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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Alisia Lewis, Chief Human Resources Officer
DATE: October 11, 2021
SUBJECT:
A Resolution Authorizing Renewal of Benefit Consulting Services with Assured Partners, formerly Group Alternatives, Inc, for the Period of January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2024.
PURPOSE:
To obtain authorization to renew the agreement with Assured Partners, formerly Group Alternatives, Inc. for benefit consulting services.
BACKGROUND:
Assured Partners, formerly Group Alternatives, Inc., is a benefit consulting firm specializing in large employers, partnering with clients to control costs and maximize benefit offerings. The City first began utilizing Group Alternatives' services in 2015 to facilitate the RFP process for the third-party administration of benefits. They assisted the City through the evaluation period which resulted in CIGNA being selected for the City's third-party administration (TPA). Since that time, Assured Partners, formerly Group Alternatives, has provided services including but not limited to, securing the Humana Health Plan for Medicare eligible retirees, funding analysis, financial and compliance implications of legislative changes, provider network analysis including access and claim impact, ombudsmen with Cigna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Humana Medicare Advantage.
DISCUSSION:
Assured Partners, formerly Group Alternatives, has been instrumental in assisting the City with implementing cost effective changes while at the same time maintaining a robust benefit plan for the City's employees and retirees. Their recommendation to convert the Medicare eligible retirees to Humana Medicare Advantage next year, beginning January 1, 2022, will result in a guaranteed savings of $1,540.052 over the next two years. They also negotiated a renewal agreement with Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO for a 0% increase for the second year in a row.
The data analytics that Assured Partners, formerly Group Alternatives, uses will continu...
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