist with ongoing plan administration and ensure that programs are in compliance with state and federal legislation.
- Provide on-site training to county staff or more frequently, if needed, regarding plan or market changes, regulatory updates and/or best practice seminars for the effective administration of benefits plan.
- Review, advise and disseminate information to staff on new or revised state and federal legislation that impacts benefits programs.
- Facilitate and work with county staff on an annual audit and aca reporting requirements to ensure compliance with all mandated reporting and posting/notice requirements for benefit plans.
- Develop communication materials and tools for conducting periodic dependent verification audits and other audits as determined necessary.
- Assist in the facilitation and implementation of an employee wellness program to improve employee health and reduce employee and retiree health-care costs, both in the short-term and in the long-term.
- Assist in the development and/or purchasing of web site technologies to support on-line enrollments, changes and employee education to assist employees/retirees in self- management of benefits, and to reduce the related administrative demands on county staff.
- Recommend and help develop enhancements and improvements for communications specific to the needs of the county employees and retirees, including, but not limited to, brochures, pamphlets, matrices, comparison charts, summaries, electronic communications, forms, employee handbooks and employee orientation.
- Provide timely research and responses to technical questions posed by county staff.
- Provide regular and timely communications needed for the effective administration of benefit plans.
- Provide guidance and recommendations on items such as, but not limited to, trends in benefits plans, methods for improving cost containment, financial arrangements and administration.
- Provide access to published benefit-related survey information.
- Develop and provide additional benefits to communications specific to the needs of county employees and retirees.
- Develop and/or assist in developing and evaluating employee/retiree needs and satisfaction surveys.
- Manage plan transitions as necessary.
- Review and evaluate current administrative processes related to enrollment and billing.
- Recommend and assist with implementation of administrative process enhancements.
- Generate proposal and provide assistance in issuing proposal for wellness and disease management vendors, near site/onsite clinic.
- Provide assistance in evaluating and consolidating supplemental insurance products to “best in class” carrier, plan design, etc.
- Work collaboratively with other consultants as well as county staff and manage plan transitions as necessary.
- Contract Period/Term: 1 year
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: July 3, 2025