Crowel & Associates, Inc. specializes in providing comprehensive benefit plan packages to small to mid-size employers. Our primary goal is to provide outstanding service utilizing our vast industry knowledge. With our combined 40+ years of experience, we are committed to the highest level of consultation.
We offer all-inclusive services from benefit plan review, market and financial analysis, strategic planning, enrollment meetings, and ongoing administrative support throughout the plan year.
We offer a wide range of products including all lines of health, life and disability products, Section 125 plans, and HRA’s for our clients.
We have worked with several for Profit and Non-Profit business for over the last 19 years as their Benefit Broker.
We have performed Industry Comparisons and Benchmarking for all companies we represent to determine how their benefits may help with recruiting qualified staff.
We specialize in designing complete Benefit Packages specifically for Small Group Employers. Group sizes we work with 2-300 employees.
Our goal is to work closely with each employer, keeping in mind budgetary constraints, with a full understanding of the needs of your employees, and to meet those needs.
Catherine Crowel and her staff, Melissa Singletary, Account Executive and Cathy Elmer, Senior Service Associate will guide you through the maze of industry options and rate variations to find the best options for your review and selection. We analyze current employee benefit programs to determine historical and current experience to assist in you in defining and setting both short and long term strategic goals of the employer.
We compare a all carriers for each benefit provided, with multiple plans per carrier analyzed. In reviewing the design and pricing of the current and renewal pricing for your benefits plan, we are able to recommend strategies to achieve your short and long term strategic goals.
As options are reviewed, Catherine negotiates for best rates for your group. Once your selection is made, we guide you through the Enrollment Process to ensure your employees are correctly enrolled in their individual plans. In addition, we will monitor and report on ongoing plan performance.
Enrollment period services we provide include:
· Pre-Enrollment Meeting with management to explain the process, options and determine renewal strategy.
· Employee Communication Materials – Develop enrollment packet with clearly and easily understood summaries and enrollment documents.
· Enrollment Meeting – Provides details and instruction to staff for enrollment, and collects completed forms.
· Review of Enrollment Materials – Notify Group Administrator and members of missing data, and coordinate collection of data, to ensure acceptance by carrier.
· Monitoring of Enrollment Process - Liaison between carrier and Group Administrator to ensure accuracy.
· Payroll census with all deductions-We provide before the next payroll cycle the working census with all deductions.
· Bill Audit – Provided for at least four months after group enrollment, for all carriers, to ensure accuracy.
· Group Administrator Education - Ensures your in-house Group Administrator is aware of his or her role in managing your staff’s benefits, including current plan provisions, rates, deadlines, carrier contact information, paperwork processes, billing contacts. We will also meet with the Accounting Department to review deductions and make sure that they are input correctly.
· Management Benefit Binder—All materials that you need handy including group numbers, forms, summaries, phone numbers and details of all lines of coverage. We want to be your primary service before calling any insurance company we have a dedicated Service Department for all needs of enrollment, claims, billing issues, etc.
· We also provide a Section 125 plan and documents-Medical, Dental, Life and Vision are allowed to be pre-taxed (Life only if it is voluntary and the employer is not paying for $50,000 of life and AD&D for employees).
Benefits Administration:
To assist your Group Administrator, we provide the following services for our client groups:
· Data Management – We create and provide a full Census as a record of individual member participation in each benefit offered, plus pre-tax and post-tax elections, which allow your Payroll group to accurately process benefit premiums. Your Census is updated each month to reflect member changes.
· New Hires – We provide user-friendly Enrollment Packets, plus telephone support for the new staff member, to ensure proper enrollment in all benefits (your Group Administrator provides notification and details).
· Member or Group Changes – Once notified by the Group Administrator, Crowel Service handles general changes for individual members. If a Qualifying Event occurs, we handle adding or deleting coverage and/or dependents.
· Member Terminations – Upon notification with details from your Group Administrator, we conduct online terminations for all lines of coverage, ensuring prompt and accurate submission.
· COBRA / State Continuation – We ensure your Group Administrator has accurate information to guide terminating employees through the process of maintaining benefits coverage, based upon your organization’s choice for COBRA administration or State Continuation. Groups of less than 20 employees are not subject to the Federal COBRA law, they are subject to 3 months of State Continuation. We will administer this process or make recommendations of alternative provider.
· Bill Review or Dispute – Audit or review of bills when changes occur, if requested by Group Administrator; plus, our Service Department works with you to resolve any billing discrepancies in a timely manner.
To assist your employees/dependents, we provide the following services for our client groups:
· Data Management – We maintain a Census as a record of individual member participation in each benefit; plus, we retain copies of all employee applications to verify enrollment and coverage.
· New Hires – Once your new employee receives the Enrollment Packet, we offer telephone enrollment support with step-by-step instructions and plan basics.
· Changes – We work directly with your employee to make general changes as needed with the carrier.
· Terminations – We ensure your Group Administrator is connected with your third-party COBRA Administration provider to manage termination of employees. As needed, we instruct employees regarding the process of continuing their benefits after termination.
· Claims – If an employee is having a claims issue with any provider, upon receipt of an Explanation of Benefits we will research and provide details or resolution in a timely manner.
