Benefits Broker Service

The Vendor is required to provide employee benefits consulting services includes both full-time and part-time regular status employees, city council members, and three (3) charter officers.
- Self-Funded Health Plan (Medical and Dental):
- Statistical analysis:
• Provide monthly and quarterly reporting which includes an analysis of income and expense for the prior quarter.
• Provide quarterly presentations to the employee benefit trust board including analysis of income and expenses for the quarter and year to date (YTD).
• Provide up to two ad hoc presentations each fiscal year to executive leadership if requested.
• Provide annual report which includes an analysis of income and expense for the prior year and a projection for the forthcoming year including projected adequate reserve levels for plan.
• Make recommendation for establishing annual premium rates.
• Advise on required reserves for medical and other self-funded plans (if applicable).
- Policy analysis:
• Annually provide general guidance on trends in benefits offered and eligibility requirements.
• Recommend plan changes based on these trends.
• Advise and consult on methods for improving cost containment and claims administration.
• For above, where applicable, provide cost analysis of possible impact on plan.
• Provide guidance and analysis of self-funding other insurance programs such as vision, short-term disability, etc.
- Administrative/other support:
• Assist in developing long-term benefit objectives and goals.
• Assist in the modification and pricing of any current, or newly considered, benefit programs.
• Review plan documents and summary plan descriptions, including amendments and restatements, for accuracy; serve as liaison with providers in making any needed changes.
• Review contracts with vendors to insure accuracy and comprehensiveness of coverage.
• provide guidance in contract interpretation, as needed.
• Advise and consult on trends in benefit plans that are offered locally and nationally, including information on plans that are not currently offered by the city.
• Assist in problem resolution with providers.
• Assist with development of for various vendors in compliance with the city’s purchasing requirements; this may include developing a scope of services, evaluation criteria and evaluating and summarizing proposal information.
• Assist the city in the development of an integrated employee benefit communication plan and strategy to include, enrollment forms, open enrollment materials, benefit guide, and other employee communications as needed.
• Provide subject matter expertise in support of an employee healthcare task force, established to assist in the evaluation and recommendation of benefit programs.
• Provide subject matter expertise and consulting in support of the employee benefits trustees in the performance of their fiduciary responsibilities.
• Provide support with the administration of the fire cancer screening program to include problem resolution through carriers and reporting and analysis.
- General guidance:
• Provide answers or guidance to general or technical benefits questions.
• If requested, review communication materials for content, appearance, and compliance with laws and regulations.
• The consultant will be working on a frequent basis with the human resources manager, human resources supervisor and the benefits team; the consultant will be expected to assist the city on a regular basis and in a timely manner to provide guidance to technical problems that may arise.
• The consultant may be expected to attend open enrollment meetings with employees, employee health care task force meetings, council meetings, and /or trust board meetings.
- Additional requests for other services:
• The city reserves the right under the terms of to request duties unrelated to this defined set of consulting services; the scope of these services and related cost will be agreed to prior to the consultant performing any work.
• The city may ask that the consultant perform a cafeteria plan feasibility study and will request that the consultant review and provide recommendations on that plan.
• If the city should decide to move forward with a cafeteria plan, assistance will be required to establish a timeline detailing the strategy, individual components, cost share, communications, written documentation, etc.
• A detailed operation review of third-party administrator to include objective review of received and processed claims to determine whether the claims are adjudicated according to contractual performance standards, appropriate benefits, and industry standards.+

- Contract Period/Term: 3 years