The ICHRA and ACA intelligence hub for benefits professionals.
Explainers, analyses, and insights for navigating the shift to individual market benefits.
Featured Guide · ICHRA Education
The Broker's Practical Guide to ICHRA: What It Is, How It Works, and What Employers Are Actually Asking
A comprehensive guide for benefits brokers covering how ICHRA works mechanically, how it compares to group health and QSEHRA, the ACA subsidy interaction, and the questions employers ask most.
7 min read · January 13, 2026
All articles
ACA & IFP
Why employees choose the wrong health plan — and what it means for your ICHRA implementation
The behavioral research on health insurance plan selection is clear: employees default to the lowest premium and pay for it in out-of-pocket costs, network surprises, and medication gaps. Here is what meaningful guidance looks like.
Broker Guides
ICHRA Compliance Essentials: What Brokers Need to Know Before Recommending the Switch
Notice requirements, ACA affordability rules, permitted employee classes, prohibited practices, and common mistakes — a practical compliance overview for brokers advising on ICHRA.
ICHRA Education
What Is ICHRA? A Plain-English Guide to the Individual Coverage HRA
ICHRA lets employers of any size reimburse employees tax-free for individual health insurance instead of offering a group plan. Here is how it works, who it is for, and how it compares to group health and QSEHRA.
Definitions
What Is Actuarial Value? Metal Tiers and What They Really Mean
Actuarial value is the share of average medical costs a health plan pays for a standard population — the basis for the bronze, silver, gold, and platinum metal tiers. Here is what it measures, how it is calculated, and why it is not the same as your out-of-pocket costs.
Definitions
What Is an ACA Rating Area? How Geography Sets Your Premium
An ACA rating area is the geographic region a state uses to set individual and small-group health insurance premiums. There are over 500 nationwide, and they are a major reason two people of the same age pay very different premiums — and a key factor in whether ICHRA works.