Employee benefits communications in Bloomfield Hills that your people actually read
Most employees do not understand their benefits. They skim the enrollment packet, pick the same plan as last year and call HR when a bill shows up. Clear employee benefits communications in Bloomfield Hills fix that before the questions pile up on your desk.
We are an independent employee benefits consulting firm on Woodward Avenue, in business since 2007. We help employers in Birmingham, Troy, Southfield and across Oakland County explain their plans in plain words. That means fewer surprised employees and fewer calls to HR.
Employee Benefits Communications
Benefits communication is everything you tell employees about their plans. It covers the enrollment guide, the open enrollment meeting, new-hire materials and the notices the law requires.
Here is how we help:
- Enrollment guides. We write a short guide that shows each plan, what it costs per paycheck and when to use it.
- Enrollment meetings. We present in person or online and answer questions on the spot.
- New-hire packets. New employees get the same clear story, not a stack of carrier brochures.
- Required notices. We track the notices you must send. One example is the Medicare Part D creditable coverage notice, due by October 15.
For proper coverage of an account we work in teams of 5: an account executive, an account manager, a plan analyst, customer service and IT. The work does not stall when one person is out.
Is a benefits guide the same as an SPD?
No. A Summary Plan Description, or SPD, is the plain-language plan document that ERISA, the federal benefits law, says you must give employees. A glossy benefits guide does not replace it. A carrier certificate usually does not either, because it leaves out items ERISA asks for.
We help keep you ERISA compliant. We check which documents you have and point out what is missing. When you need a plan document written, we connect you with an ERISA attorney through the firm.
When should employers start open enrollment communication?
Start when the renewal lands. Most January 1 renewals arrive in October or November. That leaves only a few weeks to pick plans, set employee costs and tell your people.
We draft the guide while we work the renewal, then drop in the final rates. After that, send a short notice before enrollment opens. Hold the meeting. Send one last reminder before the deadline. Short and repeated works better than long and once.
Common questions
Do small employers need benefits communication?
Yes. A 10-person company still has employees who need to know what their plan covers. The guide can be two pages. Carrier brochures describe every plan the carrier sells, not the one you chose. A short guide with your plan, your employee costs per paycheck and examples of when to use urgent care or telehealth heads off the calls that follow a first surprise bill.
Can you write in our company’s voice?
Yes. We use your logo and your tone, and we keep the words simple. The guide, the meeting slides and the new-hire packet are built to read as though they came from your HR team, not from a carrier. We keep the plan terms accurate while the voice stays yours, and you approve the final copy before anything goes out.
Who answers employee questions after enrollment?
Your CFH customer service contact helps. Our chat assistant also answers around the clock. Customer service handles questions like a missing ID card, a denied claim or whether a doctor is in network, and follows through with the carrier until it is resolved. HR is copied when an issue needs an employer decision, so you stay informed without becoming the help desk.
Talk to us about employee benefits communications in Bloomfield Hills
Send us your renewal or book a 30-minute call. We will look at what you send employees today and tell you what to fix first. Visit us at 41000 Woodward Avenue, Suite 350 East, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304, or call 248.370.8853.
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An independent employee benefits consulting firm. We look at the entire benefits program — cost, plan performance, risk and administration.
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