For the last 30 years, we've been committed to making employee benefits simple and affordable. Our goal is, and always has been, to bring clarity and simplicity to employee benefits through innovative solutions that simplify the entire benefits process.
From our inception in 1992 and all the years in between, here’s a look at how we got here, what we accomplished in 2021 and our plans for the future.
How we got here
We weren’t always known as Clarity Benefit Solutions. In fact, we started out as BeneFlex, a company solely focused on the administration of Flexible Spend Plans.
“There were very few companies that were only focused on Flexible Spending Plans,” Founder and CEO Bill Catuzzi said. “Out-of-pocket health care and child care expenses were increasing at alarming rates, and I saw a need to provide companies with a solution that would help make them more affordable.”
In 1992, very few companies knew about FSA plans and the advantages they provided. We were innovative and implemented technology that could simplify the administration of these programs and make them more understandable for our customers and their employees.
“This immediately set us apart,” Catuzzi said.
Ten years later, BeneFlex became one of the first administrators to simplify claims processing and payments through technology with the introduction of the BeneFlex Convenience Card.
“We introduced a smart debit card that reduced the need to file a claim and provided instant reimbursement to our members,” Catuzzi said. “We saw a big increase in member participation and satisfaction and it was at that point that I really understood the power technology had to simplify benefits and drive satisfaction.”
Over the next decade, BeneFlex continued to leverage technology and expand its product offerings. BeneFlex was now doing benefits administration and offering services for COBRA, ERISA, ACA Compliance, HRAs and even an HSA’s.
But by 2016, Catuzzi felt the name BeneFlex no longer stated who the company was and what it did. He said BeneFlex was the name for a third-party administrator, and they were becoming much more than that. He decided to rebrand the company and become Clarity Benefit Solutions because it fit his ultimate goal of bringing clarity to benefits through technology and innovation.
“We didn’t just change our name, we expanded our mission statement, made a significant investment in R&D and set an aggressive goal to develop new products and services that would simplify the experience for our partners, clients and members,” Catuzzi said. “We added the brand name Simply Smarter to all of our products, and adopted the phrase 10X smarter as a way to drive the mission home internally. Going forward every product, service, and procedure we developed had to be 10X smarter than our competition or we would not release it.”
With this approach, we launched Ready for Life HSA, the first HSA plan that had a built-in cash advance to help members finance health care expenses, and Clarity BenefitConnect, an easy-to-use tool that syncs members’ insurance carriers to their Clarity Benefit Accounts.
“We looked at areas of the market where technology could improve benefits,” Executive Vice President Howard Metzger said. “This helped us anticipate the next big thing and develop innovative solutions like accelerated funding for HSAs.”
Since our rebrand, we’ve consistently grown at 35% per year. We’ve added employees and locations throughout the country and have become one of the top 10 administrators in the country.
“It was never about the speed of growth for Clarity,” Catuzzi said. “It was about creating an alternative solution that was better than what was already on the market.”
This strategy is still our focus and has allowed us consistently develop innovative solutions that simplify and bring clarity to employee benefits.
“Technology has played a major role in our growth over the years,” Vice President of Technology Initiatives Linda Spitale said. “It has helped us with the way we do business and also shaped who we’ve become.”
All of that brings us to 2021 - the year benefits got even more complicated.
A year in review
2021 was a year like no other. The pandemic forced us to develop plans, processes and solutions to ensure the health and safety of our people. Last year was a marquee year for us and we couldn’t have done it without the support of our dedicated team.
Here’s a quick look at what our team accomplished in 2021.
- February - Launched a simple online questionnaire that allowed employers to easily review and approve the optional provisions provided through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 - providing their employees the option to maintain and spend-down their FSA balances.
- February - Completed the Compliancy Group’s proprietary HIPAA compliance process.
- March - Developed an online tool to help employers easily elect the COBRA continuation of coverage premium subsidy provided in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
- April - Expanded our executive leadership team and Partner Program with the appointment of Ryan Crapser to Vice President of Strategic Partnerships.
- May - Implemented a Continued Education and Certification program for brokers.
- June - Expanded focus on world-class service with the appointment of Eunice Sambo-Jackson to Vice President, Client Services.
- July - Launched SimplyWell – Rewards to help employers accelerate the safe reopening of their offices and collect feedback from employees regarding return-to-work policies.
- July - Launched Clarity Mobile Pay allowing employees to pay for eligible benefit account expenses, both in-store and online, using their digital wallet app on their mobile device.
- August - Expanded services to the West Coast with a new location in Mesa, Arizona.
- October - Launched SimplyWell – Vaccine Compliance to help employers easily implement the requirements anticipated to be in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) emergency temporary standard (ETS).
- December - Solidified our commitment to world-class technology and culture with the appointment of Ronald Angelo to Chief Technology Officer and Iris Negron to Vice President of Human Resources.
- December - Solidified partnerships with Paycor and Lehigh Valley Business Coalition on Healthcare.
What’s next?
2021 was a year of transitions and changes in the workplace. The majority of the workforce has shifted to a remote/hybrid work model and we understand how this can affect a company’s culture and sense of community. This is why we plan on introducing innovative solutions that help companies strengthen their culture and create a more positive experience working remotely.
“We are taking a look at solutions like lifestyle debit cards that allow employers to pay for home office needs, team-building events and fitness/wellness expenses,” Catuzzi said. “We also have big plans to adopt an instant claims processing and payment option, and expand Ready For Life to help finance additional expenses for our members.”
At Clarity, our ultimate goal is to simplify benefits and provide solutions that help our clients make the best decisions.
“We’re very good at looking at the market from a political, environmental and community standpoint,” Spitale said. “We’re always thinking about the bigger global picture and that drives us forward.”
Bringing clarity to employee benefits
For 30 years, we’ve made it our mission to bring clarity to employee benefits through innovation, technology and world-class customer service. We strive to provide meaningful solutions designed to simplify benefits so our customers can focus on what matters most: building their business.
