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

Stopgap Bill Ends Government Shutdown with Subsidy Issue Unresolved

63
Karen Greco
/ Categories: Federal Health & Welfare Updates

 

December 02, 2025

On November 12, 2025, President Trump signed the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2026, effectively ending the 43-day federal government shutdown. The stopgap bill temporarily extended funding for most of the federal government through January 30, 2026. Notably, though, the bill did not include any extension of the ACA enhanced premium tax credits (PTCs), which was the central issue during the shutdown. However, the parties tentatively agreed to vote on the outcome of the enhanced PTCs this month (i.e., in December).

As background, the PTC was originally established to help eligible individuals lower their premium payments for plans offered through ACA exchanges (marketplace). The PTC was originally available only to people who met specific criteria, including a modified adjusted gross income between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty line. Subsequent legislation “enhanced” PTC eligibility by eliminating the maximum income limit for eligibility, while also reducing the cost of monthly insurance premiums. The enhanced PTCs are currently set to expire at the end of 2025, absent a legislative extension.

Currently, the likelihood of a legislative compromise regarding the enhanced PTC is not clear. As explained in our prior article, Enhanced ACA Premium Tax Credits to Expire at End of Year, if the enhanced PTCs expire, premiums are expected to significantly increase. This increase may result in an overall decline in marketplace enrollment, a marked increase in the number of uninsured individuals, and a marketplace risk pool that includes more people with higher health needs.

Employer Takeaway

Despite the reopening of the federal government, the debate regarding the extension of the ACA enhanced PTCs remains unresolved. There have been a variety of proposals in the Senate, including to replace the enhanced PTCs with federal contributions to HSAs, which could be used for out-of-pocket expenses; however, it’s not clear exactly how such an arrangement would work or whether the proposals have sufficient support. Hopefully, the legislators will reach an agreement before the current government funding expires in late January.

The expiration of the enhanced PTC should not directly impact employers. If an applicable large employer (ALE) subject to the ACA employer mandate is offering all full-time employees affordable minimum value (MV) healthcare coverage, the employees would not be eligible for a PTC, and the employer would not risk penalties. Of course, if an ALE fails to offer affordable MV coverage to full-time employees, potential penalties can apply.

However, if the enhanced PTC subsidies expire, it’s possible some employers will experience an increase in enrollment of spouses or dependents of employees, to the extent eligible for the employer’s coverage. Additionally, if market premium costs are not more favorable, more qualified beneficiaries may also choose to elect or remain on COBRA. Finally, if the employer contracts with independent contractors, these individuals may also be seeking affordable coverage if they are no longer eligible for an enhanced PTC. However, for compliance reasons, it is generally not advisable for employers to expand group health plan eligibility to allow independent contractors to enroll; please see our related FAQ: Health Coverage for Independent Contractors?.

Accordingly, employers should remain aware of the status of the enhanced PTC, and related legislative developments, as 2026 approaches.

Print
Rate this article:
No rating

Tags

stopgap bill government shutdowngovernment shutdown resolution