Benefits Compliance Specialist

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), located in Arlington, VA (one block from the Ballston metro) and advocate for consumer-owned cooperatives on energy and policy issues, is the trade association for over 900 consumer-owned electric cooperatives with 60,000 employees serving more than 40 million people.

 

NRECA is currently seeking a Sr. Benefits Compliance Associate to work in their Insurance Programs & Services department.

 

Purpose and Mission:
NRECA sponsors the national multiple-employer NRECA Group Benefits Program, which is comprised of group health and welfare plans that benefit the employees of participating cooperatives.  Such plans include a wide variety of medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, Medicare Part D prescription drug and disability plan designs.  CBA – a wholly-owned subsidiary of NRECA – serves as the claims adjudicator for most of the group plans.  In addition, CBA administers cooperatives’ single-employer section 125 plans and health reimbursement arrangements. The Legal & Compliance team of  the Insurance Programs and Services division provides legal and compliance support to the NRECA Group Benefits Program and to CBA’s administration of the single-employer plans.

 

This position provides intermediate-level health and welfare plan compliance-related support to participating cooperatives regarding NRECA group plan provisions, including NRECA compliance communications and participant disclosures, and to NRECA business unit staff regarding how the ERISA, HIPAA and COBRA rules apply to the NRECA group plans.  This position is responsible for the preparation and delivery to participating cooperatives of the Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs) and Summaries of Material Modifications (SMMs) for the NRECA group health and welfare plans (both manually- and system-generated) on a timely and accurate basis.  This position develops/prepares compliance communications and website notices/forms, and revises SPDs and prepares SMMs in response to changes in plan design and changes in the law.  This position is responsible for monitoring, recommending and implementing changes in SPDs/SMMs due to changes in plan design and changes in the law.

 

The Sr. Benefits Associate:

·  Serves as a technical resource to participating cooperatives by researching and answering inquiries (both orally and in writing) regarding NRECA health and welfare plan provisions, changes, communications, SPDs and SMMs.  Serves as a technical resource to NRECA business unit staff by researching and answering inquiries (both orally and in writing) regarding NRECA health and welfare plan communications, SPDs and SMMs, as well as the applicable health and welfare plan compliance rules under ERISA, HIPAA and COBRA.  Position requires the attainment of (i) a thorough understanding of the current basic provisions and structure of the NRECA health and welfare plans, (ii) an intermediate-level understanding of ERISA health and welfare plan reporting and disclosure compliance requirements and the applicable ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA and IRC rules, and (iii) a strong ability to communicate technical and complicated issues – both orally and in writing -- to a non-technical audience.

·   Analyzes plan proposals/requests for, creates, and delivers in a timely manner to participating cooperatives updated SPDs (or SMMs, as applicable).  This position requires analysis and implementation of the plan proposals/requests, which includes exceptions to the standard plan design, and manual generation of SPDs/SMM for exception plans. 

·  Researches, drafts and delivers annual or as-required updates (SMMs) to the health and welfare plan SPDs for both changes in law and plan design. 

·  Participates with NRECA’s IT department in the development of process improvements to the SPD/SMM production and reporting systems and other SPD/SMM-related processes.  Position requires general knowledge of process software capabilities. 

·  Researches and drafts articles (for department publications, e.g., I&FS Weekly, Benefit Bulletins) and presentations (for NRECA Basic Benefit Training Conferences and Benefit Update Conferences) to co-operatives, participants and NRECA staff regarding compliance topics and regulatory developments.  Represents Compliance Unit at NRECA Basic Benefit Training Conferences. 

·  Customer Service – Provides excellent customer service for participants, cooperatives, and internal customers.  Operates, on a daily basis, in a way that will improve customer’s perceptions of the department by being sensitive to customers’ needs, client-focused, professional and pro-active.  (100% of the time throughout all job activities)Performs other compliance duties or projects as assigned

 

 

Requirements and Qualifications:

 4-6 years employee benefits experience in the health and welfare plan area.  Attainment of, or commitment to attain, an employee benefits certification within 24 months, e.g., Group Benefits Associate (GBA) Certification (CEBS).  Strong ability to communicate technical and complicated issues – both orally and in writing -- to a non-technical audience.  Intermediate-level facility with the basic tax and ERISA principles that support, as well as the ERISA, COBRA and HIPAA rules that apply to, employee health and welfare plans.  Strong demonstrated written and verbal communications skills.  Intermediate computer, research and analytical skills.  Proficiency with intermediate MSWord functions, e.g., working with styles, working with tables.  Strong computer and document management skills.  Exceptional attention to detail.  Excellent customer service skills. 

NRECA offers an exceptional compensation package and a full range of benefits. Interested and qualified candidates should apply on-line at www.touchstoneenergy.com. No phone calls please. Visit our website at www.nreca.coop.

 

NRECA is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability or any status that is protected by state or federal law.