No fine print games. No vague reassurances.
Just straight answers.
Yes. SmartHealth+'s carrier-backed structure is built specifically to address the concerns raised in IRS CCA 202323006. That memo flagged certain self-funded, unbacked wellness arrangements, arrangements without a named insurance carrier standing behind them. SmartHealth+ is structurally different: every dollar of coverage is backed by named, rated carriers, Zurich and ClearSpring Health, not a self-administered plan design. Engagement with wellness benefits like health coaching is also tracked, confirming actual usage, which further supports the program's qualification under the §125 structure. Your CPA is welcome to review the full compliance brief.
It's a fair question, and worth asking directly. The reason this works is structural, not magic: the Workforce Dividend comes from running existing payroll through a carrier-backed §125 structure, not from a loophole or an aggressive tax position. Every claim on this site is backed by a named carrier or verifiable credential. Nothing here depends on you not reading the fine print, the fine print is the point.
The structure is funded through the §125 payroll architecture already in place, generating a Workforce Dividend rather than requiring new spend. There is a modest administrative fee, and employers are cash-flow positive from day one once that fee is accounted for against the Workforce Dividend generated.
Nothing out of pocket for enrollment. In fact, most employees see roughly $60 more in take-home pay every paycheck, since the structure reduces their payroll tax burden while funding real coverage. There's no premium deducted beyond what the structure itself generates.
Fixed indemnity pays a flat, pre-set amount regardless of actual cost, often falling far short of what an employee actually owes.
$4,500
out of pocket
Gap coverage is different: it's built to cover the real financial exposure left behind by a high-deductible plan.
$400
out of pocket
No. SmartHealth+ is a complement to your existing medical plan, not a replacement for it. It's built to fill the gaps a typical plan leaves behind and add coverage across mental, financial, and professional health that most medical insurance never touches.
Yes. WorkShield provides a documented Title VII process for workplace complaints and investigations, built into the enrollment itself. Zero competitors in this category currently offer this.
It actually expands your options rather than limiting them. Because gap coverage backstops your employees' exposure, you gain the confidence to consider more affordable plan designs, like a high-deductible plan, without shifting that financial risk onto the people who work for you.
No. Participation is voluntary. Employees who choose to participate see the take-home pay increase and coverage described above. Nothing changes for employees who opt out.
Coverage through the Ensemble is tied to active employment, since it's funded through the payroll structure. If an employee leaves, their coverage under this structure ends with their employment, the same way most employer-sponsored benefits work.
Thirty days, start to finish. SmartHealth+ manages the rollout, including employee communication support, so your team isn't left building enrollment materials from scratch.
SmartHealth+ works with the payroll structure you already run. Your PEO or payroll provider doesn't need to change — the §125 architecture integrates with what you have in place today.
Most broker-offered wellness programs are single-vendor add-ons, usually addressing one dimension of health with no carrier backing behind the financial mechanics. SmartHealth+ is Benefits Orchestration: a curated Ensemble of named, carrier-backed partners across four dimensions of health, generating a measurable Workforce Dividend rather than a flat wellness perk.
They might, and that's fine. Gap coverage from a named carrier is one piece of what makes SmartHealth+ different, not the whole story. The full Ensemble, carrier-grade infrastructure, four dimensions of health, documented workplace protection, a curated set of named partners, isn't something a competitor rebuilds by adding one product line. This is infrastructure, not a feature they can bolt on in a quarter.
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