Your renewal increase is an opening offer, not a verdict. Learn the 3 signs your number is soft and how to negotiate a health insurance renewal increase.
The Renewal Negotiation Checklist: 9 Questions to Ask Your Broker 90 Days Before Your Plan Renews
Your renewal is an opening offer, not a verdict. The 9 questions to ask your broker 90 days out, and what an evasive answer on each one is telling you.
The 5 Hidden Revenue Streams Your Broker Doesn’t Put on an Invoice
Broker contingent commissions bonuses, persistency credits, stop-loss and PBM pay: 5 revenue streams that never hit your invoice, and how to surface them.
Laser Clauses Explained: The Stop-Loss Fine Print That Can Cost You Six Figures at Renewal
Stop loss laser clause explained: the 3 kinds of lasers, what a re-laser really costs at renewal, and the exact contract language to demand before you sign.
Specialty Drug Costs Are Eating Your Health Plan Budget in 2026 — Here’s What Actually Stops It
Specialty drugs are under 5% of prescriptions but over half of pharmacy spend. See why most PBM contracts hide the fix, and what employers can do now.
Quote Comparison vs. Market Analysis: The 4 Things Your Broker’s Spreadsheet Never Shows You
Most employers only ever see four carriers. See how a real market analysis — level funding, direct contracting, PBM review — cuts costs without cutting care.
How to Read Your Broker’s Compensation Disclosure Under CAA Section 202 (Line by Line)
CAA Section 202 made your broker’s pay visible—if you read it. A line-by-line walkthrough plus a 9-point checklist to find the number in 20 minutes.
Boutique Benefits Broker vs. National Brokerage: Why Mid-Sized Employers Get Better Results Going Small (2026 Guide)
Big brokerages sell leverage; boutique benefits brokers deliver plan design. See why mid-sized employers keep saving six figures by going small in 2026.
Carrier ASO vs. Independent TPA: You Took the Risk. Who Kept the Control?
What You'll Learn Why "we're already self-funded" is a starting line, not a finish line How a carrier ASO arrangement keeps the carrier's admin, network, and owned PBM while moving 100% of the claims risk onto your balance sheet The 4 levers a carrier ASO holds and an...
How a New PBM Cuts Employer Drug Costs: The 2026 Playbook
Pharmacy is the easiest line item to fix in a self-funded plan. How spread pricing, rebate traps, and independent PBMs really work in 2026 — and the test to run.