As a team of benefits strategists, we work hard every day to make sure we’re exceeding client expectations and providing the most innovative and value-generating plan designs and advisory services.
Apex is fiercely independent so that we can invest in solutions, lower our shoulder and run through the wall.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Apex Benefits. As we look back at 20 years of history, one thing that stood out is how dynamic the health insurance industry is, and the response it requires.
The landscape of the industry is constantly shifting and raising new challenges. Even small tweaks to laws or regulations can cause major impacts downstream. This can be devastating to companies and their employees.
The Challenge
One challenge stands out among the rest. In 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law. Over ten thousand pages of legislation hit overnight, and companies needed to get up to speed.
At the same time, federal agencies were tooling up. Traditionally they had been focused on retirement plans, but with the passing of the ACA, the number of audits and penalties on health plans started to climb.
So, how did the insurance industry react? Many independent brokers sold out or merged with larger firms. Some retired in fear of the legislation, while others ignored it and assumed it would simply go away.
Our Response
At Apex, the choice was easy—innovate. Before the law was signed, leadership identified the ACA for what it was: legislature that was here to stay and would have a massive impact on the companies we served.
A two-member task force was hired to assess new requirements, identify potential impacts, and start preparing to help our clients. A partnership was formed with Milliman Actuaries which allowed for accurate financial predictions of the law’s impact on an individual business.
The preparation paid off. By the time the laws impacted our clients, they were prepared and in compliance. For one new client, Apex stepped in, fixed compliance missteps and saved $1 million annually on fines and fees.
Today, the Affordable Care Act storm has been weathered. But health insurance remains as dynamic as ever. New challenges pop up consistently and laws are tweaked. Some are complicated, others are simple, but they all have the potential to impact organizations.
It has been 13 years since then, and the Apex task force has evolved into a compliance service team who continue to innovate and stay ahead of the impact to make sure that when changes hit an organization they are prepared and equipped for long-term success.
Our Commitment
Some brokers run from the challenge, some wait for it to disappear—Apex has, and will continue to, run into the challenge.
Former task force member and current director of compliance services John Forrest puts it this way:
“Our industry frequently faces issues that I like to call stone walls. They often make everyone stop and wonder what to do. Apex is fiercely independent so that we can invest in solutions, lower our shoulder and run through the wall.”