Integrated Voluntary Benefits Enrollment and Administration

An evolving and diverse workforce is increasingly moving away from a uniform approach to benefits. Employers now recognize the importance of adding voluntary benefits like identity theft, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and accident, alongside traditional options to effectively address the unique needs and preferences of their employees.

Our comprehensive enrollment and administration technology creates an integrated enrollment process that improves the employee experience and simplifies HR administration. Adding Enrollment Support Solutions brings even more value to employers.

 

Enrollment Support Solutions

Best-in-Class Voluntary Carriers

Strategic carrier partnerships provide savings and discount opportunities for adding personalized Enrollment Support Solutions.

Total Implementation Management

We handle the implementation process soup to nuts, including requirements and paperwork gathering, platform setup, and managing carrier installations. 

Streamline Enrollment and Administration

Customized communication, education, and powerful technology combine to integrate core and voluntary front-end enrollment and ongoing administration, easing the workload for insurance brokers and their clients' HR staff.

Tailored Communications Lifts Participation

A user-friendly enrollment platform, clear communication channels, and personalized support is an opportunity for higher employee satisfaction, engagement, and participation rates.

 

Opportunity and Impact

Voluntary Benefits are in Demand

76% of employees say voluntary benefits positively affect their decision to work for and stay with their employer - Corstream, 2021 State of Voluntary Benefits

Employers Are Listening

Most US employers plan to enhance health & benefit offerings in 2023 to improve talent attraction and retention - Mercer Health and Benefit Strategies for 2023

More Likely to Recommend

67% of employees who rate their benefits as excellent or very good said they were more likely to recommend their employer  - New England Enrollment Strategies 

A Better Employee Experience

80% of employees who met 1:1 with an enrollment specialist found them to be very or extremely helpful. - DirectPath, 2021 Consumer Report

Enroll smarter, not harder. Let's talk. 

Voluntary Benefits Insights

IRS Releases OBBBA Guidance on Expanded Availability of HSAs

84
Karen Greco
/ Categories: Federal Health & Welfare Updates

 

December 16, 2025

On December 9, 2025, the IRS released IRS Notice 2026-5, which offers guidance regarding modifications to HSAs instituted by the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), enacted on July 4, 2025. These changes involve telehealth services, bronze and catastrophic plans, and direct primary care service arrangements (DPCSAs). 

Telehealth Services 

The OBBBA permanently allows group health plans to offer telehealth services to HDHP participants before deductibles are met, without affecting HSA eligibility, and applies retroactively to plan years starting after December 31, 2024. The notice states that eligible individuals can contribute to an HSA for 2025 if, prior to the July 4, 2025, enactment of the OBBBA, they were enrolled in a plan covering telehealth before meeting the deductible, if the plan otherwise qualifies as an HDHP, regardless of when the contribution is made.  

This relief extends to services that are included on the list of telehealth services payable by Medicare, published annually by HHS. The guidance also provides instructions for determining whether a service not on this list qualifies for this relief. However, this relief does not apply to in-person services, medical equipment, or drugs provided alongside those services — unless they would otherwise be considered telehealth services. 

Bronze and Catastrophic Plans 

The OBBBA redefined HDHP to include bronze and catastrophic exchange plans, even if they don't meet the usual deductible or out-of-pocket limits. A person enrolled in these plans can be eligible to make or receive contributions to an HSA. The notice clarifies that this change applies to such plans bought with an employer-sponsored ICHRA, as well as plans purchased off-exchange. 

Direct Primary Care Service Arrangements (DPCSAs)

The OBBBA allows DPCSAs with monthly fees up to $150 per individual or $300 per family to qualify for HSA eligibility. The notice clarifies that compensation for DPCSA services under such arrangements can only be made through a fixed periodic fee. DPCSA fees may be billed for periods up to one year if the aggregate fees are fixed, periodic, and remain within the monthly limit when annualized. This condition also means that a DPCSA will not qualify if it provides certain healthcare items and services to individuals on the condition that they are members in the arrangement and have paid a fixed periodic fee but bills separately for those items and services (through insurance or otherwise). That said, providers can offer and bill separately for services outside of a qualifying DPCSA. 

If a plan offers services that go beyond approved primary care, its members cannot simply choose not to use those extra services and still consider it a DPCSA. In addition, HDHPs cannot count DPCSA fees toward an HDHP deductible or out-of-pocket maximum. 

To be eligible for HSA reimbursement, a DPCSA must provide only primary care services by qualified primary care practitioners, with payment as a fixed regular fee, and must not include certain disallowed services or items. Disallowed services and items include 1) procedures that require the use of general anesthesia, 2) prescription drugs other than vaccines, and 3) laboratory services not typically administered in an ambulatory primary care setting. 

While there is no set limit on this fee for HSA reimbursements, if the DPCSA fee exceeds the monthly threshold for HSA eligibility, the individual cannot contribute to their HSA during those months. The guidance details when HSA funds can be used for DPCSA expenses, noting that only out-of-pocket fees can be reimbursed. HSAs also cannot reimburse fees already paid by an employer, including those made via cafeteria plan salary reductions. 

Employer Takeaway 

Employers that offer HDHPs and HSA programs should be aware of this new guidance, particularly when evaluating or adopting DPCSAs. Public comments are requested on all aspects of the notice and must be submitted on or before March 6, 2026.  

Read the full Notice 2026-5 on the IRS website.

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