ACA-Track
By ACA-Track
ACA-Track software offers a streamlined implementation process designed to simplify ACA compliance for businesses. The typical implementation process for ACA-Track involves several key steps:
1. Data Integration: ACA-Track accepts data from multiple sources in any format, including Excel or CSV files directly from your systems. This flexibility eliminates the need for costly APIs or customized data forms, thereby reducing the initial setup time and complexity.
2. Data Validation and Error Detection: Once data is uploaded, ACA-Track's software automatically performs data validation. This includes checking for errors and inconsistencies during a single data load. The system aggregates all detected errors for review, allowing users to correct them directly within the software without the need for additional data loads.
3. Dedicated Client Support: Each client is assigned a dedicated Client Success Advisor or account manager. This ensures that there is direct and personal support available throughout the implementation process, which helps in resolving any issues quickly and efficiently.
4. Reporting and Compliance: The software handles 1094 C & 1095 C Federal and State Reporting. It also allows for the electronic filing of XML files with the IRS, streamlining the compliance reporting process.
5. Continuous Monitoring and Updates: ACA-Track continuously monitors the implementation process and provides updates and notifications regarding any errors or issues that need attention. This proactive approach helps in maintaining ongoing compliance and reducing the time spent on dealing with IRS errors.
The duration of the implementation process can vary depending on the specific needs and readiness of the business, such as the volume of data, the complexity of the existing systems, and the responsiveness of the client's team. However, due to the software's design to accommodate data in any format and its robust error detection and correction features, the overall time from setup to full operation is generally reduced. Typically, businesses can expect the implementation phase to take a few weeks to a couple of months, ensuring that they can start leveraging the benefits of ACA-Track efficiently.
ACA-Track software can be customized to fit specific business needs.
1. Customizable Dashboard and User Interface: ACA-Track allows users to choose the data fields they wish to see, arrange them in their desired order, sort, filter, and group. This feature enhances efficiency by allowing businesses to tailor the dashboard to their specific needs.
2. Flexible Configuration Settings: The software offers adjustable configurations that can be set according to unique and specific attendance policies and pay rules. This includes settings for measurement, administrative, and stability periods; days, weeks, and months worked thresholds; hours for weekly and monthly FTE calculation; Cadillac tax amount; affordability percent; and waiver codes.
3. Integration Capabilities: ACA-Track integrates seamlessly with any payroll, time-capture, and benefits management system, placing no restrictions on operational systems. This integration flexibility ensures that ACA-Track can adapt to the existing technological ecosystem of a business without requiring additional products or services.
4. Error Handling and Data Validation: The software detects and aggregates errors for review and remediation during a single data load. This feature allows for corrections within the software itself, reducing the need for multiple data loads and back-and-forth adjustments.
5. Coverage Group Feature: ACA-Track can handle various and multiple coverage groups based on different criteria such as location, job type, or pay type. This feature is particularly useful for organizations with diverse employee groups and complex organizational structures.
6. No Need for Customized APIs or Data Forms: ACA-Track accepts data from multiple sources in any format, which means there is no need for costly APIs or customized data forms. This capability reduces upfront costs and simplifies the data integration process.
ACA-Track software is designed to minimize additional costs such as setup fees, maintenance, or support charges.
1. No Setup Fees: ACA-Track does not require any upfront costs for standardizing data. The software accepts data from multiple sources in any format, which eliminates the need for costly APIs or customized data forms. This approach significantly reduces the initial financial burden on businesses.
2. No Customized Data Forms Required: Since ACA-Track can handle data in any format, there is no need for customized data forms or APIs, which are often associated with additional costs.
3. Dedicated Client Support Included: ACA-Track provides each client with a dedicated Client Success Advisor or account manager. This support is included as part of the service, ensuring that clients have direct access to help without additional charges for basic support needs.
4. Error Correction Without Additional Data Loads: The software's capability to detect and aggregate errors for review and remediation during a single data load reduces the need for multiple data submissions, which can often incur additional costs with other systems. This feature helps to avoid extra charges related to data handling and corrections.
5. Transparent and Inclusive Pricing: The emphasis on no upfront costs and the inclusion of dedicated support suggest that ACA-Track aims to offer a cost-effective solution with transparent pricing. This likely means that many of the typical additional costs associated with software implementation and maintenance are either included in the base price or minimized.
ACA-Track employs a comprehensive set of security measures to ensure the protection of data, particularly focusing on personal health information (PHI) and personally identifiable information (PII).
Here are the key security measures implemented by ACA-Track:
1. Compliance and Certifications: ACA-Track is GDPR and CCPA compliant and ISO 27001 certified. This certification involves an annual third-party audit to ensure compliance with a broad scope of security controls.
2. Secure Data Handling: The software uses CITRIX Sharefile®, which is HIPAA compliant, for receiving, storing, and transmitting client data securely. This ensures that all data handling processes meet stringent security standards.
3. Data Security Practices: ACA-Track has implemented strict group policies which include deleting downloads that are three days old and preventing the use of any external storage and printing devices. This minimizes the risk of unauthorized data access or loss.
4. Employee Training and Security Policies: Employees undergo periodic mandatory data security and phishing training to ensure they are aware of the latest security practices and threats. This training is part of the broader security policy that includes multiple levels of authentication and security for accessing raw PII and PHI data.
5. Network Security: All data transfers are secured with 256-bit SSL encryption, and ACA-Track uses Microsoft Azure’s Web Application Firewall along with an additional layer of secure proxy for enhanced security. This setup has shown zero-vulnerability detection in external penetration testing.
6. Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): ACA-Track enhances user account security by requiring both a password and an authenticator security code for login, adding an extra layer of protection against unauthorized access.
7. Secure Application Development: The in-house Azure application, which handles ACA compliance reporting, encrypts all PII using the Rijndael algorithm with Cipher Block Chaining (CBC). The source code is also periodically scanned for vulnerabilities using industry-standard tools.
8. Incident Response: ACA-Track maintains a comprehensive Security Incident Response Team (SIRT) process to quickly escalate and mitigate any security event, ensuring rapid response to potential threats.
ACA-Track releases updates periodically to ensure the software remains compliant with the latest ACA regulations and to enhance overall performance. Here are the details on how updates are managed:
1. Continuous Monitoring for Compliance: ACA-Track continuously monitors changes in ACA regulations to ensure the software is always up-to-date. This proactive approach helps in maintaining compliance with evolving laws and regulations.
2. Annual Updates: The software incorporates any changes in the 1094/1095 B and C forms and ACA regulations through frequent updates. Employers view these updates as a minor expense, considering the importance of accurate and efficient reporting for ACA compliance.
3. Free Program Patches: Throughout the year, ACA-Track provides free program patches. These patches are part of the continuous support offered without any additional cost, ensuring that the software remains current with the latest regulatory requirements and functional enhancements.
4. Notification of Changes: ACA-Track notifies customers in advance about any changes or updates. This ensures that users are well-informed and can prepare for any adjustments needed in their compliance processes.
1. Data Ownership: ACA-Track's commitment to data security and compliance with regulations like GDPR and CCPA suggests that they recognize the importance of handling user data responsibly. Their security measures, including compliance with GDPR and CCPA, indicate an acknowledgment of users' rights over their personal data.
2. Data Portability: The concept of data portability, particularly under regulations like GDPR, entails the right of individuals to receive their data from a controller in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and to transmit those data to another controller. Although ACA-Track's documents do not explicitly mention data portability, their compliance with GDPR implies a level of readiness to facilitate data portability requests, as GDPR compliance requires mechanisms to enable data subjects' rights, including data portability.
3. Data Security and Compliance: ACA-Track emphasizes the security of client data through various measures, including the use of secure, HIPAA-compliant CITRIX Sharefile® for data transmission and storage, and adherence to strict group policies to prevent unauthorized data access or loss. These measures, along with their compliance with GDPR and CCPA, suggest a framework that could support data portability by ensuring that data is handled securely and in a manner that respects user rights.
4. Terms and Conditions: The terms and conditions provided by ACA-Track focus on the lawful use of the site, copyright and trademarks, and prohibitions against tampering with the site's content or functionality. While these terms do not directly address data ownership or portability, they establish the legal framework within which ACA-Track operates, including the handling of user data.
ACA-Track offers a flexible pricing model that can accommodate organizations of various sizes and changing needs. The software uses a tiered pricing structure based on the number of employees, with custom quotes available for organizations with over 1,000 employees. This scalable approach allows businesses to adjust their subscription as their workforce grows or shrinks. For organizations with multiple Employer Identification Numbers (EINs), ACA-Track charges an additional $500 per EIN, providing a clear cost structure for companies with complex organizational structures.
The platform's design inherently supports scalability, as it can handle data from multiple sources and in various formats without requiring costly APIs or customized data forms. This flexibility allows organizations to easily integrate new data sources or modify existing ones as their needs evolve. ACA-Track's ability to manage multiple EINs and various coverage groups based on factors like location, job type, or pay type further enhances its scalability, making it suitable for organizations with changing structures or those undergoing mergers and acquisitions.
The initial term of the ACA-Track subscription is for one year from the effective date of the agreement. After this initial term, the agreement automatically renews for successive one-year periods unless either party provides written notice of non-renewal at least 60 days prior to the end of the current term. This automatic renewal ensures continuity of service for clients who wish to continue using ACA-Track without interruption.
Regarding cancellation, either party may terminate the agreement for cause if the other party materially breaches the agreement and fails to cure such breach within 30 days after receiving written notice. Additionally, PSST (the provider of ACA-Track) reserves the right to suspend or terminate the subscription if the client fails to pay fees when due, violates applicable laws, or breaches confidentiality obligations. In the event of termination, the client must cease using ACA-Track and pay any outstanding fees.
ACA-Track software is designed to meet rigorous compliance standards, ensuring that organizations can confidently manage their ACA reporting requirements. The platform's cloud-based data center has been SAS 70 certified since 2010 and is currently certified under the new SSAE 16 standard. Additionally, PSST, the company behind ACA-Track, holds current SOC certification, which underscores their commitment to maintaining high standards of data security and operational controls. These certifications demonstrate that ACA-Track adheres to industry best practices for data protection and system reliability.
To further enhance security, ACA-Track employs a host-based intrusion detection system (IDS) on each production server, along with an IDS/IPS for network layer packet analysis and detection. The software also deploys an anti-malware management solution that runs twice daily and checks virus patterns/signatures every three hours. Regular external network vulnerability scans are conducted weekly by an independent third-party vendor in accordance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCIDSS). These measures ensure that the platform is continuously monitored and protected against potential security threats. ACA-Track also places a strong emphasis on data encryption and secure data transfers. Personal identifying data is encrypted within the database, ensuring that even in the unlikely event of a data breach, no personal information is exposed.
