Survivor Support Sample KB

Please work with your PenAdmin/BOC and Client Teams to create death templates and courtesy reminders for your client. Most teams advise that a Survivor Support Advocate will be making contact and following up within a certain time frame with written correspondence.

Below is a sample death process as well as a suggested separate page for Survivor Support Advocate courtesy reminders.

Please see an example below and more available at:

(T:\Operations\Training\Team Lead Subject Matter Expert Topics\Counseling Services)

Sample Death Process:

Notes:
  • Please handle the original intake of the death report ONLY.
  • All other death related calls/questions should be handled by the Survivor Support Advocate.
  • If one is not immediately available, advise the caller that a Survivor Support Advocate will call them back within 1 business day.
  • Assign a MCCH queue to the Survivor Support Advocate and email them the nature of the caller’s inquiries.
Step 1: Open “Death – Employee” case in BenefitConnect case management
  • Mouse over 'Participant General'
  • Select 'Call and Case Activity’ under ‘Account’
  • Click 'New'
  • Case Type: Death
  • Case Sub-Type: Employee
  • Priority: Medium
  • Relationship: Select/complete as applicable to identify the caller
  • Click Save
    System automatically populates tasks
  • Copy/paste the following Death Report (red text below) into the note text box:

------

[Alter to fit your client]

DECEASED INFO
Name of deceased:
Date of death
Social Security Number
Company participant worked for (if known)

SURVIVING SPOUSE INFO
Name of spouse
SSN of spouse
Phone number
Address

CALLER INFO
Caller name
Relationship to deceased
Phone number
Address

------

  • Click 'Save'
  • Click the 'New Task' button
  • Status: Open
  • Assign task 'Respond to PTP by CSR' to Survivor Support Advocate
  • Sequence: no action required, system assigns default sequence number
  • Due Date: 1 business day from today's date
  • Click 'Save Task'
  • Complete task 'Receive Death Notification'
Step 2: Benefit Specialist Provide Instructions to Caller
  • Please express your condolences for the caller's loss. Advise ptp that a Survivor Support Advocate will contact the appropriate family member within one business day with information about benefits.
Step 3: Wrap Up Call in MCCH
  • Complete call wrap up steps in MCCH
  • Follow-up Queue Assigned to: Survivor Support Advocate
  • Follow-up Date/Time: 1 business day

Sample Survivor Support Courtesy Reminders Process:

Notes:

  • Courtesy reminders are for Survivor Support Advocate use only.

All Callers:

  • Confirmation of Benefits and dollar amounts cannot be verified by phone on initial courtesy call.

Advise caller that benefits will be verified and summarized in a survivor letter which will be mailed within 5 business days.[Alter to fit your client]

  • Advise caller that a certified death certificate must be sent.

Active:

Pension

  • If applicable and verified beneficiary is on file, then if eligible, a pension kit will be processed within 15 business days of notification. To commence pension, caller must send back pension forms as well as the following forms:
  • Certified Death Certificate
  • Birth Certificate
  • Marriage Certificate (for surviving spouse)
  • If there is a trust or estate, please request that those documents be sent for review if applicable.

Health & Life - If caller asks about benefits

  • Participant's coverage will be canceled as of the date of death for the PTP.
Further information can only be provided to covered dependents or beneficiaries on file
  • Coverage for all eligible dependentswill end on the Sunday after the end of the pay cycle. Eligible dependents will be contacted directly by our COBRA vendor with enrollment information.
  • Retiree Medical plan eligibility, if applicable.
  • Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment coverage must be researched. A letter will be sent to the beneficiary(ies) with any necessary forms to complete. If applicable, provide the general processing time for life insurance and AD&D.
  • A letter along with claim form will be mailed within 5 business days.
  • Beneficiary must complete claim form and mail back along with a certified death certificate.
  • Within 5 business days of receipt of forms, a claim will be submitted.
  • Life Insurance Vendor will review the claim and, if approved, payment will be made within 15 business days.

Deferred Vested:

Pension

  • If applicable and verified beneficiary is on file, then if eligible, a pension kit will be processed within 15 business days of notification. To commence pension, caller must send back pension forms as well as the following forms:
  • Certified Death Certificate
  • Birth Certificate
  • Marriage Certificate (for surviving spouse)
  • If there is a trust or estate, please request that those documents be sent for review if applicable.

Health & Life - If caller asks about benefits

  • Participant's coverage will be canceled as of the date of death for the PTP.
Further information can only be provided to covered dependents or beneficiaries on file
  • Coverage for all eligible dependents under the Retiree Medical Plan will be elevated to their own record for continuation of coverage and provide general processing time/carrier reporting/ID card info.
  • Eligible dependents will be contacted directly by our COBRA vendor with enrollment information as an alternative to the Retiree Medical Plan.
  • Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment coverage must be researched. A letter will be sent to the beneficiary(ies) with any necessary forms to complete. If applicable, provide the general processing time for life insurance and AD&D.
  • A letter along with claim form will be mailed within 5 business days.
  • Beneficiary must complete claim form and mail back along with a certified death certificate.
  • Within 5 business days of receipt of forms, a claim will be submitted.
  • Life Insurance Vendor will review the claim and, if approved, payment will be made within 15 business days.

Retired:

Pension

  • Benefit payments paid after the participant’s death will need to be returned to the Plan.
  • We will attempt to reverse overpayments electronically. If any deposits are unrecoverable through this process, caller will be notified via a separate letter reimburse the Trust for these overpayments.
  • If applicable, advise caller that direct deposit and tax forms will be sent along with benefits letter to process a beneficiary payment.
  • If there is a trust or estate, please request that those documents be sent for review if applicable.

Health & Life - If caller asks about benefits

  • Participant's coverage will be canceled as of the date of death for the PTP.
Further information can only be provided to covered dependents or beneficiaries on file
  • Coverage for all eligible dependents under the Retiree Medical Plan will be elevated to their own record for continuation of coverage and provide general processing time/carrier reporting/ID card info.
  • Eligible dependents will be contacted directly by our COBRA vendor with enrollment information as an alternative to the Retiree Medical Plan.
  • Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment coverage must be researched. A letter will be sent to the beneficiary(ies) with any necessary forms to complete. If applicable, provide the general processing time for life insurance and AD&D.
  • A letter along with claim form will be mailed within 5 business days.
  • Beneficiary must complete claim form and mail back along with a certified death certificate.
  • Within 5 business days of receipt of forms, a claim will be submitted.
  • Life Insurance Vendor will review the claim and, if approved, payment will be made within 15 business days.

Beneficiary:

Health & Life - If caller asks about benefits

  • Beneficiary’s coverage will be canceled as of the date of death for the beneficiary.
  • Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment coverage must be researched. A letter will be sent to the beneficiary(ies) with any necessary forms to complete. If applicable, provide the general processing time for life insurance and AD&D.
  • A letter along with claim form will be mailed within 5 business days.
  • Beneficiary must complete claim form and mail back along with a certified death certificate.
  • Within 5 business days of receipt of forms, a claim will be submitted.
  • Life Insurance Vendor will review the claim and, if approved, payment will be made within 15 business days.

Beneficiary-in-Pay:

Pension
  • Benefit payments paid after the beneficiary's death will need to be returned to the Plan.
  • We will attempt to reverse overpayments electronically. If any deposits are unrecoverable through this process, caller will be notified via a separate letter reimburse the Trust for these overpayments.
  • If applicable, advise caller that direct deposit and tax forms will be sent along with benefits letter to process a beneficiary payment.
  • If there is a trust or estate, please request that those documents be sent for review if applicable.

Health & Life - If caller asks about benefits

  • Beneficiary’s coverage will be canceled as of the date of death for the beneficiary.
  • Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment coverage must be researched. A letter will be sent to the beneficiary(ies) with any necessary forms to complete. If applicable, provide the general processing time for life insurance and AD&D.
  • A letter along with claim form will be mailed within 5 business days.
  • Beneficiary must complete claim form and mail back along with a certified death certificate.
  • Within 5 business days of receipt of forms, a claim will be submitted.
  • Life Insurance Vendor will review the claim and, if approved, payment will be made within 15 business days.