About Us
We here, at Graybill Consultants, are a tech consulting firm specializing in benefits, online enrollment, HR & Payroll solutions.
At our core, we are employee benefits licensed specialists with over 25 years of experience, so we have you covered.
We provide customized solutions to streamline your benefits from hire to fire.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is GC's ability to provide expertise and experience in the areas of health benefit plan analysis and design, including benchmarking?
Industry, state and national benchmarks are used for employers in the size category of each customer. This data is supplied by the benefit advisor rather than the insurance provider creating a far more accurate analysis for employer.
Further, we utilize actuarial and claims analysis software to help choose the best path for each customer. Currently the two most utilized programs are the PPACA calculator which utilizes each employer’s census and plan data to discover best solution to alternatives surrounding recent legislation. With this data we can better recommend actuarial value of the plan(s) that should be offered and predict future cost with alternative plans. It is also a useful tool in deciding how best to manage employee hours to avoid penalties that are charged post period. Our goal is to avoid all penalties.
As the health care industry continues to change, Graybill Consultants approaches employer groups who are interested in obtaining meaningful information to evaluate the cost drivers, trends, and savings opportunities associated with their medical and prescription drug benefits. In addition, we work to evaluate the impact of various plan management initiatives and to forecast the impact of future plan changes.
Graybill Consultants provides employer groups with tools that will provide consistent year-to-year data, reporting formats and comparative benchmarks. We will also provide meaningful information without tremendous expense or complexity, and together we can work with your data in a continuous, interactive manner as plan management issues arise.
How does GC approach wellness plans?
Rather than a single source for wellness, we outsource this service to best fit the culture of the employer. Local vendors are best for onsite approach such as biometrics and health screenings with national vendors offering health coaching and telemedicine, to name a few.
Describe the approach to managing the annual renewal process.
GC maintains the online benefit system for all of its employer groups so required data is consistently up to date and insurance products can be taken to market with minimal effort from HR staff. Utilizing direction from HR and the “C” suite we deliver benefit levels that are competitive on a local, state and national level as employee recruitment often takes a national scope.
The online system is often utilized by employers for open enrollment and upon request is supplemented by onsite employee group meetings. More often than not, the online system is preferred by employees as videos and brain shark presentations can explain all of the benefits and can be viewed by other family members at home. This removes the pressure of an immediate decision and gives every option, including the new exchange, to employees.
GC makes a practice of only working with highly rated insurance providers. We believe that service and network availability are more important than the lowest pricing. An unhappy employee changes a benefit to a burden in the HR department. GC has relationships on the national level with insurance providers in multiple states. While currently all of your employees are located in a single state this is critically important should you acquire an out of state location.
Should an employer choose to work with GC, what assistance is given in transition?
Decisions to combine the groups would take some time. Combining different business units is often a good idea and with common ownership provisions in PPACA is certainly necessary to ensure both are in compliance.
Describe GC's capabilities with regards to employee communications.
GC has moved to a paperless system with an employee benefits web portal that is unique to each customer.
This system makes each employee benefits available 24/7/365 and is unique to each employee. During Open Enrollment, a new window is available during the OE period allowing OE changes to be made. Avatars and videos can be included to enhance the OE process. We have found this system better explains the benefits as an employee can move at their own pace and take the information home should another family member be the decision-maker for the household. In the portal, a calculator includes not only the payroll deductions but also the employer portion. This shows the real value of the benefits.
Full reporting capability and email reminders to those who have not completed the OE process are sent on a regular basis. Once OE is closed, the portal is available and includes a full benefit statement. And should the employee have a qualifying event, the changes are made in the system by the employee. This avoids the stacks of paper and the errors that occur in translation to insurance carries and payroll deduction as all systems are connected and work with electronic data interchange. Of course, all employee changes must be approved by the HR department prior to implementation.
Should the employer desire, a GC representative will make on-site visits for group meetings and instruction on the system.
How does GC help with administrative/technical issues with vendors?
GC will handle all issues with insurance providers. We are an advocate for our customers and ask that any issue be brought to us. HR departments have far more functions than just solving insurance issues. GC has great depth of knowledge in administrative tasks and can resolve an issue far more quickly.
However, our online system which utilizes electronic data interface with insurance providers eliminates the vast majority of administrative issues. Avoiding all of the paper and losing nothing in transmission/translations reduces error rates to the bare minimum. GC can interface with payroll systems to further ensure the best compliance and perform audits of payroll deductions to enrollment.
GC also provides consolidated billing services for fully insured plans eliminating the need for HR or accounting to reconcile multiple billings. A single remittance to GC settles all billings and is far more accurate.
Does GC publish newsletters and other informative publications that are routinely provided to customers?
GC provides multiple monthly publications to employers keeping them up to date on not only PPACA regulations but HR and legal issues as well.GC utilizes multiple sources for these publications and sends them via email.
What is Graybill Consultants service philosophy and how do you measure service quality?
Graybill Consultants does not accept every customer. We look for a culture fit from the “C” suite and the HR department: once found, we form a personal relationship. The best measurement of service quality is our 100% client retention over the past 4 years.
Describe GC's resources and process for monitoring regulatory and legislative developments at both the state and federal level and how this information is communicated to customers.
GC employs several different methods of gathering detailed information. Delivery methods vary from email newsletters, internet self-service and daily live support. Below are a few examples:
PPACA Advisor – A list of changes along with a complete updated guide to these ever-changing regulations are sent via email within days of new information. This insures that the “C” suite and HR department are as up to date as possible on health care reform.
HR Newsletter – This publication shared by all Graybill Consulting clients delivers up to date information on trends within the HR community including state and federal regulation changes.
Employer Webinars – These webinars are available to all customers of BDG and are sponsored on a regular basis. Often they are hosted by law firms specializing in labor and ERISA. While most are national in scope, there are state specific forums when significant new regulation is passed.
THINK HR – This valuable live and online tool offers complete support for state and federal regulations along with all other HR needs. Services include:
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Live Support 8am – 7pm every business day
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Full library of state and federal guidelines, employment law, compliance guides and checklist are available at any time along with over 200 courses to hone skills.
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This service can be utilized by HR, “C” suite, managers and supervisors with no charge.
Does GC assist clients in filing their form 5500s?
Yes, we make a practice of assembling all required data and will complete the 5500 online as a qualified preparer when requested for health and welfare plans. Employers will still be required to electronically sign off the completed form.
Describe services available to assist with administration.
GC does not outsource these services and includes them in our value offering. GC will not quote a low fee only to start adding options and driving up the price. All of our services are included at no additional charge.
Our online enrollment system is built in house and can quickly be changed by our IT engineer. Unique websites are on secure cloud servers with redundant backup ensuring they are available 24/7/365.
Our proprietary consolidated billing system is built around the needs of multi-site/state employers and available in several different forms that best suit the needs of HR and accounting.
All COBRA compliance for new and terminated employees is done by our systems.
What HR consulting services does GC offer outside of benefits?
Our customers have access to:
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HR Hotline – You can speak directly to SPHR/PHR certified consultants, and get immediate guidance.
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HR Library – This tool provides access to thousands of online tools, forms, templates and guides.
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HR Training – Over 200 courses in employment, safety, harassment, environmental, customer service and wellness. Quarterly classes are available that offer CE credit.