DIRECTORY OF BENEFIT INFORMATION AND CLAIMS SYSTEMS (PART ELEVEN OF SEVENTEEN)

M
Maron Computer Services
P.O. Box 7330, Oxnard, Calif. 93031-7330; 805-389-6606; fax: 805-389-6608
Benefit systems since: 1980.
Software systems:
*SMART-TRAK.
Price quoted individually.
System requirements: 386 PC; DOS or Windows 3.1; 4MB RAM, 20MB hard disk; VGA video; multiple user; network operating systems supported include Novell Netware and Banyan VINES; database management systems supported.
Customization optional.
First Installation: 1988.
Total installations: 12 in employee benefit departments.
Benefits managed: Disability, group health plans, life insurance.
Features: Supports multiple benefits, provides comprehensive eligibility maintenance, premium billing, ID cards and certificates, payment accounting, commission processing, full audit history, flexible rate design, agent file maintenance (including 1099s), accounts receivable, late letters, user security and extensive reporting; automatic calculation of retroactive rate and eligibility transactions. Options include transfer of eligibility to claims systems, reinsurance administration, Medicare risk, PCP capitated reimbursements, case management.
User support: Onsite training*, online support, telephone assistance eight hours per day*.
Staff: Four total, three professionals.
Clients: 12 total, including one benefit department. Sold systems to three clients in 1996.
1996 revenues: 50% from software sales, 50% from software services.
Officers: David Maron, president.
Contact: Mike Barbarine, marketing manager.
**Included in system price.
William M. Mercer Inc.
1166 Ave. of the Americas, New York,
N.Y. 10036; 212-345-7584;
fax: 212-345-7423
Benefit systems since: 1975.
Parent: Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc.
Software systems:
*415 Express.
Price quoted individually.
System requirements: DOS platform; 1MB RAM; single user.
Customized system.
First Installation: 1988.
Total installations: Eight in employee benefit departments.
Benefits managed: 401(k) plans, profit sharing, retirement/pensions.
Features: Tests for compliance with Section 415 combined limits, customized defined benefit plan provisions, recognizes benefits grandfathered under pension laws, allows projection of limits to future determination dates.
*Allocation Express.
System requirements: DOS platform; single user.
Customization optional.
First Installation: 1989.
Total installations: 50 in employee benefit departments.
Benefits managed: 401(k) plans, profit sharing.
Features: Participant recordkeeping system for all aspects of defined contribution plan administration. Benefit communication features include employee statements and other printed material and voice response systems.
*Chart.
System requirements: Windows platform; 8MB RAM; single user.
Customized system.
First Installation: 1994.
Total installations: Three in employee benefit departments.
Benefits managed: Flexible benefits, group health plans, life insurance.
Features: Health and welfare plan enrollment and ongoing processing; inquiry access to enrollment and eligibility information; personalized enrollment materials/confirmation statements; automated eligibility testing and computation of credits, prices and benefit coverage; interface file to pass information to other systems; ad hoc queries and reports; online display EDI; mailing services. Optional modules available.
*Data Reconciliation System (DRS).
System requirements: DOS platform; 1MB RAM; single user.
Customized system.
First Installation: 1988.
Total installations: 31 in employee benefit departments.
Benefits managed: Retirement/pensions.
Features: Reconciliation of yearly census data, incrementing of service fields and other pertinent data.
*Global Retirement System (GRS).
System requirements: DOS or Windows 95 platform; 32MB RAM; single user.
First Installation: 1989.
Total installations: Six in employee benefit departments.
Benefits managed: Retirement/pensions.
Features: Provides modules for valuation and reporting on various kinds of retirement plans, including pension valuation, retiree medical valuation and asset/liability modeling and projection, associated reporting (results of valuation/modeling, regulating and accounting reports and management reports), data management module for data collection and editing.
*LoanKey.
System requirements: DOS platform; 640KB RAM; single user.
Customization optional.
First Installation: 1986.
Total installations: 60 in employee benefit departments.
Benefits managed: 401(k) plans, profit sharing.
Features: Loan administration, amortization schedules, promissory note, truth-in-lending, what-if loan modeling, standard reports, conforms to regulation Z requirements, functions independently of any recordkeeping system. Benefit communication features include reports, schedules, promissory notes and non-disclosure statements. Optional modules available.
*Mercer's Global Database System.
Price: $5,000 plus $500 per year for upgrades and updated resources.
System requirements: 386 PC; Windows platform; 4MB RAM, 6MB hard disk; VGA video; single user; network operating systems supported include Novell Netware, Banyan VINES, IBM Lan Manager; database management systems supported include NT SQL, dBASE, Access and SQL.
Customization optional.
First Installation: 1995.
Total installations: 100 in employee benefit departments.
Benefits managed: Disability, leave of absence, group health plans, profit sharing, life insurance, retirement/pensions, social security benefits, FAS 87 figures, general compensation.
Features: Database for multinational companies to store information on worldwide benefits, including cross-country comparison reports, summary reports, updated typical practice and social security in applicable countries, updated quarterly legislative changes.
*Pension Express.
System requirements: DOS platform; 540K conventional memory, 6MB extended memory; VGA video; single user; network operating systems supported include Novell Netware.
Customized system.
First Installation: 1989.
Total installations: 40 in employee benefit departments.
Benefits managed: Retirement/pensions.
Features: Eligibility verification for defined benefit events, including normal retirement, vesting, early retirement, disability and death benefits; defined benefit calculation results storage; data impact and batch printing. Benefit communication features include reports and batch printing of customized reports.
*SSCalc (Social Security Calculation
System).
System requirements: DOS platform; 640KB RAM; single user.
First Installation: 1979.
Total installations: 45 in employee benefit departments.
Benefits managed: Social Security benefits.
Features: Calculates Old-Age Survivors & Disability Insurance (OASDI) benefits under Social Security law in effect at any time since 1975.
*TestKey.
System requirements: DOS platform; 640KB RAM; single user.
Customization optional.
First Installation: 1987.
Total installations: Six in employee benefit departments.
Benefits managed: 401(k) plans.
Features: Performs discrimination tests in accordance with the rules established by the Tax Reform Act of 1986.
*TRACS OnLine.
System requirements: DOS, Windows or OS/2 platform; 4MB RAM; VGA video; single user.
Online system.
Customization optional.
First Installation: 1993.
Total installations: 50 in employee benefit departments.
Benefits managed: 401(k) plans, profit sharing.
Features: Allows inquiries and changes to investment elections and contribution percents, initiation and modeling of loan requests, intiation of withdrawals and distributions, performs balance rearrangements and fund transfers. Benefit communication features include report generation and confirmation statements based on employee-initiated activity. Options include activating or deactivating features based on intended use by employees and plan sponsors.
User support: User groups/meetings available for Global Retirement System and Mercer's Global Database System only, onsite training available for all systems except SSCalc, telephone assistance available for all systems, installation support available for LoanKey, Pension Express, TestKey and TRACS OnLine systems only.
Staff: 4,029 total.
Clients: 581 total, including 309 benefit departments.
Officers: Timothy J. Lynch, chairman; Vikesh Mahendroo, president; Yves Roy, chief information officer.
Contact: Edward R. Angel, principal, 847-317-7513.