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Stay ahead of the curve with Tools + Intel from CRC Benefits, your premier source for reliable and insightful updates on the latest trends and critical compliance news in the health, life, and employee benefits insurance industry.

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There Is a Deadline Coming. Do Your QSEHRA and ICHRA Clients Know? Article Image
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There Is a Deadline Coming. Do Your QSEHRA and ICHRA Clients Know?

October 2 is the notice deadline for QSEHRA and ICHRA plans starting January 1, a date most employers miss. The gap risks penalties up to $2,500 per employee and cuts off the special enrollment period the notice triggers, sometimes leaving employees stuck for a full year. There's still time to get it right, but not for long.

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Identifying Bad Actors in the Employee Benefits Market Article Image
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Identifying Bad Actors in the Employee Benefits Market

Wellness plans marketed as instant payroll tax savings, charity care arrangements that shift high-cost employees off a group plan before renewal, and cash-in-lieu payments dressed up as tax-free pay keep surfacing, often backed by persuasive sales materials. Regulators treat most as improper attempts to convert taxable wages into tax-free income, and the exposure lands on the employer.

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The Real Decision Behind Turning 65 Article Image
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The Real Decision Behind Turning 65

More than half of Medicare beneficiaries are on Medicare Advantage, and most people approaching 65 have no idea what they're actually choosing between. Fewer zero-premium plans and shrinking supplemental benefits in 2026 raise the stakes, and the Medigap guaranteed-issue window closes earlier than most people expect.

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The Open Enrollment Story Matters More Than Ever Article Image
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The Open Enrollment Story Matters More Than Ever

Most employees are confused about their benefits, and many spend less than 30 minutes deciding on coverage that affects them all year. Better communication closes that gap, and the work starts weeks before enrollment opens. Framing what changed, what stayed the same, and where to get help turns confusion into confidence.

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Your Best Clients Are About to Outgrow You Article Image
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Your Best Clients Are About to Outgrow You

New data is flipping the PEO pitch on its head. Businesses that partner with a PEO grow twice as fast, fail 50% less often, and see lower turnover, and 87% of businesses without one say they're already interested. The smallest, fastest-growing clients in your book may be the ones most ready for this conversation, if it's framed around where they're headed instead of what's broken.

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Form 5500: Don't Get Caught Off Guard Article Image
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Form 5500: Don't Get Caught Off Guard

Some advisors still think Form 5500 is a retirement plan filing, until a client gets a penalty notice for their health and welfare plan. Group health plans with 100+ participants have to file, the deadline (or October 15 with an extension) is closer than it looks, and the DOL's civil penalties climb with no cap. For clients who already missed it, there's still a path forward.

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When Traditional Group Health Stops Making Sense Article Image
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When Traditional Group Health Stops Making Sense

More clients are showing up to renewal, not asking for a better rate, but questioning the model itself. With family premiums past $27,000 and ACA penalty exposure climbing, MEC and MVP plans paired with worksite benefits are giving brokers a compliant, affordable structure to offer instead, one that often opens the door to employers who never had a viable path to coverage before.

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State PFML Is Expanding. Here’s What to Watch Article Image
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State PFML Is Expanding. Here’s What to Watch

Paid family and medical leave is becoming a bigger benefits planning issue, especially for multi-state employers. New programs can affect payroll deductions, employer contributions, notices, reporting, private plan decisions, leave administration, and how PFML coordinates with disability, PTO, and other paid leave. Reviewing the details early can help clients prepare before deadlines reach payroll

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Your Book of Business Is Already Telling You Where to Grow Article Image
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Your Book of Business Is Already Telling You Where to Grow

The best growth signals may already be inside the current book. Missed reviews, prior cost concerns, household changes, aging-in opportunities, and plan-fit issues can show where outreach should happen before enrollment season picks up. A stronger book review helps prioritize the right conversations, protect relationships, and find coverage opportunities already connected to clients you serve.

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The Hidden MEWA Risk Employers Need to Understand Article Image
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The Hidden MEWA Risk Employers Need to Understand

When a client asks whether 1099 contractors can join the group health plan, it may sound like a simple eligibility question. It is not. Contractor classification, plan document language, carrier rules, tax treatment, and federal and state requirements all matter. A small exception can create MEWA concerns, reporting obligations, state regulatory exposure, and fiduciary risk

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A Midyear Compliance Check Can Protect the Plan and the Client Relationship Article Image
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A Midyear Compliance Check Can Protect the Plan and the Client Relationship

Midyear is the right time to catch compliance gaps before they become bigger plan problems. Required notices, compensation disclosures, leave policies, and Section 125 testing all deserve a closer look. Clear documentation and consistent administration help protect the plan, support the client relationship, and keep employers from relying on memory or exceptions .

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Voluntary and Worksite Benefits: The Overlooked Growth Lever Article Image
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Voluntary and Worksite Benefits: The Overlooked Growth Lever

Voluntary and worksite benefits can do more than round out a package. When built with clear purpose, they help employees manage income gaps, out-of-pocket exposure, and financial stress without requiring employers to absorb the full cost. Stronger strategy, better education, and claims support can make these benefits easier to understand, use, and defend throughout the plan year ahead.

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The New Broker Playbook: Where Growth Is Actually Coming From Article Image
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The New Broker Playbook: Where Growth Is Actually Coming From

Uncertainty is nothing new in benefits. What’s different heading into 2026 is the pace of change and the pressure on employers to act before guidance is fully settled. Dive in as we reframe uncertainty as a moment for stronger process, clearer roles, and better documentation.

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Mental Health Parity is Back in Focus Article Image
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Mental Health Parity is Back in Focus

Mental health parity is drawing renewed scrutiny, even as enforcement signals continue to shift. That leaves employers with a familiar challenge: how to evaluate access, oversight, and plan performance when the rules may feel less settled. Stronger visibility into comparative analysis, vendor accountability, and real-world access can help bring that conversation back into focus.

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Multi-State Complexity Is Making PEO Conversations More Strategic Article Image
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Multi-State Complexity Is Making PEO Conversations More Strategic

As employers expand across state lines, payroll, leave, compliance, and HR coordination become harder to manage consistently. What starts as manageable growth can quickly turn into operational drag. A more strategic review of support structure, internal capacity, and long-term fit can help bring the PEO conversation in earlier and keep it focused on the needs of the business.

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