How much does the Carrier Exchange cost?

The cost of the Carrier Exchange depends on your agency's relationship with BerniePortal and which carriers you integrate with each employer.

Free Option

No cost if BerniePortal is the general agency or billing provider for dental plus two additional lines of coverage.

When BerniePortal serves as your general agency or handles billing for at least three lines of coverage (dental plus two other benefit types), you can use the Carrier Exchange at no charge for those integrated carriers.

Standard Pricing

For all other scenarios, the Carrier Exchange costs:

• $0.95 per employee per month for the first carrier integration
• $0.45 per employee per month for each additional carrier integration
• No setup fees - There are no one-time charges to activate integrations

Important Notes About Pricing

Per Employee, Per Month Costs are calculated based on the number of enrolled employees, not total employees. This is charged monthly as a recurring fee.

Per Employer Group Pricing applies separately to each employer. If you have 20 employers with carrier integrations, each one is billed according to their own employee count and number of integrated carriers.

Charges Begin When Active You will not incur any charges for integrations in Pending status. Charges start only when an integration moves to Active status and is fully functional.

No Charges for Disabled Integrations If you turn off an integration (Disabled status), you will not be charged for that integration.

Pricing Examples

Example 1: Free Carrier Exchange

Scenario: An employer has Blue Cross Blue Shield for medical and MetLife for dental, vision, and life. BerniePortal is the general agency and/or billing provider for these benefits.

Cost: $0.00 (no charge)

Example 2: Single Carrier

Scenario: An employer with 50 employees has Blue Cross Blue Shield for medical, dental, vision, and life.

Calculation:

• First carrier: $0.95 × 50 employees = $47.50 per month
• Additional carriers: None

Total Cost: $47.50 per month

Example 3: Multiple Carriers

Scenario: An employer with 30 employees has Blue Cross Blue Shield for medical and Principal for dental, vision, and life.

Calculation:

• First carrier (BCBS): $0.95 × 30 employees = $28.50 per month
• Second carrier (Principal): $0.45 × 30 employees = $13.50 per month

Total Cost: $42.00 per month

Example 4: Three Carriers

Scenario: An employer with 25 employees has three separate carrier integrations.

Calculation:

• First carrier: $0.95 × 25 employees = $23.75 per month
• Second carrier: $0.45 × 25 employees = $11.25 per month
• Third carrier: $0.45 × 25 employees = $11.25 per month

Total Cost: $46.25 per month

Understanding Value

While there is a cost for most implementations, the Carrier Exchange reduces manual administrative work, minimizes errors, provides centralized discrepancy management, and maintains complete audit trails. Many agencies find that the time savings and reduced risk justify the investment.

For specific questions about pricing for your situation or to confirm whether you qualify for the free option, contact your BerniePortal Account Manager.