Cowden Associates uses the newest technology to provide employee benefit enrollments through both the telephone and internet. Our system can handle the typical flexible benefit designs offered by most employers. Cowden Associates can provide these services to midsize companies at affordable costs. Data can be collected into a single file and transmitted to payroll departments, carriers, and third party administrators.

To get a glimpse of the various options available, try our DEMO FOR INTERNET ENROLLMENTS.

Please use the following numbers for access:
Social Security Number: 222-22-2222
PIN: 2222

Statistical Data

A recent survey of over 900 mid-sized companies by Guideline Research, for Benefits Access (A Cigna Company) produced the following information:

• 91% still use paper enrollment (most likely much higher for those with less than 1,000 lives) and only 16% are satisfied with this method. In fact, 88% of the benefit managers say they are overwhelmed by or frustrated with benefits paperwork.
• 54% indicated the key reasons to consider outsourcing were easing annual enrollment, record keeping problems, and reducing paperwork. The study also indicated the top functions most likely to be outsource were annual enrollment and eligibility and distribution of enrollment forms.
• 74% of the benefits managers wish to find a way to give employees faster and easier access to their benefits administration.

Cowden Associates can provide affordable technology based (virtually paperless) custom solutions to benefits administration. Our system provides a one stop solution for telephonic and internet based custom enrollments without the limitations of using any one particular HRIS platform. It lends itself to loading eligibility, 401(k) management, COBRA, and ongoing enrollment systems. Enrollment worksheets and confirmation statements can be generated through us for those customers who require these forms.

We firmly believe that this system will be applicable across most of your client base (we are estimating that over 80% of all benefit plans could be automated using our program format). We also have a technology provider who can design custom applications in those cases where plan complexity and client size warrant customized programming with minimal development time and dollars.

Summary of System Features

• EDI Compatibility.
• No equipment or telephone lines to buy or maintain.
• Use for collection of: Traditional Plan Elections, Cafeteria (Section 125) Plan Choices, 401(k) Retirement Data, COBRA Enrollment, Selection of Voluntary Products, current dependent information or address changes and virtually any type of benefits enrollment data.
• Provides user friendly screens via the Internet that allows any benefit specialist, who can use a word processor, to quickly automate an enrollment process.
• Plan design options are limitless. Built in features provide for Medical, Dental, Vision, LTD, Supplemental Life, Dependent life, Long Term Care, STD, AD&D, and FSAs plan elections. A feature also allows the user to add additional options such as renter's insurance, transportation spending accounts, etc.
• Can be set up to determine which options are offered to each specific employee group and the associated pre and post tax costs that are associated with each of these selections.
• Suitable for ongoing enrollments and status changes and offerings can be modified quickly and easily.
• Creates both Telephone and Internet enrollment automation at the same time.
• Activity reports, confirmation statements, enrollment worksheets, and information reports for discrimination testing, can be generated through the use of the system. Data can be supplied in standard ASCII format for transmission to other administrators, payroll departments, and insurance carriers.