# Prepare for an ICHRA planning conversation Canonical reader page: https://ichrareport.com/tools/ichra-readiness/ Publisher: ICHRA Report Originally published: 2026-09-12 Substantively updated: 2026-09-19 Sources checked: Not recorded Data period: Not recorded Representation: public explanation and limitations. Open the canonical reader page to use its controls; this file contains no submitted inputs, live results or calculated scenario. Free employer evaluation brief For employers and brokers deciding what to investigate next. Answer six questions about your benefits situation to get a checklist of missing information, questions to ask and suggested responsibilities. No quotes or email address are needed. CMS now calls an individual coverage HRA (ICHRA) a CHOICE Arrangement. [What changed with the CHOICE name?](https://ichrareport.com/guides/choice-arrangements/) ([CMS terminology](https://www.cms.gov/marketplace/employer-initiatives)) [See what each question helps you decide](https://ichrareport.com/tools/ichra-readiness/#readiness-method) before answering. What you get ## Questions to bring to your adviser - Your answer-specific next steps - A provider comparison worksheet - Suggested responsibilities - A printable, downloadable copy The score is a simple way to organize your answers. Each answer adds 0, 2 or 3 points; it is not a measured probability of success or approval to switch benefits. Do not enter employee health information, household income, Social Security numbers or employee names. Nothing entered here is sent to a provider. Understand the questions ## Six decisions behind an ICHRA evaluation For employers and brokers exploring a benefits change. Read the possible next steps here, or answer the questions above to collect the relevant ones in a brief you can print or download. These are planning prompts. Each selected answer adds 0, 2 or 3 points to a score out of 18; no score proves savings, legal affordability or suitability. The brief uses the same guidance shown below. Question 1 of 6 · Employer / HR ### Why are you considering a change to health benefits? A benefits change needs a specific purpose. A high planning score does not establish that ICHRA is the right solution. - #### I am learning about the options Write down the benefits problem first. If the current arrangement is working and no change is needed, use this brief to learn rather than start a provider purchase. - #### Our current benefits need improvement Separate cost, participation, administration and employee-choice concerns. Set a measurable objective and compare alternatives against the same baseline. - #### We are evaluating a change Confirm the intended plan year, decision owner and approval date. Record the outcomes a change must deliver before requesting proposals. **Evidence still needed:** A written objective, current benefit baseline and decision owner. - [Understand the employer decision](https://ichrareport.com/guides/ichra-for-employers/) - [Compare the types of HRA](https://ichrareport.com/hra/) Question 2 of 6 · Broker / qualified advisers ### Where do your employees live? Individual insurance options depend on where employees live. One county cannot stand in for a workforce spread across several markets. - #### Mostly in one local area Check plans, networks and premiums in the local market. A concentrated workforce does not by itself make ICHRA suitable or unsuitable. - #### Across several regions or states Compare availability, premiums, networks and support requirements in every relevant rating area. Do not apply one location’s result to all employees. - #### Across many locations Create a market-by-market review and employee-support plan. Require providers to explain how they handle coverage differences and enrollment across locations. **Evidence still needed:** Relevant counties, current plan-year premiums and confirmed doctor, hospital and prescription coverage. The Market Explorer contains a dated 2026 premium snapshot for 30 states and six example ages. It is not a 2027 quote or confirmation of a doctor network, and premiums alone do not establish savings or affordability. - [Explore published 2026 county premiums](https://ichrareport.com/tools/market-explorer/) - [Check what changes for employees](https://ichrareport.com/guides/ichra-for-employees/) Question 3 of 6 · Finance / broker ### How well is your current group health plan working financially? Employer savings and employee costs are different questions. Compare the complete costs of both arrangements. - #### Costs and participation are acceptable Keep the stable group-plan arrangement as a serious option. Require evidence of an improvement after employer fees, employee costs and administration are considered. - #### Some employees or locations face problems Identify the locations or employee groups under pressure. Compare those groups separately while preserving a whole-workforce view of cost and impact. - #### We face major cost or participation problems Document renewal pressure and its causes. Model several contribution and coverage scenarios; do not assume moving to ICHRA will solve the cost problem. **Evidence still needed:** Current group-plan renewal, proposed reimbursements, administrator fees and employee premium and care costs. This worksheet requires your own written administrator quotes; published starting prices are not personalized proposals. - [Work through employer and employee costs](https://ichrareport.com/guides/ichra-total-cost/#example) - [Compare administrator fees from written quotes](https://ichrareport.com/tools/compare-ichra-quotes/) Question 4 of 6 · HR / qualified advisers ### Do you have current employee information for a benefits comparison? A useful model needs current inputs and the rules for the intended plan year. Data completeness is not the same as a valid affordability calculation. - #### Not yet Assemble eligibility, age, location and proposed class information through a secure process with your adviser. Do not upload employee data to this worksheet. - #### Some information is ready Resolve missing or outdated census fields and reference premiums. Record which assumptions still prevent a reliable employee-level model. - #### The information is ready Confirm the census is current and the modeling method uses the correct plan year, reference coverage and rules. Having data ready does not validate its conclusions. **Evidence still needed:** A secure, current employee census, proposed classes, reference premiums and a qualified review of the applicable tests. Choose the intended plan year. Neither this assessment nor its score calculates legal affordability. - [Separate the three affordability tests for 2026](https://ichrareport.com/guides/ichra-affordability-2026/#three-tests) - [Check the corresponding tests for 2027](https://ichrareport.com/guides/ichra-affordability-2027/#three-tests) - [Understand permitted employee classes](https://ichrareport.com/guides/employee-classes/) Question 5 of 6 · HR / broker / administrator ### How important is individual plan choice? Having more plans to choose from helps only when those plans meet employee needs and people can get help choosing and using coverage. - #### Low Compare the value of a uniform group-plan experience with individual shopping responsibilities. Make sure any proposed change serves the stated employee needs. - #### Moderate Identify who needs additional choice and who needs enrollment assistance. Ask providers to demonstrate both shopping and ongoing support. - #### High Verify actual plan and network options, not just the number of plans. Require a clear process for licensed guidance, enrollment questions and coverage problems. **Evidence still needed:** Plan documents, network and prescription checks, enrollment assistance and an ongoing support process. - [Review the employee coverage checklist](https://ichrareport.com/guides/ichra-for-employees/) - [Ask about enrollment and ongoing support](https://ichrareport.com/guides/how-to-choose-an-ichra-provider/) Question 6 of 6 · Employer sponsor / administrator ### Who could organize the change and help employees enroll? A benefits change involves notices, payroll, enrollment and payments. Each task needs an owner and a workable deadline. - #### We have not assigned the work Resolve ownership, communications, payroll and enrollment capacity before committing to a launch. Ask an adviser to assess whether the intended timeline is feasible. - #### We would need outside help Request a written division of work between employer, broker and administrator. Identify who handles notices, data cleanup, payments, enrollment and escalations. - #### We can assign the work Turn readiness into a written milestone plan with owners and dependencies. Validate the timeline, employee communications and exception handling before approval. **Evidence still needed:** A written implementation schedule, assigned responsibilities and a process for exceptions and unresolved problems. - [Build the implementation checklist](https://ichrareport.com/guides/implementation-checklist/) - [Compare public administrator information](https://ichrareport.com/compare/provider-matrix/)