Northgate Benefits combines market savvy, long term relationships and a staff of experienced benefits professionals to provide our clients with a broad range of resources.
Our clients range from multi-location publicly held corporations, manufacturing companies, and entrepreneurial growth start-ups, to software consultants and wineries.
Northgate Benefits Employee Benefits team relies on a deep base of practical experience, technology tools, detailed plan design analysis, and current market knowledge to provide our clients with cost effective benefits management. You can be confident of our expertise in all aspects of both fully insured and self-funded plans.
We can deliver the benefit support services you need so that your benefit plan will be a valuable tool in recruiting and retaining the best and brightest employees.
Our team manages the entire process – from carrier selection to employee communications, plan implementation, and ongoing administration – so you can spend your time on your top priority – running your business.
We’re large enough to provide customized, innovative solutions to your employee benefit needs, yet small enough to offer personalized service for those day-to-day issues.
Benefit Plan Audits
A complete evaluation of the funding, contracts and plan design(s). Do contracts contain the proper protections? Are better reimbursement mechanisms for stop loss available (more frequent? better limits?) Can the plan designs be changed to reflect cost drivers in the experience? How are contributions from employees affecting rates and experience?
Benefit Plan Design
Identifying innovative benefit plan design solutions to achieve cost effective and equitable results for the corporation and participants. Plan design usually must take into account the pay levels and contributions by the employees as well as the cost drivers. We try to propose only those solutions that will work for your particular employee group.
Network Analysis
We assist in analysis of network cost/benefit ratios and coverage for your employee populations for PPO, POS and HMO. Analysis many times includes an analysis of the utilization patterns of employee populations and can include an employee survey to identify providers utilized most frequently. Are access fees reasonable considering the discounts received? What is the net savings to the employer after application of the fees and actual paid claims? How is capitation under an HMO contract affecting your rates?
Problem Resolution
We will resolve concerns and provide solutions to benefit payment issues and other administrative concerns. We have vast experience in dealing with claim departments and resolving not only the problem at hand, but problems which are a result of plan design or administrator interpretation.
Placement/Contract Negotiations
Coordination of all carrier/administrator contracts including negotiation of plan provisions and contract analysis. We show you the options and provide advice on what makes sense and is reasonable.
Pre-renewal Planning and Strategy Development
Our customized historical database enables us to accomplish budget recommendations and pre-renewal planning prior to receipt of renewal offers.
Renewal Negotiations
We analyze and manage the renewal process, conducting all negotiations and providing cost projections with accruals.
Marketing
Our services include request for proposals, preliminary market interest surveys and proposal analysis/comparisons/ recommendations and negotiation. We target our marketing efforts to a client's particular needs and our specifications include all the necessary information to get the a competitive market response. By having a working understanding of what underwriters need, we can provide the necessary information to help you receive a quick and competitive quote.
Supplemental Benefits Products
We keep our clients advised of new and special benefits offers which may offer cost savings or solve employee relations needs. Products such as voluntary life insurance with portability, voluntary dental, vision or even cancer policies can add perceived value to your benefit plan for your employees. Limited Health Benefit Plans are available for your part-time employees on a voluntary basis.©2006 Northgate Benefits