| Apex Data Systems, incorporated in 1974, originated as the Data Processing Department for a leading Third Party Administrator, Babcock Insurance Corporation. The TPA dealt in True Group, Multiple Employer Trust, Association, and self-insured corporate plans, on a nationwide basis. The varied nature of this business demonstrated the need for a broad base of decision making information. It was imperative for this information to be more timely and more detailed than had previously been available. Cognac: Mainframe System
The technical staff of Apex Data Systems was responsible for designing and developing a totally on-line administration and claims system, supplemented by a comprehensive reporting system for monitoring business trends and each client specifically. System design requirements were formidable because of the flexibility required to accommodate the variety of lines of business and underwriters. This flexibility has been our major emphasis, and has resulted in an insurance system that processes an entire cafeteria of coverages and allows unlimited policy variations. A major key to the thorough development of Cognac was the independence of thought and flexibility not found within systems designed for a single company and product line. In 1977, Apex Data Systems completed version 1 of Cognac and successfully installed it for Babcock Insurance Corporation. During the next year and a half the system was closely monitored, refined and enhanced. Cognac was one of the first systems in the market which provided a fully consolidated, on-line administration and claims processing application. Because of the strength of this new system, Apex Data Systems was created as a separate software company, and the product was made available to the marketplace. Early mainframe users included such notable companies as Coroon & Black (a large TPA), Manufacturers Life Insurance Company in Toronto, Bankers Life & Casualty in Chicago, and the Equitable Life Assurance Society of America in New York.
[back to top] Cognac*Plus: PC-LAN Solution
In 1987 the decision was made to rewrite the system to take advantage of the emerging personal computer and Local Area Network technologies. Additional capabilities were added, including the ability to process individual insurance plans. After a year long effort, Cognac*Plus was released and installed at initial sites. Since that time, a growing number of insurance companies and Third Party Administrators have selected Apex Data Systems as a software application partner. This growing client base, coming from a very diverse industry group, reaffirms the superior flexibility and sophistication that the Cognac*Plus system has continued to maintain. We continuously enhance the system to meet the needs of our clients, both through client-funded modifications and through research and development dollars. Cognac*Plus has been selected by companies such as Prudential Group Assurance, Minnesota Mutual, Bankers Security (a Reliastar Company), Security Life, Educators Mutual, Farm Bureau, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina and Commercial Travelers, to name a few. We have implemented the system nationally and internationally, including Canada, the Caribbean and the Far East.
[back to top] Geronimo: Oracle Based Solution with Connectivity to the World Wide Web
Apex Data Systems continues to stay abreast of emerging technologies, and of those products that offer stable, flexible alternatives for developers. In 1996, the Geronimo development team first began the task of designing a system from the ground up that would offer all of the features and benefits offered by the Cognac*Plus Insurance Administration application. The result of the team's effort is Geronimo, Apex Data Systems' newest offering to the insurance marketplace. Geronimo is a fully consolidated Administration and Policy Management system written with Oraclešs Designer/Developer 2000 a suite of developer tools including Forms/Reports 2000. Geronimo is a native Oracle application, however can make use of any Oracle compliant ODBC database. Our application can communicate with several databases using one of several protocols such as SPX, TC/PIC and others. With Oracle8i, Geronimo will be fully web enabled. The first installation of the Geronimo application was for Finger Lakes Health Insurance Company, a member of Blue Cross Blue Shield of the Rochester Area. The Geronimo system was originally chosen for our technology direction, but while still under development, the management of BCBS demonstrated their commitment to the product by investing in an array of customizations and enhancements. They have been instrumental in assisting the Apex Data Systems' development team in the completion of a full featured Long Term Care module, which is at the forefront of anything available.
[back to top] Cognac*Express: 32-bit Solution with Connectivity to the World Wide Web
As the insurance marketplace and as business methods continue to advance and develop, Apex Data Systems continues to enhance and expand the capabilities and technologies of our products. In 2000, the Cognac development team began work on our latest project, the redesign of Cognac*Plus as a 32-bit application with graphical user interface. Years of experience coupled with the latest in technological offerings culminates in Apex Data Systems' fully consolidated Individual & Group Administration and Claims Adjudication system, Cognac*Express. Making use of solid and powerful tools for client/server platforms, Cognac*Express is written in Micro Focus COBOL with Micro Focus' Net Express tools. With enterprise and Internet capabilities, Cognac*Express offers the flexibility to run on multiple platforms including UNIX and all Microsoft 32-bit Windows platforms, and seamlessly extend all functionalities into the World Wide Web.
[back to top] Flexible Comprehensive Solutions
Apex Data Systems has since its inception stayed in touch with the latest needs in an ever changing insurance marketplace and our products have continued to be at the leading edge in software solutions. Our software applications offer complete support for a full range of life, health, disability, and long term care products, and are so comprehensive they support Individual, Group, and voluntary benefit approaches, and so flexible they handle both fully insured and self-funded financial arrangements. Our solutions continue to grow and expand in their multi-faceted support capabilities for insurers, third-party administrators, and employers.
[back to top] Industry Expertise
Aster company which is both a Third Party Administrator (TPA) and a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO). Yet another sister company is a full-service insurance agency. We are uniquely positioned, and thoroughly familiar with the needs of the marketplace because we have hands-on experience working within the same marketplace as our clients. As a result, Apex Data Systems is eminently qualified to partner with your organization in the support of your specific application needs. A strong working relationship with our customers is equally important. The relationship and cooperation between Apex Data Systems and its clients has throughout the years resulted in products that are successful from both technical and user viewpoints. Client input is crucial in all R&D endeavors. We invite you to evaluate our company and our products and discover for yourself why more and more companies are relying upon Apex Data Systems to meet their most critical software needs.
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