Benefit management system and method

Abstract

A benefit management system and method provides a portal-based information management and collaborative business process application. Preferably, the system and method is focused at the benefit broker/consultant and is configured to capture employee benefit management data, such as demographic data and plan data. Further, preferably, one or more users are provided with customized user access to the centralized application for use in performing one or more various benefit plan management functions, such as, for example, marketing, plan design; enrollment; administration; and communication between one or more application users.

1 - 69 . (canceled) 
     
     
         70 . A method for use in providing benefit management services, the method comprising:
 providing a hardware/software architecture comprising at least one computer system;   providing an application comprising one or more programs executable by the hardware/software architecture to perform one or more benefit functions using an associated relational database, wherein the associated relational database stores benefits management plan data, wherein the benefits management plan data comprises:
 at least one benefit plan derived from at least one benefit plan design creation template, wherein the at least one benefit plan design creation template comprises at least a plurality of selectable benefit plan details quotable by more than one benefit provider of a plurality of benefit providers, and further wherein the application comprises a plurality of presentation panels to provide information to a user, wherein the presentation panels provide at least one of user perceivable graphical elements and user interaction graphical elements, and further wherein the at least one benefit plan design creation template is configured as at least one presentation panel; and 
 demographic information comprising personal health statement information derived from at least one demographic information template, wherein the at least one demographic information template comprises at least a plurality of selectable details to be used by more than one benefit provider of a plurality of benefit providers, and further wherein the at least one demographic information template is configured as at least one presentation panel; 
   providing, by the hardware/software architecture executing the one or more programs, at least one application portal to allow at least one authorized user access to the application including all or a limited portion of at least one of the presentation panels and the benefits management plan data;   accessing, by a computer system under command of an authorized user, the application such that an authorized user through a plan creator user interface provided by the at least one presentation panel creates a benefit plan using the benefit plan design creation template, wherein at least a plurality of the selectable benefit plan details of the benefit plan design creation template are provided to the authorized user in a dynamic, multi-level format such that selection by the authorized user of one or more of a plurality of options associated with at least one selectable benefit plan detail displayed to the authorized user determines a plurality of selectable benefit plan details and one or more associated valid benefit plan options to be subsequently displayed to the authorized user;   providing access to the application, by the hardware/software architecture executing the one or more programs, such that an authorized user through a demographic information template interface configured as at least one presentation panel can enter demographic information comprising personal health statement information to be used by more than one benefit provider of a plurality of benefit providers, wherein at least a plurality of the selectable details of the at least one demographic information template are provided to the authorized user in a dynamic, multi-level format such that selection by the authorized user of one or more of a plurality of options associated with at least one selectable detail displayed to the authorized user determines a plurality of selectable details and one or more associated valid options to be subsequently displayed to the authorized user;   entering, by one or more authorized users, demographic information comprising personal health statement information using the demographic information template interface provided to the one or more authorized users by at least one computer system, wherein entering the demographic information by each of the one or more authorized users comprises using the dynamic, multi-level format to present a plurality of selectable details and one or more associated valid options to the authorized user upon selection by the authorized user of one or more of a plurality of options associated with at least one selectable detail such that valid demographic information comprising personal health statement information to be used by more than one benefit provider of the plurality of benefit providers is gathered;   generating, by the hardware/software architecture executing the one or more programs, a benefit plan request for proposal comprising at least one benefit plan and demographic information comprising personal health statement information to be used by each of the plurality of benefit providers; and   receiving from each of the plurality of benefit providers a benefit plan request for proposal response created by at least one computer system using the demographic information that comprises the personal health statement information entered by each of one or more authorized users using the demographic information template interface.   
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein the method further comprises allowing one or more authorized users to create, delete or modify a benefit plan. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein the method further comprises allowing one or more authorized users to create, delete or modify demographic information. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein the method further comprises allowing one or more authorized users to perform one or more benefit management functions comprising at least one of plan enrollment, plan enrollment changes, and plan accounting. 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 73 , wherein allowing an authorized user to perform one or more benefit management functions comprises allowing the authorized user access to change demographic data associated with the benefit plan. 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein the method further comprises providing plan change notification relating to modification of the benefit plan. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein the method further comprises mining the benefits management plan data for use in generating at least one of a plurality of reports. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein the method further comprises personalized image branding one or more presentation panels used to interface with one or more authorized users. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein access to the at least one application portal is implemented using at least an internet connection. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein providing the at least one application portal comprises:
 providing a first portal to allow at least one authorized user access to the application; and   providing at least one extension of the first portal as at least one extension portal, wherein the at least one extension portal is separately configurable by an authorized user to extend certain rights to one or more other authorized users for access to the application portal.   
     
     
         80 . A computer implemented system for use in providing benefit management services, the system comprising:
 a hardware/software architecture comprising at least one computer system; and   a central application comprising one or more programs executable by the hardware/software architecture to perform one or more benefit functions using an associated relational database, wherein the associated relational database stores benefits management plan data, wherein the central application including all or certain portions of the benefits management data is accessible via one or more user portals by one or more authorized users, wherein the benefits management plan data comprises:
 at least one benefit plan derived from at least one benefit plan design creation template, wherein the at least one benefit plan design creation template comprises at least a plurality of selectable benefit plan details quotable by more than one benefit provider of a plurality of benefit providers, and further wherein the application comprises a plurality of presentation panels to provide information to a user, wherein the presentation panels provide at least one of user perceivable graphical elements and user interaction graphical elements, and further wherein the at least one benefit plan design creation template is configured as at least one presentation panel; and 
 demographic information comprising personal health statement information derived from at least one demographic information template, wherein the at least one demographic information template comprises at least a plurality of selectable details to be used by more than one benefit provider of a plurality of benefit providers, and further wherein the at least one demographic information template is configured as at least one presentation panel; 
   wherein the central application, under control of the hardware/software architecture executing the one or more programs, allows an authorized user through a plan creator user interface provided by the at least one presentation panel to create a benefit plan using the benefit plan design creation template;   wherein the central application, under control of the hardware/software architecture executing the one or more programs, allows one or more authorized users through an demographic information template interface configured as at least one presentation panel to enter demographic information comprising personal health statement information to be used by more than one benefit provider of a plurality of benefit providers, wherein at least a plurality of the selectable details of the at least one demographic information template are provided to the one or more authorized users in a dynamic, multi-level format such that selection by the one or more authorized users of one or more of a plurality of options associated with at least one selectable detail displayed to the authorized user determines a plurality of selectable details and one or more associated valid options to be subsequently displayed to the authorized user;   wherein the central application, under control of the hardware/software architecture executing the one or more programs, generates a benefit plan request for proposal comprising at least one benefit plan and demographic information comprising personal health statement information that is useable by each of the benefit providers, the demographic information comprising personal health statement information used in the benefit plan request for proposal comprises demographic information entered by one or more authorized users using the dynamic, multi-level format to present a plurality of selectable details and one or more associated valid options to the authorized user upon selection by the authorized user of one or more of a plurality of options associated with at least one selectable detail such that valid demographic information comprising personal health statement information to be used by more than one benefit provider of the plurality of benefit providers is gathered; and   further wherein the central application, under control of the hardware/software architecture executing the one or more programs, receives from each of the plurality of benefit providers a benefit plan request for proposal response created using the demographic information that comprises the personal health statement information entered by each of one or more authorized users using the demographic information template interface.   
     
     
         81 . The system of  claim 80 , wherein the central application allows one or more authorized users to create, delete or modify one or more portions of a benefit plan via a user interface. 
     
     
         82 . The system of  claim 80 , wherein the central application allows one or more authorized users to create, delete or modify one or more portions of demographic information via a user interface. 
     
     
         83 . The system of  claim 80 , wherein the central application allows access to the benefit plan request for proposal by a benefit provider and provides the benefit provider a user interface for use in providing a request for proposal response. 
     
     
         84 . The system of  claim 80 , wherein the central application permits an authorized user to perform personalized image branding of one or more user interfaces. 
     
     
         85 . The system of  claim 80 , wherein the system further comprises an interface so as to provide access to one or more of the user portals using an internet connection. 
     
     
         86 . The system of  claim 80 , wherein the central application supports a first portal to allow at least one authorized user access to the application, wherein the central application provides support for at least one extension of the first portal as at least one extension portal, wherein the at least one extension portal is separately configurable by an authorized user to extend certain rights to one or more other authorized users for access to the application. 
     
     
         87 . A method for use in providing benefit management services, the method comprising:
 providing a hardware/software architecture comprising at least one computer system;   providing an application comprising one or more programs executable by the hardware/software architecture to perform one or more benefit functions using an associated relational database, wherein the associated relational database stores benefits management plan data, wherein the benefits management plan data comprises:
 at least one benefit plan derived from at least one benefit plan design creation template, wherein the at least one benefit plan design creation template comprises at least a plurality of selectable benefit plan details quotable by more than one benefit provider of a plurality of benefit providers, and further wherein the application comprises a plurality of presentation panels to provide information to a user, wherein the presentation panels provide at least one of user perceivable graphical elements and user interaction graphical elements, and further wherein the at least one benefit plan design creation template is configured as at least one presentation panel; and 
 demographic information comprising personal information derived from at least one demographic information template, wherein the at least one demographic information template comprises at least a plurality of selectable details to be used by more than one benefit provider of a plurality of benefit providers, and further wherein the at least one demographic information template is configured as at least one presentation panel; 
   providing, by the hardware/software architecture executing the one or more programs, at least one application portal to allow at least one authorized user access to the application including all or a limited portion of at least one of the presentation panels and the benefits management plan data;   accessing, by a computer system under command of an authorized user, the application such that an authorized user through a plan creator user interface provided by the at least one presentation panel creates a benefit plan using the benefit plan design creation template;   providing access to the application, by the hardware/software architecture executing the one or more programs, such that an authorized user through a demographic information template interface configured as at least one presentation panel can enter demographic information comprising personal information to be used by more than one benefit provider of a plurality of benefit providers;   entering, by one or more authorized users, demographic information comprising personal information using the demographic information template interface provided to the one or more authorized users by at least one computer system, wherein entering the demographic information by each of the one or more authorized users comprises using the dynamic, multi-level foimat to present a plurality of selectable details and one or more associated valid options to the authorized user upon selection by the authorized user of one or more of a plurality of options associated with at least one selectable detail such that valid demographic information comprising personal information to be used by more than one benefit provider of the plurality of benefit providers is gathered;   generating, by the hardware/software architecture executing the one or more programs, a benefit plan request for proposal comprising at least one benefit plan and demographic information comprising personal information to be used by each of the plurality of benefit providers; and   receiving from each of the plurality of benefit providers a benefit plan request for proposal response created by at least one computer system using the demographic information that comprises the personal information entered by each of one or more authorized users using the demographic information template interface.