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MUNICIPAL ADVISORS

Structuring benefits for the employees and retirees of public-sector agencies and non-profit organizations requires specialized expertise, the type of focus and depth of experience offered by Cornerstone Municipal Advisory Group.

Local governments and other groups serving regional communities call on our Municipal Advisory Group for its extraordinary skill in developing strategic solutions for healthcare savings based on a thorough understanding of the new GASB accounting standard and the retiree drug subsidy program.  We also concentrate on ways to champion benefit plan changes within a union setting.

We apply our consulting services and cost-reduction strategies in a number of arenas related to employees who serve the public:

GASB 45 Solutions: We offer education on the impact of GASB 45 and provide customized options for reducing OPEB liability and future costs for retiree healthcare.  Presenting a series of “what-if” models, we demonstrate the effect that proposed plan changes have on your group’s retiree costs and OPEB liability.  Going forward, we work with you and your collective-bargaining team to continue to examine the most current and advantageous options.

Plan Design Modeling for Collective Bargaining:  Effecting change within a union setting can be challenging.  In developing plan design solutions, we not only work closely with your collective-bargaining team but also meet with union leadership, testify in 312 proceedings, assist and represent groups in negotiations and communicate plan design options to members.

RFP Analysis Services: Effective cost control is a primary goal of our work as a benefit consultant.  Cornerstone regularly shops the market to evaluate potentially improved benefit programs that our consultants and underwriters use within a series of creative design options.

Retiree Drug Subsidy Administration: Cornerstone’s advisors are specialists in this field.  We relieve you of the administrative burden this program entails by handling all the necessary steps, from application to reconciliation, to collect your government subsidy.

Communication Services

Customized Benefit Binders
Each of your employees receives a customized benefit binder that does away with the multiple, often confusing benefit summaries from carriers by summarizing them in a single, easy-to-understand communication tool.  The binder pages inform employees of the deductibles they can expect to pay under their specific plan at the pharmacy, at the doctor’s office and at the hospital.

Online Access
We enable you to empower your employees by providing all details of your particular benefit plan on a customized, branded Web site.  Here employees can download forms, enroll in programs and view all aspects of their benefit programs, freeing up considerable time that otherwise would have been consumed with individual communications that tie up your HR/personnel staff.

Online Enrollment, Recordkeeping & Reports
Cornerstone can provide your group with enrollment services complete with recordkeeping capabilities and a robust report menu, as well as carrier bill reconciliation.  This service also permits integrated data transfer to carriers.

Compliance

Summary Plan Descriptions
Department of Labor regulations require all employers to provide summary plan descriptions (SPDs).  We assist in the completion of the adoption agreement and the creation of an SPD, which we post to your password-protected benefits Web site, where it is available to all your employees anytime from anywhere.

COBRA Notification and Billing Services
Compliance with COBRA rules is crucial, but it also can be extremely time-consuming and often confusing, since COBRA laws are still changing.  Cornerstone is associated with third-party administrators who handle all aspects of COBRA notification and billing services in a timely and accurate fashion, removing your staff and your mind of this difficult task.*

*None of our services should be construed to include legal/accounting or third-party administrative services.


Copyright © 2007 The Cornerstone Group