InComm survey spots benefits delivery gap

InComm Benefits said on August 5 that its latest research found a gap between what employees need from spending accounts such as health savings accounts and what HR teams receive from providers to support them. The Atlanta-based business, a division of InComm Payments, said the disconnect shows up when workers try to enroll, navigate account rules or get answers after coverage is in place. The company said HR teams are looking for providers that offer more than account administration, including responsive support, dedicated account management, intuitive technology and stronger employee education. ### Where does the gap show up for employees? InComm Benefits said the gap appears in day-to-day use, not only at open enrollment. The company said employees can struggle to understand how to use HSAs and other spending accounts, how to navigate available tools and where to get clear answers from benefits administrators. (prnewswire.com) The company said those friction points can leave HR teams handling the last mile of benefits delivery. That work includes answering basic questions, helping workers understand enrollment windows, documenting life-event changes and escalating more complex issues to carriers, brokers or specialists, according to the company’s description of the problem and related briefing materials. (prnewswire.com) ### What did InComm say employers want from providers? InComm Benefits said organizations want simpler administration and stronger support from spending-account providers. The company also said employers are looking for tools that help employees use HSAs and related accounts with more confidence. (prnewswire.com) The August 5 release said employers increasingly want responsive service, dedicated account management, intuitive technology and better employee education, rather than basic account processing alone. InComm Benefits said its own products are aimed at reducing confusion, improving access and easing administrative burdens. (prnewswire.com) ### Why does this become an HR operations issue? Benefits coordinators and HR operations staff are often the people employees contact first when something goes wrong. The survey’s framing points to routine work that can expand beyond plan design into service delivery, including logging employee inquiries, processing qualifying life-event updates and following up when carrier or vendor issues are unresolved. (prnewswire.com) The company’s earlier benefits research has also focused on underuse of HSAs and confusion about account value. In a 2025 user survey cited by InComm Benefits and a June 2026 Forbes council article by an InComm executive, the company said many accountholders leave thousands of dollars in healthcare spending unreimbursed, which it linked to low understanding and low engagement. (prnewswire.com) ### How does this fit with broader benefits administration trends? SHRM said in its 2026 Employee Benefits Survey that employer benefits strategy continues to evolve with workforce needs and administrative complexity. InComm’s findings fit into that wider pattern by focusing less on which benefits are offered and more on whether employees can actually use them without confusion. (prnewswire.com) HR Morning also described InComm’s recent HSA research as showing a disconnect between what employers offer and what employees experience after enrollment. That account, based on InComm’s findings, said the problem becomes visible in everyday healthcare spending rather than in benefit design documents. ### What comes next for employers and benefits teams? (shrm.org) InComm Benefits said the findings support a model in which providers are expected to pair account administration with support, education and easier-to-use tools. The company has published the August 5 research on its website, where employers and HR teams can review the results alongside its materials on HSA employee behavior. (hrmorning.com) August open-enrollment planning and year-end benefits communications are the next likely points where employers, brokers and benefits administrators will test those fixes. InComm Benefits, SHRM and HR-focused trade publications are continuing to publish 2026 benefits research that employers can use as they prepare those cycles. (incomm.com)