The Only St. Joseph Broker with ACA Compliance Built Into Your Benefits Package
Most insurance brokers sell you a plan and wish you luck with the rest. We don't. JJI Agency is the only insurance agency in St. Joseph providing employers with a dedicated HR Hotline, 1095-C reporting assistance, and ongoing ACA legislative brief updates — all included when you work with us.
ACA Violations Don't Announce Themselves. We Do.
The Affordable Care Act employer mandate requires applicable large employers — generally those with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees — to offer minimum essential coverage or face IRS penalties. But the law doesn't stop at the coverage requirement. Reporting deadlines, affordability thresholds, and coverage definitions shift regularly, and the IRS doesn't send a warning before it sends a penalty notice.
Employers who get caught off guard usually weren't ignoring the rules. They just didn't have anyone watching the rules on their behalf. That's exactly what we do for our group health clients.
WHY OUR CLIENTS CHOOSE US
1095 Reporting: What It Is and Why It Matters
If you're an applicable large employer under the ACA, you're required to file Forms 1094-C and 1095-C with the IRS each year and distribute 1095-C copies to your full-time employees. These forms document whether you offered minimum essential coverage, whether that coverage met affordability and minimum value standards, and which employees were enrolled.
Errors or late filings can trigger IRS penalty assessments — even when the underlying coverage was compliant. We help our employer clients understand what these forms require, review the information that goes into them, and avoid the filing mistakes that create unnecessary exposure.
JJI Agency was founded by John Joe and is now led by his son Todd, with the third generation of the Joe family active in the business today. Todd has more than 20 years of experience in health insurance and employee benefits, and our agency has served Northwest Missouri employers for over four decades.
We're an independent broker, which means we work for you — not for any single carrier. We hold contracts with multiple carriers, including Aetna and Humana, and we recommend coverage based on what fits your workforce and your budget. Our two offices in St. Joseph and Maryville serve employers across Buchanan, Andrew, Nodaway, DeKalb, and surrounding counties throughout the region.
If you want to learn more about who we are and how we work, visit our about page.
What's Included: Your ACA Compliance Resource Package
When you work with JJI Agency for your group health coverage, you get more than a benefits plan. You get a compliance infrastructure that no other local broker provides.
- HR Hotline — Direct access to HR and compliance guidance when a question comes up mid-year. Whether it's a question about a qualifying life event, employee eligibility, or coverage documentation, you have a resource to call.
- 1095-C and 1094-C Reporting Assistance — We help you understand your annual reporting obligations under the ACA, what the forms require, and how to avoid the filing errors that trigger IRS scrutiny.
- ACA Legislative Brief Updates — When federal rules change — affordability percentages, reporting deadlines, coverage mandates — we send you a plain-language brief so you know what's changing and what it means for your business before the effective date arrives.
- Ongoing Employer Support — We don't disappear after open enrollment. Our team stays engaged throughout the plan year to answer questions and flag anything that affects your compliance posture.
What Is the HR Hotline and How Does It Work?
The HR Hotline is a direct line to compliance guidance for employers who don't have a full HR department on staff. Small and midsize businesses face the same ACA obligations as larger companies, but rarely have the internal resources to manage them.
When a question comes up — about employee eligibility, dependent coverage rules, special enrollment periods, or documentation requirements — you call the hotline instead of spending hours searching government websites or waiting on hold with a carrier. It's staffed to answer the kinds of questions that come up in real benefits administration: practical, specific, and time-sensitive.
Common Questions About ACA Compliance for Employers
What is the ACA employer mandate and does it apply to my business?
The employer mandate requires applicable large employers — those with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees — to offer affordable, minimum essential health coverage to full-time employees or face potential IRS penalties. If you're near that threshold or unsure how your workforce counts, we can walk you through how the calculation works.What happens if I miss the 1095-C filing deadline?
Late or incorrect filings can result in IRS penalty assessments under Internal Revenue Code Sections 6721 and 6722. Penalties vary based on how late the filing is and whether the IRS determines the failure was intentional. Filing on time with accurate information is the most reliable way to avoid exposure — and we help our clients do exactly that.Does every small business have to comply with ACA reporting requirements?
Mandatory 1094-C and 1095-C reporting applies to applicable large employers. Smaller employers who offer self-insured coverage have separate reporting requirements under Section 6055. If you're unsure which rules apply to your business, that's a conversation worth having before a deadline arrives.Is ACA compliance support something I have to pay extra for?
No. The HR Hotline, 1095 reporting assistance, and legislative brief updates are included as part of working with JJI Agency on your group health plan. There's no separate vendor, no add-on fee, and no extra contract to sign.