Two companies operating one county apart can face completely opposite outcomes with ICHRA, one seeing significant savings while the other pays more for the same coverage. This dramatic variation in health insurance pricing makes geography the determining factor in whether ICHRA helps or hurts your bottom line.
Without location-specific data, implementing ICHRA is essentially gambling with your benefits budget. Take Command's ICHRA Heat Map identifies where you can save money and where your dollars stretch further, revealing where individual coverage beats group rates and where it doesn't.
Understanding the ICHRA Heat Map
Take Command’s ICHRA Heat Map helps you reduce the complexity of comparing insurance markets by transforming data into simple visual insights. This county-by-county analysis displays data for U.S. counties where market information is available, providing comprehensive intelligence about where ICHRA thrives and where it is neutral.
Visual Intelligence at a Glance
The ICHRA location map operates on an intuitive color spectrum that delivers instant clarity:
- Dark Green Counties represent the strongest ICHRA opportunities; locations where individual insurance costs significantly less than small group coverage.
- Light Green Counties still favor ICHRA with individual rates beating group rates, though by smaller margins.
- White/Gray Counties indicate neutral markets where individual and group rates are nearly identical. These marginal differences could go either way and merit careful analysis.
- Light Orange Counties show moderate disadvantage for ICHRA, where group plans offer somewhat better value.
- Dark Orange Counties signal the strongest disadvantage for ICHRA, where group plans are significantly more cost-effective.
The data behind these colors come from 2025 bronze plan comparisons for 50-year-olds, courtesy of Ideon,1 ensuring consistent methodology across all markets.
The Strategic Value of Our ICHRA Heat Map
Geographic awareness isn’t just helpful; it’s essential for modern benefits strategy. The HRA location map provides intelligence that shapes fundamental decisions about employee benefits. What once required consultants and spreadsheets now takes seconds of visual review. This accessibility empowers employers of all sizes to make informed benefits decisions.
Financial Impact Analysis
Every county's color represents real dollars in benefits spending. Green counties indicate potential savings opportunities, while orange counties could mean higher costs if ICHRA is implemented without proper analysis. The visual tool helps employers make informed decisions by clearly showing where individual rates are favorable versus where group plans maintain their advantage. This geographic intelligence prevents costly missteps while highlighting genuine opportunities for benefits optimization.
Distributed Workforce Solutions
Remote work has scattered employees across the map, and the ICHRA by locations analysis helps you understand this new reality. You might have clusters of employees in ICHRA-friendly zones even if your headquarters sit in unfavorable territory. The heat map reveals these hidden opportunities.
Competitive Benefits Positioning
Understanding your local insurance landscape provides competitive advantages. If you’re in a green zone while competitors stick with expensive group options, ICHRA becomes a tool for both cost management and talent attraction.
Market Evolution Tracking
The heat map provides a current snapshot of market conditions, helping employers understand where ICHRA opportunities exist at the time of evaluation. However, even challenging markets offer possibilities; market dynamics guarantee change. Regular heat map reviews catch emerging opportunities as market shifts from orange to green. States implementing reinsurance programs, carriers entering new markets, and competitive pressures all drive these transitions.
Navigating the ICHRA Location Map
Using the heat map tool requires no special training or complex data entry; simplicity drives its design.
- Access the ICHRA Heat Map. The tool loads instantly, displaying the entire United States.
- Locate your specific county or counties by clicking on the map or selecting from the dropdown list. When you click on a county, a detailed popup appears showing:
- Small Group premium costs
- Individual premium costs
- The dollar and percentage difference between them
- Clear indication of whether individual is "more expensive" or "less expensive"
Note that some counties may not display data if market information isn't available.
- Document your findings from each popup. For example, if you see "Individual is more expensive by $190.39 (26%)" like in Beaver County, you know group plans are more likely to be the better value there. Conversely, green counties will show individual plans costing less than small group options.
- Interpret the findings for your situation. Dark green signals the strongest opportunity, light green still favors ICHRA, white/gray areas are neutral and worth analyzing, while orange shades indicate group plans offer better value. If your county lacks data, contact Take Command for alternative analysis methods using regional benchmarks and carrier-specific information.
Expert tip: Don’t stop at surface-level interpretation. Even orange zones often hide ICHRA opportunities for specific employee demographics or plan designs.
Decoding your HRA Location Map results
The ICHRA Heat Map uses a five-color spectrum to show how individual insurance costs compare to small group rates in each county. Understanding what each color means helps you quickly assess whether ICHRA makes financial sense for your locations. The differences can be dramatic, ranging from significant savings in dark green counties to substantial additional costs in dark orange areas
Green Markets: Prime ICHRA territory
Green on your ICHRA location map signals strong savings potential. These markets typically feature:
- Robust individual insurance competition
- Favorable state regulations
- Efficient carrier operations
Employers in green zones can see the clear price advantage of individual plans over group plans, making the financial case for ICHRA straightforward.
Gray/White Markets: The toss-up zones
Gray or white areas on the ICHRA Heat Map represent genuinely competitive markets where neither individual nor group coverage has a clear advantage. These marginal differences—perhaps just a few dollars per month—mean other factors beyond pure cost should drive your decision. Consider employee preferences, administrative simplicity, and the value of employee choice when evaluating these neutral zones.
Orange Markets: Opportunity with analysis
Orange areas on the HRA location map indicate markets where group plans maintain their cost advantage over individual insurance. Light orange suggests a moderate disadvantage for ICHRA, while dark orange signals a significant price gap favoring group coverage.
While the financial math may not support ICHRA in these markets, some employers still find value in specific situations. This could include offering ICHRA only to remote employees in greener markets, or waiting for market conditions to improve. These areas require creative approaches if ICHRA is still a desired option for other reasons beyond pure cost savings.
Converting visual data into action
The ICHRA Heat Map provides the foundation for strategic benefits decisions, but visualization is just the beginning.
Opportunity mapping
Catalog all employee locations and their corresponding colors. This creates your ICHRA opportunity matrix; a clear picture of where savings exist. Even companies with mixed results often find enough green to justify strategic ICHRA implementation.
Strategic design options
Your heat map results shape your approach:
- Predominantly green: Full ICHRA implementation across all employees
- Mixed colors: Location-based employee classes with targeted ICHRA deployment
- Mostly orange: Limited ICHRA for specific populations or delayed implementation
Professional consultation
While the ICHRA by locations tool provides valuable self-service insights, expert interpretation maximizes value. Take Command’s experts understand market nuances that colors alone can’t convey.
Your complete ICHRA evaluation toolkit
The ICHRA Heat Map works best as part of a comprehensive evaluation process. Take Command offers several complementary tools:
Market Snapshot Tool provides detailed market intelligence including carrier counts, plan distributions, and age-specific pricing for deeper analysis.
Tax Savings Calculator quantifies tax advantages beyond simple premium comparisons.
ICHRA Affordability Calculator ensures compliance with ACA requirements for applicable large employers.
ICHRA Guide offers comprehensive education about all aspects of ICHRA implementation.
Transform ICHRA Heat Map insights into benefits strategy
Green counties on the ICHRA Heat Map represent immediate opportunities. Every month of delay means continued overpayment for benefits that could cost less while offering more employee choice. The visual evidence makes the case clear.
Orange markets still hold potential with proper strategy. Take Command’s expertise spans all market conditions, helping design solutions that work regardless of geography. As the pioneering ICHRA administrator, we’ve navigated every market type successfully.
Ready to discover your ICHRA opportunities? Explore the ICHRA Heat Map now and see how your location affects your benefits potential. For expert guidance on turning heat map insights into benefits savings, schedule your consultation with Take Command today.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is an ICHRA Heat Map?
An ICHRA Heat Map visually displays health insurance cost comparisons across U.S. counties, using color coding to show where individual insurance beats group rates (green), where costs are nearly identical (white/gray), or where group plans maintain advantages (orange). This tool simplifies complex market analysis into instantly understandable visual information, helping employers quickly assess ICHRA viability for their locations.
How current is the ICHRA location map data?
The ICHRA location map uses 2025 market data from Ideon, specifically comparing bronze-level plans for 50-year-olds to ensure consistent analysis across all counties. Take Command updates this information regularly as markets evolve, ensuring decisions are based on current conditions rather than outdated information. While showing one age bracket, the map accurately indicates overall market favorability.
Can the HRA location map show different employee age scenarios?
The tool uses 50-year-old rates as a standard benchmark because this age typically represents the midpoint of working populations and provides consistent comparison across all markets. For customized analysis based on your specific employee demographics and age distributions, Take Command provides personalized consultations. The Window Shopping Tool also allows you to see specific premiums for different ages and plan options."
How should I analyze ICHRA by locations for multiple offices?
To effectively analyze ICHRA by locations across multiple sites, check each county where employees work or live on the heat map. Create a matrix of locations and their colors, then develop strategies based on the patterns you see. Consider location-based employee classes to optimize benefits spending; offering ICHRA in favorable markets while maintaining traditional coverage elsewhere. Take Command's experts can help design multi-location strategies that maximize savings while ensuring compliance.
To discuss what your heat map results mean for your benefits strategy contact Take Command today.
References
Let's talk through your HRA questions
I wrote this blog because I care about ideas (big and little) that can help fix our healthcare system. I used to work on projects for Kaiser Permanente and the Parkland Health & Hospital System so I've seen the system inside and out. It's so important that consumers keep up with industry shifts and changing health insurance regulations. I'm also Take Command Health's Content Editor and a busy mom. Learn more about me and connect with me on our about us page. Thanks!
