ECFC, the leading nonprofit organization promoting choice in benefit solutions, is celebrating its 35th anniversary throughout 2016. Strengthened by member support, the organization is poised to make significant strides in advancing healthcare consumerism this year.

“We will continue to build on the major gains ECFC has made in our advocacy and education efforts last year to legislative and regulatory initiatives, certifications, publications and industry networking events,” said William Short, ECFC’s Board of Directors Chair. “We’ve come a long way in 35 years by listening to our members, focusing our efforts and putting muscle behind our vision. Today, we are the vital voice in preserving, protecting and defending tax-advantaged benefits programs for working families, helping to put more of their hard-earned cash in their pockets.”

This month the organization rolled out a brand refresh with an updated logo and tagline, “Advancing Healthcare Consumerism.” This brand promise celebrates significant accomplishments and matches the organization’s value proposition to be the leading nonprofit organization promoting choice in benefits solutions by working together through education and advocacy to put a consumer-driven account into the hands of everyone.

ECFC, an organization of nearly 200 employer members, champions tax-advantaged benefit programs, such as flexible spending accounts (FSAs), health savings accounts (HSAs) and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). This year’s Annual Conference March 16-18 in Washington, D.C., will amplify its voice in the ongoing debate on employer-provided benefit plans, tax reform and the Affordable Care Act. Building on its successes with the use-it-or-lose-it provision for health FSAs, the organization will continue its position as the thought leaders on these issues.

Accelerating its momentum, the organization bolstered its influence by recently recruiting two 30-year industry veterans: Martin Trussell joined this month to serve as Executive Director and William Sweetnam joined in June to serve as Legislative and Technical Director.

ECFC’s My Money, My Health campaign, which launched in November, continues to give voice to millions of healthcare consumers who will be negatively impacted by the “Cadillac” tax, a 40 percent excise tax on employer-based health plans. Feeling the pressure, last month, both the House or Representatives and the Senate passed end-of-year legislation providing a two-year delay and welcome – albeit only temporary – relief to millions of Americans.

“ECFC’s core purpose is to promote choice in benefit solutions,” Trussell said. “If the preservation, protection and defense of tax-advantaged benefits programs for working families is important to you, you need to become a member of ECFC.”

ECFC has scheduled several networking, advocacy and educational events throughout 2016, including its annual Administrator’s Symposium in August, to provide employers, plan sponsors, third-party administrators, and other service providers in the consumer-directed benefits industry with practical advice, technical education and updates on lobbying efforts with Congress and on the regulatory front. For more information, visit www.ecfc.org.

About ECFC

ECFC is a leading non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining and expanding employee benefit programs on a tax-advantaged basis. ECFC represents and promotes employee benefit programs through effective lobbying and provides education and awareness to members, compensation practitioners, national opinion leaders and the general public to help advance healthcare consumerism. ECFC, which was founded in 1981 as the Employers Council on Flexible Compensation, is the single organization that focuses its efforts on preserving, protecting and defending the tax advantaged programs currently available to working families through employer plan sponsors.