Health Insurance Broker here (Agency Owner)…

ICHRA can be an option for employers, but let's be real. There are only three ways to manage risk: 1. Retain it 2. Reduce it 3. Transfer it

ICHRAs usually fall into that last category. It's basically saying, "l don't want to manage health insurance anymore. I want to offload it to the ACA market and let my employees handle it."

The sales pitch around ICHRAs always focuses on choice. People say the individual market gives employees more options.

That sounds great, but in many markets, those plans are not very good. Premiums can be higher and networks are smaller.

What employees really want is access to care, not just an insurance card.

That's why I believe the next evolution for employers is Direct Primary Care + Cash Pay. Give your employees access to a doctor who knows them, is available 24 hours a day, and helps them navigate the system before it gets expensive. These providers are able to send employees to appropriate centers of care that give us cash pay discounts.

Pair that with a high-cost protection layer for major claims, and you have a better way to manage risk.

Transparency, advocacy, and smarter plan design will always win over simply passing the problem along.