Evolution 1

Evolution1 and its partners serve more than 9.5 million consumers, making it the nation’s largest electronic payment, on-premise, and cloud computing healthcare solution administering reimbursement accounts, including HSAs, HRAs, FSAs, Defined Contribution, VEBAs, Wellness and Transit Plans. It is the only solution that offers a single end-to-end user experience, provides innovative auto-substantiation technologies, and automates workflow for partners, employers, and consumers. Evolution1 is dedicated to delivering value, reducing costs, and simplifying the business of healthcar

In summer 2009, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee attempted to limit annual Flexible Spending Account (FSA) contributions as part of its healthcare reform legislation (America’s Healthy Future Act). Leading companies in the healthcare space, including Evolution1, felt that imposing caps on FSA contributions represented a direct threat to their businesses that ultimately would result in the entire program being forced to shut down within the next decade.

At a time when numerous business interests were clamoring to be heard by legislators considering the healthcare reform proposals, Evolution1 recognized that it could have a stronger voice in Washington if it joined forces with the Employers Council on Flexible Compensation (ECFC), a DC-based industry trade group.

Working with Pugh & Tiller, Evolution1 and ECFC launched an educational campaign designed to raise awareness of the provisions impacting FSAs being proposed by the Senate Finance Committee. Targeting fellow members of the healthcare industry, as well as other members of Congress, the campaign – which included advertising, social media, and traditional media outreach – aimed to put pressure on the Senate Finance Committee to reconsider their stance with respect to FSAs.

While Evolution1 and ECFC lobbied heavily against the proposed legislation and jointly sponsored FSA-supporting legislation with Congressman John Larson (D-Connecticut), Pugh & Tiller pushed the issue and raised awareness within the healthcare and employee benefits industry by securing national media coverage in both mainstream outlets and industry trade press. Pugh & Tiller also used social media channels to keep the issue top-of-mind, while creating and placing full-page ads in several Capitol Hill publications before key votes.

The healthcare plan was passed without caps on FSA contributions. This resulted in the continued growth of consumer-directed health plans – including FSAs and the use of benefits cards – as employers increasingly shifted healthcare dollars to their employees.