Benefit Analyst

Benefits Administrator

Participates in the development, implementation and administration of benefit programs. Subject matter expert in benefits responsible for research, analysis and administrative support for the colleague benefit program, including health and welfare and pension plans for all colleagues of Memorial Health. Embodies the Memorial Health Values of Safety, Integrity, Quality, and Stewardship that support our mission and vision.

Qualifications

Education:

• Education equivalent to a college degree, preferably in business, human resources, or related discipline (or the equivalent in related work experience).

Licensure/Certification/Registry:

• Professional certification a plus (Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS), Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM)).

Experience:

• Minimum of three years of experience in benefits administration is required. Previous experience in a health care setting is preferred.
• Prior experience with self-insured health plans required.

Other Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Excellent analytical skills, written and oral communication skills, problem solving skills, interpretation skills, interpersonal skills, planning and organization skills and reasoning ability.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, Outlook, Power Point). Lawson experience a plus.
• Demonstrated knowledge of ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, DOL and IRS regulations governing administration of both qualified and non-qualified plans.
• Self directed with ability to work autonomously on several projects concurrently.

Responsibilities

• Supports administration of all benefit programs (e.g., health and welfare, retirement plans, etc.) including qualified and non-qualified plans. Ensures that colleague benefit programs operate in compliance with plan designs, carrier contracts, Health System policies, and applicable laws and regulations.
• Participates in the preparation, development and implementation of new benefits, initiatives, programs and policies including the evaluation and selection of service providers.
• Assists in the development and preparation of all plan documents, amendments, contracts, summary plan descriptions, required disclosures, including Summary Annual Reports (SARs), Summary of Benefits Coverage (SBC), fee disclosure, Summary of Material Modifications (SMM) and all forms of communication materials relating to benefit plans.
• Responsible for all administrative duties for MHS defined benefit pension plan, including the research of data for actuaries, maintenance of pension payment data and all appropriate files in electronic system
• Responsible for pension benefit calculation requests, projected benefit estimates, and initiate retiree pension benefits.
• Manages the dependent verification process with dependent verification vendor. Coordinates with colleagues and vendor to ensure all required forms are collected.
• Reviews and saves reports from vendors. This can include but is not limited to pension, 401(k) and 403(b) plans.
• Meets with and counsels' colleagues/dependents in relation to their benefits on an as-needed basis.
• Provides all statistics and related documents to auditors for all MHS pension plans.
• Assists in the administration of the absence management benefit plans including PTO, sick, and short term disability. Develop, reengineer and administer procedures in alignment with system capabilities and organization policies for administration of paid time off benefits.
• Assists in administering and delivering the Wellness program. Assists in evaluating colleague wellness trends and partner with benefits staff to recommend changes to benefit programs based on the need.
• Collects, manipulates, reconciles, reviews and presents participant data as needed to administer benefit programs, identifying and resolving issues as they arise and coordinating with vendors as appropriate.
• Assists in the coordination and implementation of the benefits annual enrollment for the Health System.
• Provides coaching support to colleagues, beneficiaries, HR and managers on benefit plans and the interpretation/explanation of benefits policies, eligibility, processes, tools and systems.
• Creates documentation for new processes and accurately updates existing documentation based on enhancements made to existing processes. Creates and monitors processes and supports continuous improvement efforts.
• Manages Employee Health Benefit Plan eligibility appeals process. Review appeals, makes recommendations and communicates outcome to colleague.
• Collaborates with vendors and internal departments on solutions to complex problems or delivery of new or changing functionality within benefit plans or programs.
• Maintains knowledge of laws and regulations related to benefit programs and stays current with pending changes in laws and regulations and their impact on programs and ensures actions are in compliance.
• Maintains professional growth and development through seminars, workshops and professional affiliations to keep abreast of latest trends and regulatory requirements in field of expertise, and encourages adoption of best practices by organization.
• Performs other related work as required or requested.