News Archives

HDHPs and Wellness Programs

According to Kaiser Family Foundation, the average premium for family health plan coverage increased by 47% between 2011 and 2021. In response, employers have increasingly turned to High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) to lower premiums and shift more financial responsibility to covered employees. While employees appreciate lower premium costs, the higher deductibles can lead to higher out-of-pocket costs in the long run. The higher financial responsibility may increase employee utilization of cost-saving measures like wellness programs.

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FSAs, Status Changes, and Contributions

Changes in family status can change health insurance eligibility. But they can also affect consumer-directed healthcare accounts, prompting questions about mid-year status changes. Here’s how family status changes can affect FSA and Dependent Care account elections. Can I change my health FSA contributions? Employees enroll in FSA accounts during open enrollment each year. At that time, they must decide on a contribution amount up to the IRS-mandated maximum ($3,050 for 2023). FSA accounts can be used

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DataPath Wins 2 MUSE Awards for 2023

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. (March 10, 2023) – DataPath, Inc., a leading administrative solutions provider for employer-sponsored benefit accounts, has received double honors in the 2023 MUSE Creative Awards. DataPath captured Silver awards in the Marketing Promotion category for its “Ticket to Success” and “Great Good Fortune” direct mail campaigns. The MUSE Awards is an international competition for creative professionals who inspire others to greater heights through their concepts, ideas, and designs. On average, fewer than

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Shopping for FSA Products Online

Consumers have been shopping for everything from clothing to groceries to furniture through online retailers for years. It’s convenient, and prices may be lower than those at brick-and-mortar retail stores. More and more, people are turning to the web to buy healthcare products. Many retailers sell FSA-eligible products online, and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) participants can use their account-linked debit cards as payment. What to Know When FSA Shopping Online Before shopping online with your

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Need-to-Knows About IRA-to-HSA Balance Transfers

Health Savings Accounts are popular tools for managing healthcare costs and retirement planning. HSA account owners can access their HSA balances tax-free to pay eligible healthcare expenses and invest for growth over time. Did you know that if you have an IRA, you can make a one-time funds transfer into your HSA account? Doing so gives you the “triple-tax advantage” on the transferred funds, but there are a few things to consider. What is an

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HSAs and COBRA Enrollment

If you manage clients on COBRA software, chances are you may manage HSAs as well. This blog addresses concerns about HSAs and COBRA and how these two work together. A great resource to help participants learn if they can pay for COBRA premiums with an HSA, if you can contribute to your HSA while on COBRA and more.

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Employee Burnout and Employer Benefits

Mental health issues skyrocketed during the pandemic. Meanwhile, about 10% of the American workforce, or 16 million people, have more than one job. With those facts in mind, it’s unsurprising that employee burnout is a continuing problem. The good news is that employer-sponsored benefits can help mitigate burnout. What is burnout? As defined by the World Health Organization, “Burnout is a syndrome … resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” Sufferers of burnout

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Healthcare Consumerism Continues to Rise

Healthcare consumerism is a movement to make healthcare services more efficient and cost-effective. It transforms an employer’s health benefit plan, putting the economic purchasing power and decision-making in participants’ hands. Consumerism aims to enable patients to become wholly involved in their healthcare decisions. What drives healthcare consumerism? Customers can access features, benefits, and cost comparisons in most industries to guide their purchasing decisions. In contrast, the healthcare industry presents many choices, contact points, and service

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FSA FAQs

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans remain the most common type of group health coverage, with nearly half (49%) of U.S. workers enrolled in a PPO plan option. (By comparison, 29% of workers are covered by High-Deductible Health Plans or HDHPs.) Employers offering PPO plans may also sponsor a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). Here are the answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about FSAs. What is a Flexible Spending Account? A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is

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Five Keys to a Successful 2023

The last few years have been challenging, full of lessons to learn and new perspectives to gain. As third-party administrators (TPAs) and brokers use these to meet this year’s goals, what are the five keys to a successful 2023? Provide Year-Round Communication Although a benefits program may be in good shape when open enrollment concludes, what about a month or quarter later? Have any participants had a mid-year status change necessitating an adjustment to their consumer-directed healthcare accounts?

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COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Extended Again

On January 11, 2023, the COVID-19 National Public Health Emergency (PHE) was extended for 90 days. The PHE was scheduled to expire on April 11, 2023. Update: On January 31, 2023, the Biden Administration announced their intent to end the Public Health Emergency on May 11. Effects of the PHE Extension With the extension, the temporary rule changes regarding COBRA, HIPAA, and group health plans (including FSAs and HSAs) continue. (Click here for more detailed

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DataPath Selected in 2022 Digital Health Awards

Employee education and engagement program captures another national honor DataPath, Inc., a leading developer of technology solutions for third-party benefits administrators, has been named a Gold Award winner in the Fall 2022 Digital Health Awards® competition. They were honored for a new comic about Dependent Care benefits produced for their innovative program, The Adventures of Captain Contributor.™ Launched in 2017, Captain Contributor provides healthcare consumers with easy-to-understand information about healthcare benefit accounts in a fun and engaging

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Millennials, HDHPs and HSAs

Popular with Millennials, HDHPs paired with HSAs can help employers improve employee satisfaction with healthcare benefits. Millennials are Embracing HDHPs Millennials are active supporters of consumer-directed healthcare. Now in their late 20s through early 40s, they tend to be healthier than their older workforce peers (Gen X and Baby Boomer generations) and, on average, spend less on healthcare costs. Nearly half of Millennials who are eligible for an HSA through their employer are adopting one.

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Findings from the PSCA 2022 HSA Survey

HSA availability and usage continue to grow, according to the Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA). For their 2022 HSA Survey, the PSCA surveyed nearly 500 employers who offered HSA-qualifying health plans in 2021. Their findings are summarized and highlighted below. Data Highlights from the PSCA 2022 HSA Survey HSA Contributions and Balances Average participant contributions and balances have declined. PSCA found that of the 75% of employers who contribute, 60.2% set different amounts based

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Omnibus Legislation includes CAA 2023 and SECURE 2.0

On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill into law. The legislation, which included the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (CAA 2023) and the SECURE Act 2.0, features several provisions affecting employee benefits. A summary of some highlights follow. HSAs and Telehealth Telehealth use soared during the pandemic. SHRM reports that 43 percent of organizations expanded telehealth services during the period. The 2020 CARES Act allowed HSA-qualified high-deductible health plans

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