dataPATH FOR SUCCESS

 

January 2006   Volume V, Issue 1

Editor: Melissa Vinson, CFCI

 

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We apologize if you have already received this newsletter. It was first sent on January 15, but we recently found out that many of our readers did not receive it.

Watch for a
new feature in our
next newsletter!

Each month, starting in the February, the newsletter, will spotlight a DataPath employee. The article will give you background material on the employee and the employee's role at DataPath.

Let us know if you would like to know more about a particular employee .

Recently Released: IRS / DOL
Regs / Forms

The materials/forms listed below have been recently released. Click on the name to view the form.

IRS Pub. 502 (Medical and Dental Expenses): To be used for 2005 Return. (Note the revised definition for Qualifying Person.)

IRS Pub. 503  (Child and Dependent Care Expenses) To be used for 2005 Return.

Final USERRA Regs. Provisions of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) address Group Help Plan Mandates and 401(k) issues.

Publication 15-B (2006). Employee's Guide to Fringe Benefits. (For benefits provided in 2006).

Upcoming Seminars

DPI 125 Basic Software Training:
February 22-23
March 29-30
May 10-11

DPI 125 Advanced / CMS Software:
February 1-2
March 8-9

DPI 132 Software Training:
January 30
March 6

DPI-105 HRA Software
January 31
March 7

DPI COBRA Software Training:
February 3
March 10

myHSAToday™ Training:
To be announced.

Click here to view Event Calendar for later dates.

All seminars will be in Little Rock, AR.

DataPath Websites

dpath.com
myHSAtoday.com
hsa223.com
hra105.com
myResourceCard.com
mySourceCard.com
idpas.com

Change0fStatus.com

DataPath Web
Services

my RSC.com

DNS: DataPath Web Services

EFTS: Electronic Funds Transfer Service

Check us out!

Who We Are
Our Mission
Our Vision for Tomorrow Let's Build a Relationship!
Our Strengths!
What People are Saying about DataPath

Contact Us

Email Sales or call
1-800-633-3841

Email Technical Support
or call 1-501-296-9993

Comments?
Suggestions?

If you have any comments on the articles in this newsletter or suggestions for future newsletters, please email mvinson@dpath.com. We welcome your input.

Message from John Robbins, Sr., DataPath President

As DataPath looks forward to 2006, we plan to create new solutions in response to market demands. Of no surprise to anyone, the major trend impacting the market dynamics will continue to be Consumer Driven Health Plans (CDHPs) and their delivery, just as it has been for the last two years.

We have completed the second year of CDHPs and HSAs, and the market is looking ahead for the latest release of HSA system platforms with bundled services. These services will probably be brought by new service providers because mergers and acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and other partnering arrangements are changing who is doing what to whom for whom. Your service provider of yesterday may very well be your newest competitor tomorrow.

The stakes are growing! The stakes are rapidly rising for everyone involved in the delivery of health care benefits, especially for single-line service providers. Stakeholders are struggling to define their present strengths and weaknesses and to compare them to their estimates of what the future competitive environment will demand.

Click here to read "the rest of the story" and learn how to make your place in today’s market and prepare for the future by adding more services. In 2006, integration will be your key to success!

2005: DataPath's Major Accomplishments

It is difficult to list major accomplishments for a year because some are invariably left off of the list. Nevertheless, here are some of the major accomplishments of 2005 that come to mind.

  • DataPath's on-line Help Center
  • Consumer Driven Health Care Administration
  • Accommodation of the 2-1/2 Month Grace Period
  • myHSAToday™ Claims Vault Technology
  • Enrollment Manager 2
  • DPI-COBRA On-Line Services
  • Partnership with Drugstore.com

Click here for details of these accomplishments.

DataPath Starts 2006 with a BANG! with myHSAToday Investment Options

As of January 3, 2006, the myHSAToday™ Investment Program has been added as a feature of myHSAToday™. This self-directed investment program offers qualified account holders a diverse range of investment alternatives from which to choose. An account holder can pick and choose from 15 investment funds to create a custom portfolio or choose from four professionally-managed model portfolios that support varied investment objectives and risk tolerance.

Click here to read more about the myHSAToday™ Investment Program.

The "Unsung Heroes" of DataPath's Programming Staff

The real "unsung heroes" of DataPath's Programming Staff are those programmers who write enhancements for current products. Often the enhancements are not recognized beyond being included in the list of changes for new versions. However, it is these enhancements that continually make the user's life easier. The first step in creating a new enhancement is deciding how to enhance a product. Sometimes, this enhancement has already been scheduled to be done. Other times, the programmers consult the Support Staff. The Support Staff can answer such questions as: What aspects of administering plans are time-consuming? Where are users making mistakes and what can be done to avoid the mistakes? Even more important, what requests or suggestions have our users been submitting?

Click here to see a list of many of the enhancements our programmers made in 2005.

Consumer Driven Health Care Administration

DataPath has developed an integrated administration platform to offer the seamless integration and convenient data flow necessary to administrate Consumer Driven Health Care (CDHC) plans successfully.

To manage the various elements necessary for CDHC, DataPath developed myRSC.com (Resource Service Center) as an online account management tool. myRSC.com serves as the "hub" through which all these processes can flow seamlessly, display cohesively, and communicate effectively.

The DataPath Solution allows you to offer employers any combination of health care accounts in conjunction with any health plan design, all within an easy-to-understand program for their employees. By being able to offer a CDHC plan, you can position yourself both as a leader in the emerging market and as a health care advocate,

Click here to learn how you can start building a multi-year strategy with your employers.

DataPath Announces the DPI Help Center

DataPath is proud to announce its new DPI-Help Center dedicated to educating customers, both current and potential, about DataPath’s various lines of service (LOS). The site will offer demonstrations and tutorials on DataPath software to teach our clients utilize our products to the fullest. To access the Help Center, go to www.dpath.com. On its homepage, click on the choice SUPPORT, and log in. You will be directed to the Help Center. As of now, the following presentations are available.

  • myRSC.com for COBRA
  • Updating DPI125 for Grace and Run-Out Claims
  • Entering Grace / Run-Out Claims in DPI125
  • Setting Up a myRSC.com Account
  • Using EM2 for Enrollment
  • Entering Grace and Run-Out Claims in DPI-GCP

We will continually be adding new presentations. Click here for more details about the presentations and the new Help Center.

To answer your questions . . .

This section will address questions that our Support Department has received.

Question: Do I need to use Enrollment Manager 2 to set up a brand new employer in my DPI125 program?

Answer: You will typically set up an employer completely within your DPI125 program. The only reason you would need to use Enrollment Manager 2 to set up a completely new employer is when the employees will be using myRSC.com Online Enrollment to elect their FSA coverages. Our support staff will be glad to help you with either process.

 

Check out our Products!
myHSAToday            DataPath 105-HRA            DataPath 125            DataPath 132

     DataPath COBRA            Max105          myResourceCard®           mySourceCard      

 

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Material contained in this newsletter is not legal advice, and should not be construed as legal advice. If you need legal advice upon which you can rely, you must seek a legal opinion from your attorney.

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© DataPath, Inc. 2006