Introduction: The Hidden Risk in ACA Reporting

For many employers, ACA reporting stress doesn’t hit until January, when the scramble begins to gather employee data, reconcile hours, and file forms. But waiting until the new year is a recipe for errors, late filings, and costly penalties.

The reality is this: the best time to clean your ACA data is during open enrollment. When employee information is already being updated, brokers and employers have a natural opportunity to address data accuracy before it becomes a compliance headache.

Why Open Enrollment Is a Strategic Moment for Data Accuracy

Open enrollment isn’t just about plan selection, it’s also when employees and HR teams are most engaged with eligibility, coverage, and demographic information,  making it the perfect time to:

• Confirm employee classifications (full-time, part-time, seasonal, variable-hour).
  
• Update demographic details (addresses, Social Security Numbers, dependents).
  
• Align eligibility rules with ACA compliance requirements.
  

By using open enrollment as a data checkpoint, you ensure that what goes into your ACA reporting system is accurate from the start.

The Cost of Waiting Until January

Many organizations delay ACA cleanup until year-end, thinking they can “catch up” later. But this approach creates major risks:

• Data gaps: Incomplete or outdated employee records lead to incorrect Forms 1095-C.
  
• Penalties: Inaccurate filings can trigger IRS penalties that add up quickly.
  
• Last-minute stress: January becomes a frantic rush, leaving little time for quality control.
  

The IRS has increased its enforcement of ACA penalties in recent years, and employers that treat ACA reporting as an afterthought are the first to feel the impact.

Turning Compliance Into a Relationship-Building Opportunity

For brokers, helping clients clean their ACA data during open enrollment is more than a compliance task, it’s a chance to strengthen relationships. By guiding employers to address data accuracy now, you:

• Position yourself as a trusted advisor who anticipates risks before they become problems.
  
• Differentiate your value beyond benefits, by delivering compliance expertise.
  
• Build client confidence that year-end reporting will be smooth and penalty-free.
  

Employers remember who saved them from a January scramble.

How Mitratech Mineral’s ACA Reporting Hub Simplifies Data Accuracy

Manual spreadsheets and fragmented workflows make ACA compliance risky. Employers and brokers need ACA reporting software that ensures accuracy and confidence at every step. That’s where Mitratech Mineral’s ACA Reporting Hub delivers.

With Mitratech Mineral’s ACA compliance technology, you can:

• Automate ACA tracking for full-time, part-time, seasonal, and variable-hour employees.
  
• Identify issues early with proactive alerts for missing data, misclassifications, or eligibility gaps.
  
• Leverage real-time dashboards to validate accuracy and keep reporting on track well before filing deadlines.
  
• Streamline collaboration between employers and brokers by centralizing data in one secure system.
  

By aligning open enrollment with automated ACA tracking, Mitratech Mineral transforms reporting from a reactive burden into a proactive compliance advantage, reducing risk, improving accuracy, and strengthening client confidence.

Conclusion: Start Now, Stress Less Later

Open enrollment is more than a benefits exercise, it’s the smartest time to tackle ACA data accuracy. By cleaning data now, you reduce compliance risk, eliminate January stress, and strengthen trust with clients and employees alike.

Brokers and employers who act early will enter the year-end reporting season with confidence, not chaos.

Don’t wait until January. Discover how Mitratech Mineral’s ACA Reporting Hub helps employers and brokers clean data early, ensure accuracy, and make ACA compliance stress-free.  Learn more →