Bo Armstrong in Benefits Pro lays out generational implications for benefit packages and includes ICHRAs in a list of strategic benefit options. Read more here. 

Marissa Plescia in Med City News turned to the HRA Council Data Report and HRA Council Members to give a take on ICHRA education challenges with employers. Read the full article here. 

Todd Stead in Benefits News offers six questions employers and benefits advisers should consider before choosing an ICHRA. He notes the individual coverage solution is a "hot topic and potential solution" to "the pain of rising healthcare costs is real and far reaching."

Referencing Kaiser Family Foundation data, he shares:

• employer premium contributions increased 20% last year, 
• WTW estimates that 54% of groups expect that they will be over budget on healthcare spending in 2023. 
• family premiums have risen 43% more than earnings (38%) and more than inflation (25%) in the past 10 years.

For the six questions, click here. 

Alan Goforth for BenefitsPRO unpacks PeopleKeep’s 2023 Report and underscores how the study reveals “ Employer adoption of ICHRAs increases significantly.” Headlining the article is that the average reimbursement amount for insurance premiums submitted over the last year was $573.14.

Read the full article here. 

Tom Mafale at SureCo offers “5 reasons ICHRAs could be an alternative to self-funding” in his latest offering at Benefits PRO. The article notes, “Transitioning a company to a self-funded model isn't always a silver bullet for employers in the long run. For many organizations, an individual coverage health reimbursement arrangement (ICHRA) is the better solution.”

Read all about it here. 

Remy Samuels, citing PeopleKeep's 2023 ICHRA Report, shows Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements are "becoming increasingly popular among small employers who want to help employees manage rising health care expenses."

Read the story here. 

Dallas Morning News Business Editor Paul O'Donnell reports: "Dallas health benefits technology firm Take Command will use a new $25 million growth investment to boost its online platform that makes it easier for companies to offer employer-sponsored health insurance."

Read more here including what HRAC past Board Chair and Take Command CEO Jack Hooper plans for those funds.

PeopleKeep's third annual report on ICHRAs which features data on how PeopleKeep customers and their employees utilized the ICHRA as a health benefit, showed that employers offering an ICHRA provided an average monthly allowance that was nearly double the average cost of a gold-level individual insurance premium. Read more...

The fourth quarter is often the busiest time of year in the employee benefits business, with preparations for annual open enrollment adding extra tasks to HR teams’ day-to-day operations. To help you meet deadlines while planning for the enrollment season, Lockton’s Compliance Consulting team has prepared the following guide to assist with reporting and disclosure requirements. Read more...

HRO Today puts the spotlight on Gravie with a story on how Gravie's  new study in partnership with Wakefield Research reveals employers' growing interest in ICHRAs. The article also digs deeper into some barriers prohibiting the offering.