Change the employer contribution, add a tier, move a threshold, and see what it does.
Contribution decisions are usually made on a guess. They can be made on a model.
Three levers.
Each moves cost and affordability together.
The Employer Contribution
Raise or lower it by plan and tier and see the effect on the employer’s cost and on the employee’s.
A New Tier
Add a tier, or collapse two, and see who is better off and who is not.
A Threshold
Move the point at which a rule applies, and see who it affects.
The result, in the same screen.
The decision becomes a comparison.
Cost to the Employer
Total spend, per employee and in aggregate.
Cost to Each Employee
By tier, so no group is surprised.
The Affordability Test
Whether the lowest-priced self-only option still passes for the employees who matter.
At the moments that matter.
And before them.
At Renewal
To decide how much of an increase the employer absorbs.
At Plan Redesign
To compare designs on the same budget.
In Planning
To see next year’s options before the ask arrives.
Questions that come up.
Short answers to the questions we hear most. Each links to the full page.
What can I change when modeling our employer contribution?
There are three levers. You can raise or lower the employer contribution by plan and tier, add a tier or combine two, and move a threshold to see who a rule affects. Each change shows its effect on cost and affordability together.
What results do I see when I change a contribution scenario?
The same screen shows cost to the employer, per employee and in aggregate, and cost to each employee by tier so no group is surprised. It also shows whether the lowest-priced self-only option still passes the affordability test.
When would we use contribution modeling during the year?
At renewal, to decide how much of an increase the employer will absorb. At plan redesign, to compare designs against the same budget. In planning, to preview next year’s options before the renewal arrives, so the decision rests on a model instead of a guess.
Ready? Send us your renewal, or talk it through with someone first. No cost, no obligation.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Plan-specific questions belong with the plan documents, the carrier and counsel.
Send us your renewal.
We’ll tell you whether it looks competitive, where we see opportunity, and the five questions we’d put to your carrier. No cost, and no obligation to move anything.
The renewal letter
Your current plan summary
Contribution split by tier
Enrolled counts by tier
Four documents — two more if your group is 50 or more. Nothing else; every extra one is a reason to postpone.
An independent employee benefits consulting firm. We look at the entire benefits program — cost, plan performance, risk and administration.
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