What does a benefits advisor do?
A benefits advisor specializes in devising benefits programs and strategies for a workforce, ensuring they are well-compensated for their hard work. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around performing research and analysis to identify the needs of employees in a company, studying the benefit programs of competitors, and assessing the existing programs while putting the company's welfare into consideration. They must prepare reports and presentations for clients, provide cost-estimates and business plans, and evaluate risks, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
Benefits advisor responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real benefits advisor resumes:
- Manage broker and group accounts throughout the year administering qualify changes, terminations, and ACA compliance.
- Create reports using SQL database and manage reports, perform from internet-base tools for research projects need for client insight.
- Function as a liaison between the patient, hospital and governmental agencies to obtain documentation require for Medicaid eligibility determination.
- Maintain employee benefit records in HRIS system, including qualifying event records, personal information updates, and employment status changes.
- Evaluate patients for existing insurance coverage, federal and state assistance programs, or hospital charity application.
- Use tactful and effective interview techniques to obtain pertinent information to assure accurate eligibility determination for Medicaid.
- Comply with HIPPA, federal and state regulations.
- Educate clients on Medicare plans and HRA's.
- Enroll senior into the Medicare plans and follow all guideline set forth with CMS.
- Assure proper deductions per employee s paychecks for benefits through the use of ADP enterprise.
- Prepare and submit RFP's, secure new and renewal quotes and prepare presentation materials.
- Process and code large volume of enrollment forms, medical, dental, vision, FSA.
- Compile and enter benefits premium deductions and changes; update data information on the ADP system.
- Assess individual needs of policy holders and make suitable recommendations, also as it relates to ACA regulations.
- Process Medicare eligible retiree applications into new plans by conducting a needs analysis, following HIPAA and HITECH guidelines.
Benefits advisor skills and personality traits
We calculated that 21% of Benefits Advisors are proficient in Insurance Benefits, Patients, and Inbound Calls. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Business skills, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Benefits Advisors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Insurance Benefits, 21%
Provide education and outreach to potential patients and community organizations regarding health care benefits mostly related to manage care insurance benefits.
- Patients, 12%
Assisted hospital patients in applying for government/hospital funded programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security Disability and hospital charity.
- Inbound Calls, 10%
Handle inbound calls to enroll customers compliantly and efficiently into selected Medicare Health Insurance and update customer accounts thoroughly.
- Medicare Advantage, 6%
Transitioned retirees to individual insurance plans by identifying the differences between Medicare advantage and Medicare supplement plans with prescription drug plans.
- Insurance Products, 6%
Respond to inbound telephone inquiries from current and prospective customers interested in purchasing insurance products and services.
- Medicaid, 5%
Conduct a thorough eligibility screening for Social Security and Medicaid and/or other agencies and initiate the appropriate application.
"insurance benefits," "patients," and "inbound calls" are among the most common skills that benefits advisors use at work. You can find even more benefits advisor responsibilities below, including:
Analytical skills. The most essential soft skill for a benefits advisor to carry out their responsibilities is analytical skills. This skill is important for the role because "compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists perform data and cost analyses to evaluate their organization’s policies." Additionally, a benefits advisor resume shows how their duties depend on analytical skills: "analyzed and reviewed eob statements and processed claims for reimbursement from health reimbursement accounts. "
Business skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling benefits advisor duties is business skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "specialists must understand basic finance and accounting." According to a benefits advisor resume, here's how benefits advisors can utilize business skills in their job responsibilities: "work with small businesses offering supplemental insurance benefits to their employees. "
Communication skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of benefits advisors is communication skills. This skill is critical to many everyday benefits advisor duties, as "specialists need to provide information about compensation and benefits in a way that is understandable to employees at all levels throughout their organization." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "developed, implemented, and administered communication material for annual open enrollment, and new benefit programs. "
The three companies that hire the most benefits advisors are:
- Aflac477 benefits advisors jobs
- Molina Healthcare269 benefits advisors jobs
- National General Insurance62 benefits advisors jobs
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Compare different benefits advisors
Benefits advisor vs. Workers compensation coordinator
Workers compensation coordinators work with supervisors to identify incident causes and the best corrective actions. They train coordinators and supervisors on reporting and managing workers' compensation claims. Besides coordinating EHS committee meetings and managing EHS files, workers' compensation coordinators also manage workers' programs for hearing tests, safety glasses, and safety shoes. These professionals use the company credit card or purchasing system to order safety supplies. Also, they ensure workers get the needed care by partnering with medical providers and injured employees.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a benefits advisor are more likely to require skills like "insurance benefits," "inbound calls," "medicare advantage," and "insurance products." On the other hand, a job as a workers compensation coordinator requires skills like "osha," "excellent planning," "rehabilitation," and "data entry." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Workerss compensation coordinator tend to make the most money working in the finance industry, where they earn an average salary of $67,433. In contrast, benefits advisors make the biggest average salary, $79,775, in the government industry.workerss compensation coordinator tend to reach similar levels of education than benefits advisors. In fact, workerss compensation coordinator are 1.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Benefits advisor vs. Provider enrollment specialist
A provider enrollment specialist is in charge of handling application procedures in a company or facility. Their responsibilities typically revolve around gathering information, reviewing and verifying requirements, processing applications, and liaising with clients. They may also maintain and update databases, assist during complicated procedures, and ensure that all requirements are complete and accurate. Furthermore, as a provider enrollment specialist, it is essential to discuss terms and conditions to clients, helping them understand the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that benefits advisor responsibilities requires skills like "insurance benefits," "medicare advantage," "insurance products," and "health insurance." But a provider enrollment specialist might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "data entry," "caqh," "medicare," and "provider enrollment applications."
Provider enrollment specialists earn a lower average salary than benefits advisors. But provider enrollment specialists earn the highest pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $42,041. Additionally, benefits advisors earn the highest salaries in the government with average pay of $79,775 annually.In general, provider enrollment specialists achieve similar levels of education than benefits advisors. They're 1.5% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Benefits advisor vs. Retirement plan specialist
Retirement plan specialists are experts who plan out their client's financial needs for retirement. The specialist's design and implement savings, benefit, and pension programs for clients. They have to explain the complicated nature of compensation, investment, and retirement packages to employees clearly and concisely. They process retirement plans following company and federal regulations. Also, they often have a background in business or human resources, and they may choose to earn employee benefit certifications that may help with their career advancement.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from benefits advisor resumes include skills like "insurance benefits," "patients," "medicare advantage," and "medicaid," whereas a retirement plan specialist is more likely to list skills in "crm," "financial products," "finra," and "strong work ethic. "
When it comes to education, retirement plan specialists tend to earn similar degree levels compared to benefits advisors. In fact, they're 0.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Benefits advisor vs. Compensation specialist
A compensation specialist is responsible for evaluating the organization's benefits package for the employees, following the state regulations and legislation procedures. Compensation specialists identify the staff needs and develop opportunities that would maximize productivity and increase efficiency. They also analyze the market performance to adjust compensation rates according to roles as needed with the coordination of the finance department. A compensation specialist facilitates orientations for new programs and informs the employees about any changes in the payment system.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between benefits advisors and compensation specialists, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a benefits advisor might have more use for skills like "insurance benefits," "patients," "inbound calls," and "medicare advantage." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of compensation specialists require skills like "human resources," "compensation programs," "customer service," and "hris. "
Compensation specialists reach similar levels of education compared to benefits advisors, in general. The difference is that they're 3.2% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 1.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of benefits advisor
Updated January 8, 2025
