Benefits Analyst

Job Description

Under the direction of the Benefits Manager, the Benefits Analyst assists in administering and communicating Midland Health benefits programs.  Assists administering and maintaining benefits programs, including medical, pharmacy, retirement plans, etc.  Monitor, research, and analyze current processes, trends, and compliance requirements.  Responsible for creating and maintaining employee benefit files. Supports employees and plan members with questions and issues.  Oversee key operations, including FMLA administration, Tuition Reimbursement, Affordable Care Act requirements, invoicing, and core and optional insurance plans.

SHIFT AND SCHEDULE

Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

• Comprehend and follow healthcare regulations by adapting to new laws quickly.
• Process accurate and complete benefit documentation, such as collecting supporting documents for life events, dependent verification, and evidence of insurability determinations.
• Maintain benefit files by keeping them organized in the HR drive and within the HRIS.
• Develop benefit communication materials for the New Employee Benefits Orientation, Open Enrollment, and; distribute employee notices related to benefit plans; communications may include eBrochure, postcards, videos, and live presentations and other forms of communication.
• Distribute benefit communication materials by email to employees for benefit orientation, including New Hires, Newly Eligible, , Life Event, and Open enrollments.
• Guide employees with benefits enrollments or login questions and assist them in filing claims, such as FMLA, Life, STD, LTD, Accident, Hospital Indemnity, Critical Illness, HSA, FSA, EAP, etc.
• Respond promptly to walk-ins, phone, Service Center requests and email inquiries, including claims processing issues related to benefit coverages, including Customer Identification Processing for HSA issues.
• Utilize vendor websites to export data for audits and help employees register and gain access to find providers, view claims, etc.
• Assist employees with utilizing vendor websites to register and gain access to find providers, view claims, print insurance cards, etc.
• Apply Microsoft Office applications skills, such as demonstrating Excel V-lookups, tracking and monitor enrollment events, Evidence of Insurability exceptions, Dependent Verification status, Amazon Awards, etc.; notify employees of pending open issues; resolve issues to resolution.
• Monitor Dayforce notifications daily to process new hires, job assignments, terminations, dependent verifications, life event declaration/enrollments, dependent no longer eligible, and HSA changes.
• Respond to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service forms and National Medical Support Notices and update benefit elections and payroll deductions accordingly.
• Assist in administering 403(b), 457(b), 401(k) plans by determining the proper course of action to resolve escalated employee issues after investigating the facts; guide employees to enroll in the plan-specific to their assigned entity; assist with the annual retirement audits.
• Provide functional support on payroll/HRIS related to benefits, including benefit deductions, payroll corrections, calculating PTO donations, and performing system audits and testing.
• Prepare and maintain biweekly payroll deduction reports to support and process benefit vendor invoices and check requests.
• Prepare Lincoln bill detail to process biweekly and monthly invoice payments to all benefit vendors.
• Coordinate and achieve project deadlines are complete and on time; Perform special projects as assigned, including the Open Enrollment event, the Years of Service banquet, new benefit implementation projects, etc.
• Promptly answer questions, process betterU forms, and process PTO requests/donations submitted through the HR Service Center and assist employees when needed.
• Act as a liaison with designated department personnel and third-party vendors; understand and identify benefits technology requirements to support system testing, data interfaces, data audits, development of test plans, and execution; conduct audits and implement solutions to correct defects.
• Monitor and troubleshoot benefit enrollment issues in the HRIS to provide vendors with accurate benefit eligibility data, such as resolving file feed errors promptly (EDC FML Errors, BCBSIL Discrepancy Reports, etc.).
• Provide functional support for third-party benefits administration systems and file feeds, including documentation, testing, monitoring successful file transmission, ensuring successful data loading to the applicable platforms, and addressing data issues that arise with file loads.
• Manage day-to-day relationships with benefits administration service providers and all plan administrators; attend related meetings and resolve complex plan issues with vendors.
• Maintains a positive atmosphere by acting and communicating promptly; facilitates and collaborates cross-functionally with HR and other department teams; Participate with HR inner departmental needs, such as assisting in recruiting events, front desk coverage, etc.
• Provide guidance and training on benefits policy and procedures for Midland Health Managers and the HR department, such as presenting the FMLA course on Management Essentials training.
• Review and validate Year End Processing, such as 1095c per the Affordable Care Act requirements.
• Administer all aspects of FMLA including employee assistance, communication with departments, restricting/enabling employees’ access when taking leave/returning to work, initiating long term disability claims, removing from payroll, etc.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent.
• BS degree preferred.
• Five (5) or more years as a Benefits Coordinator or Analyst experience.
• Invoicing and payroll experience are preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with HRIS systems, including design, development, and testing
• Demonstrated experience utilizing Microsoft Excel Pivot Tables and VLOOKUP’s
• Bilingual in Spanish is strongly preferred.
• Customer service expert: telephone and email follow-up beyond compare. Ability to verbally communicate with all levels of the organization and vendors.
• Experience delivering instructor-led training and presentations required.
• Ability to work efficiently under conditions of multiple deadlines and changing priorities to produce a large volume of high-quality material with meticulous attention to detail.
• Microsoft Office experience required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential responsibility satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The individual must be able to:

• Stand, walk, sit, stoop, reach, lift, see, speak and hear. Lifting is limited to 35 lbs. for clinical staff and to 50 lbs. for non-clinical staff. The individual must use an assisted-lift device or get another individual(s) to assist with the lift that is over these maximum limits.