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nsights During ISSI’s recent webinars, entitled “Preparing for the ACA Reporting Mandates,” attendees asked many good questions. We have identified the top questions and answers from the sessions and present them below for your review: 1. If December eligibility isn’t received or computed until January, what will the forms show for December eligibility? Forms will be sent to recipients with the latest contribution information available at the time of printing. Any changes to 2015 eligibility received after the forms are produced, by the Funds or ISSI, will require a corrected form. ISSI’s ACA Program can identify subsequent eligibility changes and produce a report of participants who require a corrected form after February 1st. 2. We currently only utilize ISSI’s Claims module. What information and/or updates will be needed for us to use ISSI’s ACA Reporting Module? The ACA forms and transmittals require participant eligibility information. Assuming this information resides on the ISSI system, the new ACA Reporting Programs contain all required updates. ISSI will add these programs to an existing menu on your server. If eligibility does not reside on the ISSI system, ISSI will require an eligibility file. 3. Our participants work for multiple employers, but eligibility is through our Health Fund. Will the participants receive multiple forms showing multiple employers or just one form leaving the employer portion blank? The ISSI ACA Module will produce one Form 1095-B from the Fund for each eligible participant, with the employer information intentionally left blank. 4. What is the deadline to sign up for ISSI’s Print and Mail Service and Electronic Filing Service? The Funds must notify ISSI of their intention to use our Print and Mail Service by December 1st. December 31st is the deadline for the Funds to request ISSI to file electronically on your behalf with the IRS. 5. What is the deadline for ISSI to receive the data from the Funds in order to process the 1095-Bs by the February 1st deadline? December 31st. However, any eligibility information received after December 31st but prior to form printing, will be included on the forms. Any information received after the forms are printed will require a corrected form after February 1st. 6. Do the Funds need to register with the IRS if ISSI is filing on our behalf? No, only the transmitter of the electronic ACA information is required to register with the IRS. If ISSI is submitting files on behalf of the Funds, the Funds do not need to register as an e-filer. 7 . Will the ISSI System populate 1094-B and 1095-B for filing purposes, as well as create a file for reporting to the IRS? Yes. For most clients, the eligibility information resides in the ISSI system. The ACA program will use this information to populate the 1094 transmittal files and 1095 forms. If eligibility does not reside on the ISSI system, ISSI will require an eligibility file. 8. How will the program code a participant who has contributions but has not yet earned eligibility with the plan? In this scenario, the participant would not receive a recipient form from the Funds or appear on the IRS transmittal. The ACA programs indicate only those individuals with coverage, showing each month the participant was eligible for at least one day. 9. Will the system generate a separate 1095 for an adult dependent? It is our understanding that the Funds are not required to provide additional forms to adult dependents. 10. How do I initiate the process for ISSI to implement ACA programs, report on our behalf, or print forms? For more information on ISSI’s Year-End Services and ACA programs, please contact Kristen Lucas at (856) 910-9190 ext. 327 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Please consult with your plan professionals to determine which forms and files the Funds will require. ISSI is pleased to provide programs and solutions to help the Funds comply with the ACA Reporting Mandate; however, only the Funds’ professional advisors can determine what actions are required by the Funds to achieve compliance. 1 4th Quarter 2015 | Volume 6, Issue 4 TOP ACA Q&As WELCOME TO ISSInsights: THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FROM INNOVATIVE SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, INC.

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nsights

During ISSI’s recent webinars, entitled “Preparing for the ACA Reporting Mandates,” attendees asked many good questions. We have identified the top questions and answers from the sessions and present them below for your review:

1. If December eligibility isn’t received or computed until January, what will the forms show for December eligibility?

Forms will be sent to recipients with the latest contribution information available at the time of printing. Any changes to 2015 eligibility received after the forms are produced, by the Funds or ISSI, will require a corrected form.

ISSI’s ACA Program can identify subsequent eligibility changes and produce a report of participants who require a corrected form after February 1st.

2. We currently only utilize ISSI’s Claims module. What information and/or updates will be needed for us to use ISSI’s ACA Reporting Module?

The ACA forms and transmittals require participant eligibility information. Assuming this information resides on the ISSI system, the new ACA Reporting Programs contain all required updates. ISSI will add these programs to an existing menu on your server. If eligibility does not reside on the ISSI system, ISSI will require an eligibility file.

3. Our participants work for multiple employers, but eligibility is through our Health Fund. Will the participants receive multiple forms showing multiple employers or just one form leaving the employer portion blank?

The ISSI ACA Module will produce one Form 1095-B from the Fund for each

eligible participant, with the employer information intentionally left blank.

4. What is the deadline to sign up for ISSI’s Print and Mail Service and Electronic Filing Service?

The Funds must notify ISSI of their intention to use our Print and Mail Service by December 1st. December 31st is the deadline for the Funds to request ISSI to file electronically on your behalf with the IRS.

5. What is the deadline for ISSI to receive the data from the Funds in order to process the 1095-Bs by the February 1st deadline?

December 31st. However, any eligibility information received after December 31st but prior to form printing, will be included on the forms. Any information received after the forms are printed will require a corrected form after February 1st.

6. Do the Funds need to register with the IRS if ISSI is filing on our behalf?

No, only the transmitter of the electronic ACA information is required to register with the IRS. If ISSI is submitting files on behalf of the Funds, the Funds do not need to register as an e-filer.

7. Will the ISSI System populate 1094-B and 1095-B for filing purposes, as well as create a file for reporting to the IRS?

Yes. For most clients, the eligibility information resides in the ISSI system. The ACA program will use this information to populate the 1094 transmittal files and 1095 forms. If eligibility does not reside on the ISSI system, ISSI will require an eligibility file.

8. How will the program code a participant who has contributions but has not yet earned eligibility with the plan?

In this scenario, the participant would not receive a recipient form from the Funds or appear on the IRS transmittal. The ACA programs indicate only those individuals with coverage, showing each month the participant was eligible for at least one day.

9. Will the system generate a separate 1095 for an adult dependent?

It is our understanding that the Funds are not required to provide additional forms to adult dependents.

10. How do I initiate the process for ISSI to implement ACA programs, report on our behalf, or print forms?

For more information on ISSI’s Year-End Services and ACA programs, please contact Kristen Lucas at (856) 910-9190 ext. 327 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Please consult with your plan professionals to determine which forms and files the Funds will require. ISSI is pleased to provide programs and solutions to help the Funds comply with the ACA Reporting Mandate; however, only the Funds’ professional advisors can determine what actions are required by the Funds to achieve compliance.

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4th Quarter 2015 | Volume 6, Issue 4

TOP ACA Q&As

WELCOME TO ISSInsights: THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FROM INNOVATIVE SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, INC.

4th Quarter 2015 | Volume 6, Issue 4

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ISSInsights is produced by the Marketing Department of Innovative Software Solutions, Inc. If you would like to contribute stories and ideas, or for more information on the products and services featured in this issue, please contact Kate Lane at [email protected] or call 856-910-9190.

ISSI’S IT STAFF PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT

For clients utilizing ISSi-Cloud, ISSI assumes all responsibility for the server support, maintenance, patches, and upgrades, including the system backup and disaster contingency provisions. ISSi-Cloud inherently performs multiple backups of your ISSI data.

If the Funds’ other servers, such as those for Windows file sharing or scanned images, reside at the Fund Office, additional backup measures are required to enable recovery of lost or deleted files, or to recover from a disaster.

For onsite servers, local tape or drive backups should be performed daily. For onsite ISSI servers, ISSI typically provides backup media sufficient for a two-week rotation of daily backups.

ISSI’s online backup program, ISSi-Backup, provides fifty-two weeks of backups, as opposed to the two-week

tape rotation many offices maintain. In addition, remote backups protect data in the event the Fund Office experiences a fire, flood, or other disaster.

Please note, ISSi-Backup provides an additional layer of protection to compliment local backups – not replace them. Local backups to tapes or drives will still provide the fastest method of recovery since a large backup dataset can take time to download, depending on bandwidth. The Funds can usually recover large datasets from a local backup in a fraction of the time.

For more information on ISSi-Backup or ISSi-Cloud, please contact Kristen Lucas at (856) 910-9190 ext. 327 or by e-mail at [email protected].

IT CORNER: MULTIPLE BACKUPS ESSENTIAL TO PROTECTING YOUR DATA

ISSI’s IT staff can provide comprehensive IT support for your workstations, servers, network, and operating system software. Our skilled IT Services Team supports our clients and our Client Service Team troubleshoot and resolve issues not related to the ISSI Benefits Administration Software,

including hardware failures covered by an applicable Hardware Maintenance Agreement.

As part of our commitment to exceptional service, ISSI IT personnel maintain current Dell, Microsoft, and Linux certifications.

In addition to serving as the primary IT services vendor, ISSI can also work with your local vendor to provide a more comprehensive IT solution for your operation. Many ISSI clients located beyond our geographical limits work with IT vendors in their local region. Due to their physical proximity, these vendors can provide fast onsite support for general IT issues; however, they may lack firsthand experience integrating hardware or third-party software applications with the ISSI system. ISSI IT Services will be happy to provide such support and service. In such cases, ISSI’s IT technicians utilize secure, client-initiated remote control software that allows for desktop sharing. Both the ISSI technician and the client, or local IT vendor, can simultaneously view potential issues and problems in real-time and work toward a solution.

For more information on ISSI’s IT Support Services, please contact Kristen Lucas at (856) 910-9190 ext. 327 or by e-mail at [email protected].

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4th Quarter 2015 | Volume 6, Issue 4

Director of Programming Chuck Hatch and his Programming Group. Front Row (from left to right): Carmen Evangelista, Chuck Hatch, Al Boultinghouse, and Bob Murphy. Back Row (from left to right): Jessica Balcom, Jeff Reznik,

Melanie Clement, Seth Shapiro, and Stephen Ferguson. Not Pictured: Scott Taber

ISSI INSIDE LOOK: PROGRAMMING GROUPS

The ISSI Benefits Administration System is developed and maintained by ISSI’s Programming Department, which continues to grow in size and experience. To accommodate the complexities and rapid changes within the Multiemployer industry, ISSI programmers are organized into four groups that specialize and develop subject matter expertise in specific modules of the ISSI system. The group featured above, led by Chuck Hatch, Director of Programming and Development, designs and develops programming solutions for ISSI’s Contribution, Reciprocal, Annuity, Vacation, and Stamp System Modules. The group includes Senior Programmer/Analysts Al Boultinghouse, Carmen Evangelista, Bob Murphy, and Scott Taber as well as Software Analysts Jeff Reznik, Stephen Ferguson, Jessica Balcom, Melanie Clement, and Seth Shapiro.

CLIENT SERVICE CORNER: LUNCH AND LEARNS PROVIDE CONTINUAL TRAINING FOR CLIENT SERVICE REPRESENTATIVESThe Client Service Department recently expanded its training program with a Lunch and Learn initiative for Client Service Representatives (CSRs) who have completed ISSI’s initial training programs. During these sessions, the new CSRs receive advanced training on the ISSI software and the Multiemployer industry from senior department resources in a more casual, relaxed setting.

“As the Client Service Department continues to expand, we constantly evaluate our training programs to ensure ISSI’s clients receive consistent, quality support,” said Director of Client Services Michael Benfield. “The Lunch and Learn initiative is one of many tools we’ve developed to enhance the training our staff needs in order to provide the service our clients deserve.”

nsights

3000 South Lenola RoadMaple Shade, NJ 08052Phone: 856-910-9190Fax: 856-910-9192www.ISSIsystems.com

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Top ACA Q&As 1

ISSI’s IT Staff Provide 2 Comprehensive Support

IT Corner 2

ISSI Inside Look 3

Client Service Corner 3

Employee Spotlight 4

4th Quarter 2015 | Volume 6, Issue 44th Quarter 2015 | Volume 6, Issue 4

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT: KRISTEN LUCASISSI created the Account Executive program to provide an additional level of service for our clients. Account Executives assess current customer needs and actively suggest solutions based on industry and technology advancements to improve the day-to-day operations of the Funds.

Prior to joining the program, Account Executives, like Kristen Lucas, typically gain experience in the Client Service Department. Kristen joined ISSI after graduating from Rider University with a degree in Business Administration. As a Client Service Representative and later Senior Account Manager, Kristen became familiar with the day-to-day challenges facing Administrators and their staff.

As an Account Executive, Kristen is now responsible for providing consultative services to ISSI clients on a wide array of issues, ranging from legislative initiatives to technology developments within the ISSI suite of products and services.

“As an Account Executive, I have the opportunity to help each of ISSI’s clients,” Kristen said. “I enjoy working with every department at ISSI to help provide innovative solutions.”

Kristen will attend the upcoming IFEBP Conference in Honolulu. “I’m looking forward to representing ISSI at Booth 107/206 and learning more about emerging concerns in the industry,” she said.

Account Executive Kristen Lucas is also a member of the ISSI Webinar Team.

Visit her at Booth 107/206 at the IFEBP Conference in Honolulu.