<div class="paragraph normal ng-star-inserted" data-start-index= "20"><span class="bold ng-star-inserted" data-start-index= "20"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandy-burch-24389536/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brandy Burch</a>, CEO and founder of <a href="https://www.benefitbay.com/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">benefitbay</a>, joins <a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/denniscarlson/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">Dennis</a> to discuss Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs).</span> <span class= "ng-star-inserted" data-start-index="149">Brandy shares her expertise on the evolution of the ICHRA market, strategic considerations for brokers, and the importance of a comprehensive technology platform for successful ICHRA implementation.</span></div> <div class="paragraph normal ng-star-inserted" data-start-index= "20">&nbsp;</div> <div class="paragraph normal ng-star-inserted" data-start-index= "20"><span class="ng-star-inserted" data-start-index="149">Listen in as we discuss how to go from a defensive ICHRA strategy to playing offense to better serve employer clients.</span></div> <div class="paragraph normal ng-star-inserted" data-start-index= "20">&nbsp;</div> <div class="paragraph heading2 ng-star-inserted" data-start-index= "348"><strong><span class="ng-star-inserted" data-start-index= "348">Show Notes</span></strong> <span class="ng-star-inserted" data-start-index="348">(generated using AI)</span></div> <div class="bullet normal ng-star-inserted">&nbsp;</div> <ul> <li class="paragraph normal ng-star-inserted" data-start-index= "358"><span class="bold ng-star-inserted" data-start-index= "358">Brandy's Background and benefitbay (2:00):</span> <span class="ng-star-inserted" data-start-index="401">Brandy discusses her background in accounting and finance and her extensive experience purchasing benefits for businesses. This experience led her to found benefitbay, a SaaS technology platform designed to address the complexities of ICHRAs. benefitbay focuses on partnering with brokers to provide them with the tools they need to be successful in the ICHRA market.</span></li> <li class="paragraph normal ng-star-inserted" data-start-index= "771"><span class="bold ng-star-inserted" data-start-index= "771">ICHRA Overview and Evolution (6:30):</span> <span class= "ng-star-inserted" data-start-index="807">Brandy provides an overview of ICHRAs and their evolution since their introduction in 2020 under the Trump administration. She explains how ICHRAs allow employers to offer pre-tax benefits to employees who purchase individual health insurance plans. The discussion also covers the initial slow adoption by brokers and their shift towards more offensive strategies as employers express interest in ICHRAs</span></li> <li class="paragraph normal ng-star-inserted" data-start-index= "1213"><span class="bold ng-star-inserted" data-start-index= "1213">Broker Strategies and the Role of Technology (10:00):</span> <span class="ng-star-inserted" data-start-index="1266">The conversation shifts to the importance of brokers in the ICHRA market and the value they bring to employers. Brandy emphasizes the need for brokers to have comprehensive technology platforms that can help them quote, enroll, and administer ICHRAs efficiently. She also highlights the importance of integrating ancillary and voluntary benefits into the ICHRA platform to provide a holistic benefits solution for employers.</span></li> <li><span class="bold ng-star-inserted" data-start-index= "1692">Market Trends and Drivers for ICHRA Adoption (18:00):</span> <span class="ng-star-inserted" data-start-index="1745">Brandy analyzes market trends in ICHRA adoption, noting the significant growth in the average group size adopting ICHRAs. She discusses the key drivers behind this adoption, including employee choice, cost savings, and the need to address the unique needs of diverse workforces and geographically dispersed employees. She also highlights the impact of M&A activity and the challenges faced by healthcare organizations with limited network plans.</span></li> <li class="paragraph normal ng-star-inserted" data-start-index= "2191"><span class="bold ng-star-inserted" data-start-index= "2191">Positioning ICHRAs in the Benefits Landscape (26:00):</span> <span class="ng-star-inserted" data-start-index="2244">The discussion focuses on where ICHRAs fit within the broader spectrum of employer-sponsored health insurance options. Brandy advises brokers to position ICHRAs as part of a comprehensive benefits strategy that includes fully insured, self-funded, and alternative financing arrangements. She stresses the importance of having the right tools and partners to effectively present ICHRA options to employers.</span></li> <li class="paragraph normal ng-star-inserted" data-start-index= "2191">benefitbay's Value Proposition (33:00): <span class= "ng-star-inserted" style= "font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" data-start-index="2710">Brandy outlines benefitbay's value proposition for brokers, emphasizing their focus on the mid-to-large group market and their commitment to broker partnerships. She encourages brokers to proactively explore ICHRAs and utilize benefitbay's platform to stay ahead of market trends and meet the evolving needs of their clients.</span></li> </ul>