Benefits players say Trump administration is listening

Kim Buckey, a benefits compliance specialist, says she’s already seeing signs that the incoming Trump administration wants to talk to her company and its client employers about cutting through red tape.

Buckey is a vice president at Birmingham, Alabama-based DirectPath, a company that helps large employers with tasks such as meeting the federal requirements for preparing, and distributing, summary plan descriptions.

The firm also helps with Affordable Care Act Summary of Benefits and Coverage, 1095-B and 1095-C coverage offer notices, and other ACA notices and data collection efforts.

DirectPath has already reached out to people on the Trump transition team, and they’re trying to nail down a date for a meeting in Washington, Buckey said today in an interview.

The meeting could take place sometime in the next three weeks, Buckey said.

Related: 3 peeks inside the Trump DOL pick’s benefit plans

The Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based Health Agents for America says it believes it will get to meet face-to-face in Washington with representatives from HealthCare.gov in February.

Donald Trump is set to take the oath of office and enter the White House Jan. 20.

Buckey said her experience is that the Obama administration officials in charge of implementing ACA compliance have been happy to meet with DirectPath, and appreciative of any input DirectPath could provide.

But, given that Trump has run a large business, and many of the top candidates for high-level positions in his administration have also run large businesses, “they’re certainly going to be more attuned to employer pain points,” Buckey said.

Since the President-elect has run a large business, he and his team may be more attuned to employer stresses. (Photo: iStock)

Employer pain points

Most large employers now understand how to handle ACA employee counting and coverage reporting, and they also understand how to prepare SBCs, or “milk carton label” type summaries for health plans, Buckey said.