BenManage vs Empower Health and Welfare Benefits Administration

BenManage is a web platform for employers administering employee benefits. Its lifecycle coverage includes enrollment, payroll integration, premium remittance, carrier EDI, three-way auditing, employee communications, and ACA reporting. Employees can enroll through digital self-service, live call center support, or on-site enrollment. The FAQ lists payroll connections for ADP, Paylocity, Paychex, Paycor, UKG, Viventium, iSolved, and Proliant, and says a custom connection can be built for other providers. BenManage says it has more than 150 pre-built and pre-approved carrier connections. Voluntary premiums go to carriers only when employees receive paychecks, and the FAQ says employers do not receive a voluntary carrier bill. Continuous auditing compares payroll deductions, remitted amounts, and carrier records to identify discrepancies. The service says every call is recorded and retained indefinitely, with AI-powered analysis for quality assurance and insights. Its no-cost plan provides benefits administration lifecycle services and technology on an à la carte basis. BenManage says standard implementations take 7–15 business days from kickoff to go-live.

Empower Health and Welfare Benefits Administration helps employers administer employee health and welfare plans, including eligibility, enrollment, and ongoing plan management. Its customizable MyBenefitChoice platform gives employees a branded portal for open enrollment, life events, benefits information, and decision support. Employees can use step-by-step or pick-and-choose enrollment, submit life events, and upload supporting documents. The portal is available 24/7 by smartphone, tablet, or computer, with mobile access through a browser. Administrator tools cover HR administration, carrier billing and reporting, carrier file management, dependent and life-event verification, rules-based eligibility, and role-based access. Sponsors can view real-time plan data in prebuilt and custom reports. The service also includes custom-branded communications, year-round education, integrated support, and personalized medical cost estimates. Empower lists multifactor authentication, AES-256 encryption at rest, TLS 1.2 or higher in transit, and a SOC 2 Type 2 attestation. It is available on Android, iOS, and the web. Pricing is not displayed; organizations are directed to contact an Empower representative.