Underwriter I

Premera Blue Cross•Mountlake Terrace, WA

6d•$62,000 - $99,200•Hybrid

About The Position

Our purpose, to improve customers’ lives by making healthcare work better, is far from ordinary. And so are our employees. Working at Premera means you have the opportunity to drive real change by transforming healthcare. Premera is committed to being a workplace where people feel empowered to grow, innovate, and lead with purpose. By investing in our employees and fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous development, we’re able to better serve our customers. It’s this commitment that has earned us recognition as one of the best companies to work for. Learn more about our recent awards and recognitions as a greatest workplace. Learn how Premera supports our members, customers and the communities that we serve through our Healthsource blog: https://healthsource.premera.com/ . As an Underwriter I , you will support Premera’s corporate financial and membership goals by evaluating and selecting risk, using internal systems, formulas, and data and data sources, in addition to external data and data sources. This role offers the opportunity to acquire a specialized skill set, continued career growth, and a collaborative work environment. This is a hybrid role and can be located on either of our campuses (Mountlake Terrace or Spokane).

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Mathematics, or related field of study, or (4) years of related work experience.
(1) year of underwriting or analytical experience.
In-depth knowledge of mathematical principles used in underwriting function.
General knowledge of healthcare/Life/DI benefits and programs.
Ability to process information using rating, pricing, and data gathering programs.
Ability to create ad hoc reports using spreadsheet and database applications, as well as third party software applications as required.
Strong data mining capabilities.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
The following have been identified as essential physical requirements of this job and must be performed with or without an accommodation: This is primarily a sedentary role which requires the ability to exert up to 10 lbs. of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. This role requires the ability to keyboard and to communicate clearly and understandably in person and over the telephone.

Nice To Haves

(3) years of health insurance underwriting experience.
Intermediate to advanced Excel skills.
Knowledge of self-funding arrangements and underwriting.
Ability to present to the underwriting department both internally and externally on case specific issues.

Responsibilities

Evaluate, develop rates, and accept or reject risk after examining appropriate information required to underwrite proposals and renewals.
Work is often focused on smaller groups and support for senior underwriters on self-funding cases.
Use judgment (with appropriate level of peer/manager review) to evaluate system-generated rate calculations for reasonability of the risk.
Review requests for alternate benefit packages, determine feasibility and anticipated risk impact, and provide support for refunding and minimum premium cases.
Suggest alternative options as necessary and develop final rates for benefit offerings.
Verify sold group information for new and existing business.
Utilize applications to support the rating and underwriting process, including but not limited to systems, claims reporting, and reporting databases.
Under direction and approval by management, enforce underwriting guidelines and rules, and administrative rules under which Premera will accept a risk.
Monitor and direct activities on case specific issues and/or projects.
Test systems, update procedures before and after implementation, and troubleshoot/test errors/update with others.
Document procedures/processes for various rating and other systems.
Utilize data from Siebel, Trizetto, and Optum systems. Learn to navigate and extract data from the systems.
Recommend solutions to improve procedures/processes for various rating and other systems.
May participate on intradepartmental projects.

Benefits

Our comprehensive total rewards package provides support, resources, and opportunities to help employees thrive and grow.
Our total rewards are more than a collection of perks, they're a reflection of our commitment to your health and well-being.
We offer a broad array of rewards including physical, financial, emotional, and community benefits, including:
Medical, vision, and dental coverage with low employee premiums.
Voluntary benefit offerings, including pet insurance for paw parents.
Life and disability insurance.
Retirement programs, including a 401K employer match and, believe it or not, a pension plan that is vested after 3 years of service.
Wellness incentives with a wide range of mental well-being resources for you and your dependents, including counseling services, stress management programs, and mindfulness programs, just to name a few.
Generous paid time off to reenergize.
Looking for continuing education? We have tuition assistance for both undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Employee recognition program to celebrate anniversaries, team accomplishments, and more.
For our hybrid employees, our on-campus model provides flexibility to create your own routine with access to on-site resources, networking opportunities, and team engagement.
Commuter perks make your trip to work less impactful on the environment and your wallet.
Free convenient on-site parking.
Subsidized on-campus cafes make lunchtime connections with colleagues fun and affordable.
Participate in engaging on-site activities such as health and wellness events, coffee connects, disaster preparedness fairs and more.
Our complementary fitness & well-being center offers both in-person and virtual workouts and nutritional counseling.
Need a brain break? Challenge someone to a game of shuffleboard or ping pong while on campus.