The first-ever virtual National Council on Teacher Retirement (NCTR) conference was a culmination of great ideas, discussions on the changing pandemic situation and how it affects work, and how technology plays a decisive role in keeping data secure. Our Chief Information Officer Warren Gordon was on a panel speaking about All things IT: from Cybersecurity to Telecommuting. Here are his thoughts and excerpts from the discussion.

“Change is the only constant in life, and if we’ve learned anything from 2020, it’s that you best be prepared.”

With the unprecedented pass of the federal CARES Act to deal with the economic impacts of COVID-19, State Workforce Agencies across the nation scrambled to develop systems that could quickly accommodate millions of Americans suddenly eligible for unemployment benefits. IT leaders and software application developers were hit with an urgent and immediate demand for technology solutions without knowing the volume and scaling requirements—in an environment that was highly visible, politically charged, and frequently covered by mass media.

As we plan for the new normal, it’s time for Medicaid plans to evaluate the change in member expectations and behavior. People are now performing jobs successfully at home in record number, and a recent Gartner poll shows that 48% of employees will continue to work remotely in the future. In short, remote work and service are trends set to control the remainder of 2020 and 2021.

Your organization’s data is critically important – and quite vulnerable – during a new solution implementation. Consequently, your vendor should offer advanced security options to protect your data during your project implementation. Further, they should also provide you detailed security protocols and plans for converting your data accurately and efficiently. In your analysis of determining which pension administration software is best for your organization, be sure to keep maintaining data integrity at the top of your list.

After understanding what to look for in a Pension Administration Software – and how to evaluate whether or not it will meet your organizational goals – it’s time to focus on another obstacle entirely: implementation. Depending on the size of the organization, transitioning to a new solution could take weeks, months – even years. Plus, new regulations and innovations can sometimes cause further delays and overhaul hindrances. In truth, this project is no small feat.

As a health plan, getting members to act on compliance requirements is a costly and time-consuming affair. It’s a key focus for Medicaid plans because non-compliance results in revenue loss and corrective action. Since member participation is voluntary, many Medicaid plans have tried different approaches to meeting this requirement. Incentivizing behavior change among their members has become the most popular route that many have taken – but this is far from the best option. The secret to boosting compliance lies in changing how Medicaid plans approach this problem.

What should you look for in a pension administration software (PAS)? While different organizations have different needs, there are a few key features that a potential solution should have. If you caught our previous blog, we walked through the key questions helpful for analyzing the best solution for your organization. Here, we’ll show you the key features a potential solution should provide. Remember, in an industry inundated by continually changing policies, PAS vendors should meet your needs for both the long and short-term.

With the unprecedented pass of the federal CARES Act to deal with the economic impacts of COVID-19, State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) across the nation scrambled to develop systems that could quickly accommodate millions of Americans suddenly eligible for unemployment benefits.

Choosing a pension administration software (PAS) is a monumental task. Your decision could affect your organization for years or (most likely) decades to come. Dealing with fragmented and outdated technology that can't evolve poses a significant business challenge. Due to limited staff and budget constraints, coupled with the continually changing nature of the industry, choosing the right solution is critical.