Partner Vendors
Below are our preferred partner vendors organized by service area. We’ve also included contact information for your convenience!
Business Services
Benefit Services
School Support
National Purchasing Cooperative
Contact: Stephen Gibson
E: sgibson@hcde-texas.org
Visit Website
Accounting/Payroll
ETC Advocate
Latest News
Invisible Disabilities
Unseen Struggles: The Hidden World of Invisible Disabilities in the American Workplace In the ever-evolving landscape of the American workforce, a significant portion of employees grapple with challenges that are often unnoticed, yet deeply impactful. According to recent statistics, 16% of U.S. workers identify as having an invisible disability, yet half of these individuals have […]
Avoid 10 Common ADA Mistakes
The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 broadened the definition of disability previously established by the ADA and effectively expanded the group of people who would qualify as disabled. The amendments put more pressure on employers to provide reasonable accommodations and created more potential liability for companies that are not in careful observance of the law. […]
IRS Lowers Affordability Threshold Again for Plan Years Beginning in 2024
Drafted by Elizabeth Raggio, JD The IRS has lowered the affordability percentage again – from 9.12% to 8.39% for plan years beginning in 2024. Meaning, Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) will continue to shoulder a greater burden of the employee premium for self-only coverage or face exposure to an employer shared responsibility payment (ESRP). To better […]
ACA DETERMINATION OF ALE (and Non-ALE) STATUS
ALE CALCULATION TOOL USING LAST CALENDAR YEAR EMPLOYEES AND HOURS FOR WHICH PAY IS RECEIVED Next steps: Add ALL 12 months Total FT and FTE count and divide by 12 to determine average monthly FT and FTE Count for entire year. Round the final number down to a whole number to determine your ALE status. […]
ALEs Must Consider Decreased Affordability Percentage for 2023 Plan Years
The 2023 affordability percentage that Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) use when determining whether their offer of coverage is affordable such that they are not subject to 4980H(b) penalty exposure is 9.12 percent of household income, down from 9.61 percent in 2022. Thus, for plan years beginning in 2023, ALEs offer affordable coverage if the employee […]
GAG CLAUSE PROHIBITION COMPLIANCE ATTESTATION (GCPCA)
RE: Provider/Network/Health System Carrier, TPA, PBM, and Direct Contracting Gag Clause Prohibition Effective December 27, 2020 under CAA Title II Section 201 (Transparency) Submitted Attestation Due Date: December 31, 2023 and Dec 31st annually each year thereafter – SEE CMS EMAIL SENT TO YOUR EMPLOYER CLIENTS BELOW. Governed and Enforced By: IRS (IRC section 9824), ERISA (Section 724), PHS Act […]
Employee Share Responsibility – 4980H Requirements
An Applicable Large Employer (ALE) that does not offer coverage meeting certain requirements under Code Section 4980H may have exposure to an employer shared responsibility payment (ESRP). The ESRP amounts are indexed each tax year as shown in the table below and calculated based on information reported on the ALE’s Forms 1094-C and 1095-C. If […]
Get the Service you Deserve
Allow us to discuss your needs and build a customized Action plan. Call us now at (210) 323-7846, or click the button to make an appointment.