Ready for a serious conversation?

If this model aligns with how your organization thinks about long-term planning, book a feasibility discussion. We'll pressure-test fit and call out the risks early.

What you'll get:

  • A clear go / no-go view based on your workforce and goals
  • Key considerations: affordability, geography, comms readiness, timeline
  • Next steps (if it's a fit) or alternatives (if it's not)
Practical. No-pressure. 45 minutes max.

If this feels like your renewal cycle, you're not alone.

  • Annual renewals no one can explain clearly
  • Double-digit increase you can't budget for
  • COBRA, ACA, ERISA and state mandates stacking up
  • Administrators stuck defending carrier decisions they didn't make
  • Employees frustrated with the wrong people

This isn't a leadership failure. It's a structural one.

Healthcare is following the same path as pensions.

Employer pensions were once the gold standard, until volatility and long-term exposure made them unsustainable even for well-run organizations.

The solution wasn't abandoning retirement benefits. It was redefining responsibility.

What the 401(k) changed:

  • Employers define a contribution
  • Employees control plan choice
  • Risk becomes more predictable and manageable

ICHRA applies the same defined contribution logic to healthcare.

What ICHRA is

A fixed, predictable employer healthcare contribution

Employees select ACA-compliant individual plans that fit their situation

No traditional group renewal cycle

Tax-advantaged structure when designed correctly

What ICHRA is NOT

Not "dropping benefits"

Not unmanaged individual insurance

Not a cost-shift without support

Not abandoning employees

This is a funding shift, not a benefit reduction.

Why education organizations are looking at ICHRA

Schools are managing healthcare inflation alongside enrollment variability, staffing shortages, wage pressure, and limited pricing flexibility.

Healthcare costs don't rise in isolation. They crowd out resources that would otherwise go to classrooms, programs, and people.

When ICHRA tends to work well

Fit:

  • Value predictability over tradition
  • You want long-term sustainability (not annual firefighting)
  • You can accept geographic variation
  • Leadership is willing to communicate clearly through change
If this sounds like your organization, the next step is a feasibility discussion.

Not a fit:

  • You expect uniformity across all geographies
  • You desire minimal engagement during transition
  • You're not prepared to guide employees through plan choice
  • You have an allergy to change
The model rewards clarity and preparation.

ICHRA support options for education

Schools don't need another platform. They need the right level of support.

Foundation

Best for: smaller schools, lean HR teams

Includes: feasibility + compliant design + platform setup + baseline education resources

Employees get choice. You get predictability.

Guided (most common)

Best for: multi-site schools, stretched HR teams

Includes: everything in Foundation plus DSP-led education + 1:1 enrollment guidance windows

Employees don't just get options. They get guidance.

Partner

Best for: larger orgs, networks, multi-site operators

Includes: everything in Guided plus leadership messaging + custom comms + disruption management + post-Open Enrollment refinement

This isn't just a benefits change. It's an organizational transition.

We'll recommend the support level that fits your size, timeline and internal bandwidth.

Our Role

DSP doesn't sell plans. We architect benefits strategies that last.

  1. Pressure-test feasibility before change

  2. Design compliant, durable structures

  3. Guide employees through real choices

  4. Protect leadership bandwidth and reduce risk

What we'll cover in a feasibility discussion

We'll ask a few practical questions so we can give you a straight answer: yes, no or not yet.

  • Organization snapshot
  • Workforce size + geography
  • Current benefits approach (high level)
  • Compliance risks/considerations
  • Talent and retention impact
  • Change readiness + timeline

If you'd rather not fill anything out in advance, that's fine, we can cover it during the meeting. Book a feasibility discussion.

What Our Clients Are Saying

"...A pleasure to deal and work with over many years. He truly understands our needs, concerns, and has been there personally to help work our way through the good times and the not so good times. You definitely get the personal touch you rarely see these days."

- CEO (51-200 employees)

"...A phenomenal strategic partner for our organization and has done a great job of working with our HR/Finance leadership team to develop a comprehensive benefits solution that meets the needs of our rapidly growing start-up."

- Director of Talent (201-500 employees)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do we know if this is right for our school?

The only responsible way to answer that is through a feasibility review.

This involves evaluating:

  • Workforce makeup

  • Geographic distribution

  • Employee demographics

  • Budget objectives

  • Communication capacity

For some schools, ICHRA is a strong fit.
For others, it isn’t. Knowing is the value.

Q: Will this save money?

Frequently, but cost savings are not the only objective.

The primary benefit is predictability:

  • Fixed contributions

  • No annual renewal volatility

  • Reduced administrative burden

In many cases, long-term cost control improves as a result but the more important outcome is stability.

Q: Will this disrupt benefits for employees?

Any change to healthcare creates questions. The difference with ICHRA is how the change is managed.

When communication is intentional and employees are supported through plan selection, disruption is typically short-lived. In practice, most issues stem from unclear expectations, not from the model itself.

Support structure matters.

Q: Do employees lose coverage or protection under an ICHRA?

No. Employees enroll in ACA-compliant individual health plans, which include the same essential health benefits required under group coverage.

The difference is ownership:

  • The employer defines the contribution
  • The employee selects the plan

Coverage doesn’t disappear ... responsibility shifts.

Q: How do employees choose a plan if they aren't benefits experts?

Employees are not left to figure this out on their own.

Depending on the support model selected, employees may have access to:

  • Guided plan comparisons

  • One-on-one enrollment support

  • Education around networks, costs, and tradeoffs

The goal isn’t to overwhelm employees with options. We want to help them make a confident choice.

Q: What about Medicare-eligible employees?

ICHRA can work well alongside Medicare, but it requires thoughtful coordination.

Medicare-eligible employees often have different needs and decision paths than the rest of the workforce. When this is planned for upfront and communicated clearly, outcomes are typically very strong.

This is an area where experience and guidance matter.

Q: Is this compliant for public, charter, and private schools?

Yes, when structured correctly.

ICHRA is an ACA-recognized benefit arrangement and can satisfy employer obligations when affordability and eligibility rules are properly applied. The structure must account for employee classes, contribution design, and documentation.

This is not a plug-and-play decision. Architecture matters.

If this is relevant for your next renewal, start with the video.

6-minutes. No form. Built for school leaders.
Reserve a time in 30 seconds. Prep form optional.

If this topic is relevant, but not the right fit or right time, we periodically share updates on healthcare structure for education leaders.

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