• Develop a projected budget to determine availability of funds for plan benefits and necessary reserves;
• Design plan benefits to suit the budget as well as the specific needs of plan Members;
• Report on plan cost projections and methods of furnishing benefits;
• Report on eligibility rules and alternatives with financial costing;
• Prepare and submit specifications for competitive bids to providers of benefits (i.e. insurance carriers), and report on proposals with recommendations;
• Review insurance contracts and negotiate contract terms with insurance carriers;
• Co-ordinate insurance carrier's installation procedures with the plan's administration procedures;
• Draft documents outlining eligibility, benefits and limitations for distribution to plan Members;
• Assist accountants and attorneys in the preparation of tax and legal documents, if required; and
• Assist in the design and implementation of administration procedures, if required.
  
  On a Day-to-Day Basis
   
• Act as the intermediary between the trustees, auditor, investment counsellor, legal advisor and insurance carrier;
• Review and advise on the plan's administration procedures;
• Handle claims appeals, negotiate with insurance carriers at the instruction of the trustees on special claims;
• Initiate and review cost containment procedures; and
• Periodic reports to the trustees on emerging claims experience, abuses, special situations and other matters.
  
  On an Annual Basis
   
• Review insurance carrier's operation reports;
• Report to the trustees on the plan's claims experience, year-end deficit/surplus, premium adjustments, reserve requirements;
• Report on plan's year-end financial summary;
• Report to the trustees on benefits adequacy and upcoming trends in benefits provision; and
• Advise the trustees on the insurer's competitiveness, product availability, benefit expansion, cost containment, new programs and concepts.

         Special Reports

• Periodic competitive bids to investigate benefit costs;
• Report financial effects on the plan under different eligibility rules;
• Report new underwriting practices, funding media and cost containment procedures which may reduce plan costs;
• Report regarding revision of collection methods and banking contracts; and
• Report benefit costs to assist the trustees in collective bargaining or during arbitration proceedings and carry out litigation procedures in matters involving the trustees on their behalf.