Administering a Flexible Benefits PlanThe process for administering a flexible benefits plan contains steps performed by the plan administrator, Arbor Associates. These steps play an important role in the proper administration of any benefit plan. They include plan design, plan setup, communication development, packaging, enrollment, receiving information, and extracting necessary data. Plan design consists of what will actually be included in the flexible benefits plan. The specifics of the plan design are decided by the consultant and Capital Health System. These specifications include the types and levels of benefits offered, the amount of the employer contribution, and the types of carriers that would be used. The plan setup is how the plan will actually be administered. It gives the responsibilities of the parties involved. For example, if the administrative process is outsourced to a third-party administrator, the process in which the plan will be managed is defined. The plan design also includes specific details, such as who handles discrepancies between claims and other issues the employer may need to address. Arbor was responsible for communications development. The communication component consists of a newsletter and a worksheet. Both of these materials are sent before the registration process begins. The newsletter is used to educate employees about their benefits for the coming year. The worksheet, however, is a paperless sign-up guide. The packaging aspect involves collecting communication materials, combining them into a single package, and distributing them. The materials can be used by employees to answer some basic questions they may have. If their questions cannot be answered, they are encouraged to contact the human resources department (at Capital) or Arbor. The steps that follow, enrolling and receiving information from Arbor, include returning healthcare options to employees. These options may include changes to benefits from the previous period, new dependents, and choosing the amount to deposit into a Flexible Spending Account. This information is retrieved and compiled in three different ways: by downloading from the Internet, by downloading from Interactive Voice Response (via the telephone), or from spreadsheets sent by employees.