Explore Ideon’s ICHRA Solutions

The ICHRA market is growing fast. But manual processes, custom integrations, and a lack of visibility are holding carriers and ICHRA admin platforms back.

Ideon changes that dynamic. Our infrastructure powers the complete ICHRA experience—from plan shopping and decision support to enrollment and payments—so carriers can grow their ICHRA business and platforms can offer a seamless employee experience.

Ideon Expands ICHRA Enrollment Solution with Payment Automation from Ambient

NEW YORK, NY — April 16, 2025 — Ideon, the leader in data management and connectivity solutions for the health and benefits industry, today announced a strategic partnership with Ambient, the ICHRA payments and administration unit of Priority Technology Holdings, Inc. The partnership combines Ideon’s advanced enrollment technology with Ambient’s payment and administration solution, providing health insurance carriers and ICHRA administrators a unified, automated solution for managing ICHRA enrollment and payment data.

As the Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) market rapidly expands, carriers and ICHRA administrators face increasing complexity around enrollment integrations and premium payments. This partnership addresses these challenges by providing a consistent, scalable method for exchanging critical enrollment and payment data, resulting in fast, accurate processing and an improved employee experience.

“Our partnership with Ambient allows carriers and ICHRA platforms to rapidly scale their ICHRA business while enhancing the overall experience,” said Steve Swad, CEO of Ideon. “We’re now delivering an end-to-end ICHRA solution—from initial quoting through premium payments—that removes complexity for carriers, administrators, employers, and employees.”

IdeonEnroll for ICHRA builds upon Ideon’s proven success automating group benefit enrollments, extending these capabilities to the individual market. The solution significantly reduces integration costs, errors, and processing time, and offers greater visibility into ICHRA enrollments.

Ambient streamlines the ICHRA premium payment process—precisely deducting premiums from employer accounts, allocating funds for each employee, and distributing payments to carriers.

“Ambient simplifies premium payments and administration, empowering carriers and ICHRA administrators to scale efficiently,” said Jim Mrowka, Chief Operating Officer of Priority’s Ambient unit. “In partnership with Ideon, we’re delivering a comprehensive solution that transforms the entire ICHRA experience.”

This partnership further expands Ideon’s suite of ICHRA solutions. Combining IdeonQuote, IdeonSelect, and IdeonEnroll with Ambient’s payment product, Ideon provides the data and connectivity required to power ICHRA plan shopping, decision support, enrollment, and payments. Using this infrastructure, carriers and platforms can enter the ICHRA market faster with accurate data and pre-built integrations.

For more information, visit ideonapi.com/ichra-solutions.

About Ideon

Ideon provides modern data management and connectivity solutions to advance the health and benefits industry. Ideon’s centralized, API-powered solutions enable real-time, reliable data sharing from quote to renewal. With Ideon, insurance carriers and technology platforms benefit from streamlined operations and accurate data, which ultimately improves the consumer experience, drives more revenue, enables smarter decisions, and increases timely access to care. To learn more, visit ideonapi.com.

About Priority and Ambient

Priority is the payments and banking solution that enables businesses to collect, store, lend and send funds through a unified commerce engine. Our platform combines payables, merchant services, and banking and treasury solutions so leaders can streamline financial operations efficiently — and our innovative industry experts help businesses navigate and build momentum on the path to growth. With the Priority Commerce Engine, leaders can accelerate cash flow, optimize working capital, reduce unnecessary costs, and unlock new revenue opportunities. To learn more about Priority and its publicly traded parent, Priority Technology Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRTH), visit prioritycommerce.com.

Ambient, a dedicated unit within Priority, specializes in automating payments and administration for ICHRA plans, easing operational burdens for brokers, TPAs, and carriers. Learn more at ambienttpa.com.

Phil Carollo and Jamie Rockfeld join Ideon executive team

Health and benefits technology leaders to accelerate Ideon’s growth

 

NEW YORK — January 16, 2025 — Ideon, the leader in data management and connectivity solutions for the health and benefits industry, today announced two key additions to its executive team. Phil Carollo has been named Chief Growth Officer, and Jamie Rockfeld joins as Executive Vice President of Sales. 

Carollo and Rockfeld bring decades of industry expertise and sales leadership experience, positioning Ideon for its next phase of growth as it continues to modernize how carriers and benefits platforms connect, exchange, and manage critical data. 

Carollo spent 25 years at PlanSource, a leading benefits administration platform, where he served as Chief Operating Officer, EVP of Sales, and most recently, President of Sales, scaling the company into the industry leader it is today. Rockfeld, also from PlanSource, was instrumental in growing its reseller channel and was most recently VP of Reseller Sales. 

“I have seen firsthand the complexity and inefficiency that organizations face when managing benefits data,” said Carollo. “Ideon’s technology solves these challenges for its customers, empowering them to grow and scale efficiently. I’m thrilled to join a team that is bringing immense value to customers and helping to modernize the industry.” 

“I’m excited to join Ideon and help its customers eliminate data problems that have long plagued carriers and platforms, allowing them to focus on what matters most—delivering value to brokers, employers, and employees,” Rockfeld said. 

These hires come at a time of rapid growth across all three of Ideon’s main product lines: IdeonQuote, IdeonSelect, and IdeonEnroll. In 2024, the company launched IdeonEOI, secured partnerships with industry leaders like Prudential, and strengthened its position as the data solutions leader in the $1T+ health and benefits industry. 

About Ideon
Ideon provides modern data management and connectivity solutions to advance the health and benefits industry. Ideon’s centralized, API-powered solutions enable real-time, reliable data sharing from quote to renewal. With Ideon, insurance carriers and technology platforms benefit from streamlined operations and accurate data, which ultimately improves the consumer experience, drives more revenue, enables smarter decisions, and increases timely access to care. 

Headquartered in New York City, Ideon partners with more than 300 insurance carriers and 100 InsurTech companies to improve operational efficiencies and customer experience across the $1T+ insurance industry. To learn more, visit ideonapi.com. 

Prudential collaborates with Ideon for technology that will help simplify the workplace benefits experience

NEWARK, N.J. – Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU) announced today that its Group Insurance business has collaborated with Ideon, a leader in data exchange and connectivity solutions, to deliver unique technology solutions for benefits eligibility and enrollment processes for workplace clients and their employees.

As employers expand their benefits offerings to attract and retain top talent, the need for fast, safe and efficient benefits administration has never been greater, with high expectations around data exchange between providers, employers and the benefit administration systems they use. Through this strategic relationship with Ideon, Prudential aims to improve the accuracy of enrollment data, help reduce the administrative workload for human resources teams, and seek new and innovative ways to ensure accurate enrollment and eligibility data. The collaboration will also allow Prudential to expand integrations with certain benefit administration systems where connectivity is limited today.

“We are committed to providing a superior experience for our clients and their employees,” said Jess Gillespie, head of product and underwriting for Prudential Group Insurance. “Enhancing Prudential’s digital connectivity makes it faster and easier for groups, and their employees, to enroll in workplace benefits.”

The initial phase of the collaboration focuses on expediting the data exchange process that impacts the onboarding process, including enrollment and eligibility information.

“This relationship signifies a major step forward for Ideon and Prudential,” said Steve Swad, CEO of Ideon. “Our data solutions will enable Prudential to deliver a fast, seamless, and accurate benefits enrollment and administration experience. We are excited to support Prudential in enhancing their platform ecosystem.”

For more information, visit Prudential Group Insurance or Ideon.

About Prudential
Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a global financial services leader and premier active global investment manager with approximately $1.6 trillion in assets under management as of Sept. 30, 2024, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees help make lives better and create financial opportunity for more people by expanding access to investing, insurance, and retirement security. Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise, and innovation for nearly 150 years. For more information, please visit news.prudential.com.

About Prudential Group Insurance
Prudential Group Insurance manufactures and distributes a full range of group life, long-term and short-term disability and corporate and trust-owned life insurance in the U.S. to institutional clients primarily for use within employee and membership benefit plans. The business also sells critical illness, accidental death and dismemberment and other ancillary coverages. In addition, the business provides plan administrative services in connection with its insurance coverages, and administrative services for employee paid and unpaid leave, including FMLA, ADA, and PFL.

About Ideon
Ideon’s data solutions allow health insurance carriers and employee benefits providers to connect with technology partners to deliver seamless consumer experiences at every stage of the member journey. Ideon serves as the infrastructure simplifying the exchange of quoting, provider, and enrollment data between carriers and the technology partners, so they can deliver health and employee benefits to hundreds of millions of Americans every day. Ideon transmits billions of data points between insurtechs and insurance carriers, powering an amazing benefits experience for all. To learn more, please visit ideonapi.com.

Ideon Releases 2025 ICHRA Map

Ideon’s 2025 ICHRA Map is Available here

More than 60% of the U.S. is ICHRA-friendly in 2025

This year, our interactive map reveals exciting new insights into the ICHRA landscape:

📍 For bronze-level plans, 33 states are now “ICHRA-friendly” — up from 31 last year.
📍 Looking at silver-level plans, 21 states have market dynamics favorable to ICHRAs, up from 17 in 2024.

This map is an essential tool for benefits professionals to pinpoint where individual health insurance premiums are more affordable than small group market rates, suggesting opportunities for ICHRA adoption.

🔗 Explore the map here. Plus, you can see how the market has shifted since the inception of ICHRAs.

Explore Ideon’s ICHRA solutions  here.

Eliminating EOI Data Risk: Why Carriers Need EOI Auditing Now

Table of Contents

Managing Evidence of Insurability (EOI) data has become a critical—and challenging—priority for group benefits carriers. Traditional EOI processes often result in errors that expose carriers to significant risks, from Department of Labor (DOL) fines to reputational harm and poor member experiences.

This guide dives into the risks hiding within routine EOI data processing. We’ll examine why carriers struggle to identify missing EOI before it’s too late, and reveal how advanced EOI data auditing prevents errors, mitigates risk, and helps carriers stay ahead in a competitive market.

The Status Quo: Challenges in Identifying Incomplete EOI

Most carriers can’t effectively detect and resolve instances where a member has enrolled in coverage that requires EOI but hasn’t completed the EOI process. This problem is more common than many realize and has far-reaching implications.

The Problem: EOI errors are difficult to detect

      • Enrollment With Incomplete EOI: Members often select life or disability coverage that exceeds guaranteed issue amounts, triggering the need for EOI. However, due to gaps in enrollment data exchange, complex plan eligibility rules, the BenAdmin misconfiguring plans in its system, or miscommunication, the member may not complete the required EOI process.
      • Invisible Discrepancies: These incomplete EOI cases frequently go unnoticed because carriers rely on manual checks or systems that can’t flag these discrepancies.
      • Delayed Detection at Claims Time: The failure to identify these issues means that carriers often discover them only when a claim is filed. At this point, it’s too late to rectify the oversight without causing delays and member dissatisfaction.

The Impact: What happens when EOI errors go unnoticed

      • Financial Risk: Carriers can face lawsuits and fines from the Department of Labor (DOL) if claims are denied due to missing EOI, especially if the member was paying a premium for supplemental coverage. In just the last two years, several large carriers have reached settlements with the DOL over their EOI practices.
      • Poor Claims Experience: Mistakes in EOI collection lead to negative member experiences, especially at claims time—when a slow process or wrongly denied claim can be disastrous for the member and their family. And, these negative experiences could result in brokers and employers taking their business elsewhere.
      • Reputational Damage: Brokers increasingly prioritize carriers with automated, advanced EOI capabilities. Those who don’t meet this expectation may find themselves losing out on key business opportunities and RFPs

Simply put, the status quo is no longer sustainable for carriers looking to remain competitive and compliant in the modern benefits landscape.

Making EOI Data Management a Strategic Priority

The consequences of mishandling EOI are extensive. But there’s light at the end of the tunnel — carriers, with the right auditing technology, can solve EOI data challenges and mitigate risk. Here’s why it should be a top priority:

      • Rising Demand for Automation: Brokers and employers expect streamlined, automated EOI processes to enhance the member experience, speed up enrollment, and reduce errors. Some RFPs even request information about EOI automation, including API capabilities.
      • Revenue Growth Opportunities: Carriers that simplify EOI processes see higher adoption rates for supplemental benefits like life and disability coverage—opening new revenue streams.
      • Mounting Regulatory Pressure: With increased scrutiny from the DOL, carriers face a higher risk of costly fines and reputational damage if EOI data errors aren’t addressed proactively.

EOI Audit by Ideon: An Industry-First Solution to De-Risk EOI Data

Better technology is the only way to minimize the financial and reputational risk of EOI errors.

Ideon’s EOI Audit solution offers a unique, automated approach to solving this industry-wide challenge. It addresses two key areas: data auditing and decision return. Here’s how it works:

      • Identifies Members Requiring EOI: Ideon’s system pinpoints members whose elections require EOI.
      • Audits Groups for Missing EOI: The audit function flags members who require EOI but didn’t complete it. Errors and discrepancies include why someone needs EOI, based on the carrier’s plan eligibility rules, decisions already in the carrier’s system, and group enrollment data.
      • Error Resolution: All discrepancies are surfaced through automated reports and dashboards. Each issue has a clear, actionable resolution path, allowing carriers to avoid downstream problems.
      • Decision synching: EOI statuses and decisions are synched between carriers and BenAdmin platforms, ensuring up-to-date, accurate data across all systems.

This process not only improves data accuracy but also prevents costly errors that lead to DOL fines and poor member outcomes.

Results with EOI Audit

By implementing Ideon’s EOI Audit solution, carriers not only improve compliance and enhance claims experiences, but also strengthen their competitive position by offering a more reliable EOI process. Here are the key benefits they can expect:

      • Risk Mitigation: Proactively address EOI discrepancies to avoid DOL fines, reputational harm, and operational disruptions.
      • Faster Resolution: Early detection and actionable insights mean carriers resolve EOI discrepancies quickly, avoid downstream problems, and process claims accurately.
      • Stronger Market Position: Showcase advanced EOI capabilities to stand out in RFPs, win more business, and build stronger broker relationships.

Success in Action: How Prudential is Using Ideon’s EOI Audit Solution

Carriers like Prudential are already seeing positive results with Ideon’s EOI Audit solution. As Sherri Bycroft, Director of Benefit Technology Partnerships at Prudential, shared in a recent Ideon Insights interview:

“We’re really excited about the fact that it’s going to flush out issues much earlier on,” she said. “We can have full confidence that we have the right information about the members in our system, and at the time of claim, be able to pay that without delays.”

Get a Demo of EOI Audit by Ideon

See how Ideon’s EOI Audit solution can help you reduce risk, identify missing EOI, and provide a better claims experience. Schedule a demo below.


Employee Spotlight: Christie Lickert

At Ideon, we’re proud to have such a talented, diverse team leading the charge for a better and more connected health insurance and employee benefits industry. Our ongoing Employee Spotlight series showcases the people behind our product and unveils what life is like at Ideon. Next up… Christie Lickert, our Senior Operations Analyst!

Name: Christie Lickert
Department: Enrollment Operations
Title: Senior Operations Analyst
Location: Omaha, NE

Work

How long have you worked at Ideon?

I have worked at Ideon in Enrollment Operations for two years.

Tell us about your day-to-day.

I work with carriers and platforms, specifically with configurations for EDI and API feeds. Each day, the work I do is different. I can be working on anything from a brand-new implementation with testing to creating documentation on processes and training new team members.

What projects are you excited to work on?

I love working on projects that are challenging and give me a sense of accomplishment. I enjoy it when I can contribute to solving issues with an out-of-box approach.

What excites you about the future of Ideon?

Ideon has many partnerships that are so influential to the growth of our company. We are constantly trying to make the customer experience as seamless and efficient as possible. I am excited to see what innovative ideas my colleagues and I produce to help support that.

Describe your onboarding experience.

What’s great about Ideon is that we have every new employee meet with each department to get a look at what we do. It was interesting and informative to see what each team member’s purpose is. The team is also very welcoming and inclusive. Ideon is very thorough with onboarding and makes sure everyone has what they need to be successful.

Life

Favorite activity when you’re not working? 

I love reading and am part of a book club. My favorite genre of books is a tie between autobiographies and thrillers.

Favorite place you’ve traveled?

My favorite place I have traveled to is Sedona, Arizona. I absolutely love the red rock and enjoyed going on a “Pink Jeep Tour” which drove me up and down cliffs.

Interesting fact about yourself… Go!

I am obsessed with the Golden Girls. I still have all their box set DVDs, and my first dog was named after Sophia Petrillo.

 

Webinar: The Future of Group Benefits Quoting

How are quoting platforms transforming the ancillary and voluntary benefits space?

Carriers and brokers are rapidly evolving their engagement—and third-party quoting platforms are at the heart of this shift. Join this webinar as experts from Guardian, Acrisure, and Ideon explore how these platforms are shaping the future of group benefits quoting.

🗓 Date: Tuesday, Oct. 22
🕒 Time: 1:00 PM ET
👉 Register here.

What you’ll learn:

  • The rise of quoting platforms and their role in benefits distribution
  • How carriers are partnering with platforms to reach more brokers
  • Key opportunities in the small group market
  • Success stories and trends
  • How APIs and automation are streamlining group benefits quoting