bswift Customer Service — Expert Guide for HR Leaders

Overview of bswift customer service

bswift is a benefits administration platform used by midsize and large employers for enrollment, eligibility, COBRA, ACA reporting and benefits communication. Effective customer service at bswift is organized around three audiences: plan sponsors (HR/benefits teams), plan participants (employees and dependents), and third-party administrators/carriers. Each audience gets dedicated workflows — for example, employer support typically includes account management and implementation teams, while participant support focuses on phone/chat/email assistance and transaction accuracy.

From an operational standpoint, bswift-style service emphasizes SLAs, data accuracy and measurable outcomes such as enrollment completion rates, error rates on carrier files, and ACA filing accuracy. Best-in-class programs will report monthly KPIs to clients — e.g., enrollment completion >95%, file transmission success >99.5%, and first-contact resolution rates in the 70–85% range — and use those metrics to drive continuous improvement.

Primary contact channels and expected SLAs

Clients and participants contact bswift through a combination of: a secure client support portal (web ticketing), phone-based participant support, live chat during open enrollment, and escalation to dedicated client success managers. Employers should use their dedicated account team for strategic items (renewal, integrations, pricing), and the support portal for operational tickets (carrier file corrections, data validations).

Typical SLAs to request or expect: initial phone response within 60–120 seconds during peak hours, email/ticket acknowledgment within 4 business hours, and a target resolution window of 24–72 business hours for medium-severity issues. For critical production outages (e.g., carrier file failure), escalation paths should specify a 2-hour response and daily status updates until resolved.

Onboarding, data migration and timelines

Implementation timelines vary by employer size and complexity. For a straightforward mid-market client (3,000–10,000 employees), typical implementation is 6–12 weeks. Large or multi-state clients with custom integrations, multi-carrier feeds, COBRA and retirement integrations commonly require 3–6 months. Key milestones include discovery, data mapping, extract/transform/load (ETL), validation, parallel testing and go-live.

Data formats and integrations most commonly used: EDI 834 for enrollment files, EDI 820/835 for billing/payment, SFTP-delivered CSVs for census uploads, and API endpoints for real‑time eligibility. Employers should plan for 3–5 rounds of file validation prior to go-live. Market implementation fees typically range from nominal for small employers up to $10,000–$75,000+ for enterprise implementations, depending on scope and required custom work.

Security, compliance and audits

Security and regulatory compliance are core to benefits administration. Expect the vendor to operate under SOC 2 Type II controls, maintain HIPAA-compliant handling of protected health information (PHI), and provide Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) when health data is processed. Employers should request the most recent SOC 2 report and penetration test summaries during vendor due diligence.

On benefits-side compliance, bswift-style platforms support ACA reporting (Forms 1095-C/1094-C), COBRA notices and HIPAA privacy requirements. Clients should validate year-end processes early: employers remain responsible for furnishing 1095-Cs to employees by January 31 and filing with the IRS by the statutory deadlines (for many years, paper filing due February 28 and electronic March 31), so confirm with your vendor the production and delivery timelines for those forms.

Pricing models and contract considerations

Commercial pricing is typically modular: base platform fees plus per-employee-per-month (PEPM) for administration and optional per-transaction fees (e.g., COBRA elections, carrier file amendments). Market PEPM ranges in 2024 commonly fall between $1.50 and $6.00 depending on functionality and volume; that translates to approximately $18–$72 per employee per year. Implementation and custom integration work are usually one-time fees invoiced upfront or amortized across year-one payments.

Key contractual items to negotiate: service level credits tied to uptime and file delivery, scheduled product roadmap commitments, data exit/portability clauses (format and timelines for extracting employee census and historical records), and clear termination notice periods (30–90 days is typical). Ensure indemnities and BAAs are included for PHI handling.

Practical tips to get fastest, most effective support

Before you open a ticket, gather the details that speed diagnosis: employer EIN, plan ID, employee ID, the date of the problematic transaction, screenshots or exported error reports, and the exact file name or carrier batch ID. Having sample rows from the source file and the expected vs. actual outcome reduces back-and-forth and shortens resolution time.

Maintain a quarterly review cadence with your bswift account team: go over open tickets, file success rates, enrollment completion trends, and any upcoming plan design or payroll changes. Proactive reviews catch configuration drift (e.g., carrier plan codes changed) before they result in mass errors during open enrollment.

Quick checklist to include with any support ticket

• Employer EIN and client account number (or plan sponsor ID)
• Employee identifier (SSN last 4 or company ID) and date/time of issue
• File name, transmission date/time, and method (SFTP, EDI, API)
• Attachment of exact error messages, screenshots or exported CSV rows
• Desired outcome and any deadline (e.g., payroll cutoff at 5:00 PM ET)

Escalation paths and measuring vendor performance

Define clear tiers for escalation: Level 1 (support center), Level 2 (technical/operations), Level 3 (client success/engineering) and Executive Escalation for unresolved contractual or compliance risks. Document escalation SLAs and include them in the Statement of Work so that response times and status reporting cadence are enforced.

Measure vendor performance monthly using a scorecard: uptime (%), file transmission success rate (%), average speed to answer (seconds), average time to resolution (hours/days), first-contact resolution (%), and business impact incidents per quarter. Sharing a joint scorecard encourages continuous improvement and helps justify investment in additional services like dedicated on-site training or API development.

Where to find help and official resources

For authoritative contact information and client portals, use the vendor’s official website and your employer’s client onboarding packet. The primary public entry point is the platform website (for example, https://www.bswift.com) and the secure client support portal provided at implementation. Your assigned account team will supply direct phone lines and escalation emails as part of the client onboarding materials.

If you are preparing an RFP or transitioning vendors, request the vendor’s latest SOC report, implementation project plan with milestones, sample EDI/CSV file specifications, and a two-year roadmap for product features tied to your priorities (ACA, COBRA, payroll integrations). These artifacts materially reduce surprise work and ensure the customer service model scales with your needs.

How do I contact bswift customer service?

If I am currently on COBRA and have questions, who do I contact? Please contact the bswift COBRA Service Center at (866) 365-2413.

Does Aetna still own bswift?

In November of 2014, the company was acquired for $400 million by Aetna. Then, in 2018, Aetna merged with CVS Health bringing bswift along with it. Bswift will still provide its software to CVS Health and Aetna after the acquisition with Francisco Partners closes, according to a statement.

How to access bswift?

To access the site for the first time, please use the following credentials: Username: Enter the four digits of your birth year + the last four digits of your Social Security Number (SSN). Password: Enter the last four digits of your Social Security Number (SSN).

How much does bswift cost?

On average, the annual cost for bswift software is about $15,000.

What are bswift benefits?

The bswift Benefits Ecosystem
Innovative administrative HR solutions that leverage advanced technology, efficient processes, and proven expertise to help your organization thrive. Simplify HR Processes.

What is my bswift username?

Welcome to the Benefits & Rewards Website!
Username: Your username is your eight-digit personnel number, including leading zeros. You can find this number on the top of your paycheck, or you can call the Benefit Service Center for additional assistance.