Cost: $2,500; published 2022
Accurate billing is one of the top aspects of administration carriers must get right to win broker and employer business. While strong enrollment capabilities and products are necessary, they are not enough to compete long-term in today’s voluntary marketplace. Back-end administration — the quality and reliability of billing processes in particular — is equally important. And as billing technologies continue to evolve and change, carriers must be able to keep up and integrate the technology into their existing processes and systems.
The Voluntary Billing Practices SpotlightTM Report provides information by carrier on key billing practices, including:
Carriers can use this information to evaluate their own billing practices against competitors and develop plans for future improvement based on the processes and trends noted by survey participants.
1. Executive Summary
A. Report Objectives
B. Methodology
C. Key Findings
D. Recommendations
2. Detailed Carrier Findings
A. Employer Billing Services
1. Billing in Advance/Arrears
2. Billing Frequencies
3. Billing Frequency Variations by Product Type
4. Electronic Deduction Files
5. Multiple Payroll Frequencies
6. Pre-tax and Post-tax Billing
B. Bill Types & Processes
1. Billing Types Offered
2. Paper List Bill – Delivery Date
3. Paper List Bill - Organization
4. Paper List Bill - Customization
5. Paper List Bill - Information Included
6. Paper List Bill - Changes to Invoice and Time Standards for Changes
7. Electronic List-Bill – employer Notification and Changes to Invoice
8. Web/Internet Bill – Employer Notification
9. Web/Internet Bill – Employer Access to Bill and Changes to Invoice
10. Electronic File Exchange – Employer Notification
11. Electronic File Exchange – Types of Files Accepted
12. Electronic File Exchange – Required Format and File Receipt Format/Preference
13. Self-Billing and True-Up Process
14. Self-Billing - Individual Records, Impact on Claims Process, Percentage of Accounts
C. Billing Processes and Requirements
1. Billing Options by Product Type
2. Bill Requirements by Case Size
3. Bill Due Dates
4. Forms of Payment Accepted and Preferred
5. Applying Premium at the Account or Employee Level
6. Premium Discrepancy Process
7. Billing for Pending Applications
8. Single Bill
9. Third-Party Billing
10. Informing Employers of Rate Changes
11. Informing Employees of Premium Changes
12. Late Payment for Accounts
13. Payment of Claims When Account Invoice Not Paid
14. Nonpayment by Employee Process
15. Employee Lapse Notification Process
D. Employee Direct Billing Services/Processes
1. Employee Direct Bill
2. Direct Modes of Payment Allowed
3. Handling Transaction Fees
4. Challenges with Consumer Direct Billing
E. Trends
1. Challenges and Obstacles
2. Key Voluntary Billing Trends