How the ESPA works, in four steps.
The Employer Sponsored Preventive Access (ESPA) is an employer-sponsored plan that pairs a Section 125 Cafeteria Plan with a Self-Insured Medical Reimbursement Plan (SIMRP) and preventive health benefits. The employer sponsors the plan. BizPower Benefits provides the plan documents, the technology, and the administrative infrastructure.
The four steps
Evaluation
Share your payroll structure. We model the ESPA for your census and return a per-employee picture. Takes about 15 minutes of your time. Within a few business days, you receive a written estimate.
Plan documents and setup
We provide three integrated plan documents: a Section 125 Cafeteria Plan, a SIMRP, and preventive health benefits. Your employer portal is configured for your specific payroll. Your CPA is welcome to review every document.
Employee enrollment
Employees enroll through a simplified onboarding flow. Each creates one login to the employee technology portal, registers their family, and is set up for whole-family access. Typically under 10 minutes.
Ongoing administration
Reimbursements run through payroll. Your dashboard tracks payroll tax savings recovered since plan start. Quarterly reviews with a dedicated account manager keep the plan aligned with workforce changes.
What employees have access to
Every enrolled employee, plus the employee’s spouse and dependents, has access through the employee technology portal.
24/7 virtual urgent care
Virtual primary care
Mental health support and psychiatric care
Specialist navigation and care coordination
Prescription access and discounts (1,000+ medications)
Online vision care and Rx renewal
Each enrolled employee also receives an annual comprehensive lab panel and an average of $150 a month toward supplemental insurance benefits. Qualified medical expenses are fully reimbursable under the ESPA, with no insurance billing.
Who the ESPA is built for.
The ESPA is structured for employers with W-2 employees. It works for:
Small businesses, mid-market employers, and large enterprises
C-Corporations, S-Corporations, LLCs, and partnerships
Nonprofits, religious organizations, and municipalities
Teams of 10 employees and teams of 10,000 employees
What stays the same
Three things specifically do not change when you put an ESPA in place:
Your major medical plan.
The ESPA pairs with your existing major medical. It does not replace, change, or interfere with it.
Employee take-home pay
The Section 125 mechanism is structured so that employee take-home pay does not change.
Your broker relationship.
Your broker keeps the major medical relationship. The ESPA does not require switching brokers or rebidding any line of coverage.
Frequently asked questions
About 30 days from contract signature to the first payroll cycle reflecting the plan.
No. The ESPA pairs with your existing major medical plan. It does not replace it, change it, or interfere with broker relationships.
No. The Section 125 plus SIMRP structure is built so that employee take-home pay does not change.
Your CPA can review every plan document during setup. We work directly with outside auditors and produce the documentation needed for an annual review.
No. The ESPA is participation-based. Participation is measured through points earned annually as a passive matter, not through specific monthly activities. This is one of the structural differences that keeps the plan compliant.
Note: Tax benefits stem from the structure of the Self-Insured Medical Reimbursement Plan, which uses pre-tax funding. Employers benefit from reduced FICA taxes, while employees only realize tax advantages if they actively participate in the plan and earn the reimbursement after-tax. Without participation, any reimbursement becomes taxable, negating the financial benefit.
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