SmartConnect and Benepicks Unite to Eliminate the ICHRA "Medicare Cliff"
SmartConnect and Benepicks have announced a nationwide partnership to eliminate one of the most critical friction points of ICHRA platforms: the Medicare transition for employees aged 65 and over. As rising healthcare costs accelerate employer adoption of Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements, a major structural gap has emerged.
Many platforms are built for individual Marketplace insurance, leaving Medicare-eligible employees to navigate complex decisions on their own. This gap often results in costly healthcare mistakes for workers, administrative paralysis for HR departments, and client friction for benefits brokers and ICHRA administrators. The new alliance bridges that divide by embedding SmartConnect's dedicated "Medicare Intelligence Layer" directly into Benepicks' human-centered ICHRA platform.
"The old way is broken. Handing a 65-year-old a stack of Medicare mail and a deadline is a poor way to thank someone for twenty years of work. Now every Medicare-eligible employee gets a real person to call and tax-free dollars that help pay for the plan they choose."
— Andrew Lydens, CEO, BenepicksClosing the ICHRA-Medicare Gap
Medicare-eligible employees on the Benepicks platform are now seamlessly introduced to SmartConnect's purpose-built ecosystem. Employees receive personalized, unbiased Medicare consultations from agents licensed in all 50 states, with each consultation evaluating an individual's specific doctors, prescriptions, and financial goals.
With broad visibility across Medicare plan options, SmartConnect handles the enrollment details, transition logistics, and ongoing lifetime policy advocacy — ensuring the employee feels supported from day one and has a Medicare partner for life. Employees can then apply their tax-free Benepicks ICHRA allowance toward their selected plan premiums, while HR gains a trusted partner for a notoriously complex topic.
"By integrating our Medicare solution directly with Benepicks' innovative experience, we are delivering a market-leading solution that optimizes the employer's benefits strategy while giving employees the ultimate peace of mind."
— Michael Celi, General Manager & SVP, SmartConnectFinancial Upside for Employers and Employees
Beyond operational ease, the financial benefits are substantial. Transitioning employees aged 65 and over to tailored Medicare plans via an ICHRA allowance routinely unlocks lower deductibles and richer coverage for workers, while organizations average a 15% reduction in healthcare spending according to recent data.
The alliance combines two health benefit heavyweights with deep national reach who expect to transform the healthcare transition experience for thousands of aging workers while securing predictable, optimized costs for their employers. Enterprise leaders and HR directors can learn more at Benepicks.com, while brokers, TPAs, and organizations looking to incorporate Medicare guidance can connect at SmartConnectPlan.com.
A structural gap, closed. Most ICHRA platforms are built for Marketplace insurance and leave Medicare-eligible employees to navigate the 65+ transition alone — the problem this partnership targets.
Medicare Intelligence Layer. SmartConnect's licensed-agent support is now embedded directly into Benepicks' human-centered ICHRA platform, with agents licensed in all 50 states.
Personalized, lifetime advocacy. Employees get consultations tailored to their doctors, prescriptions, and financial goals, plus enrollment help and ongoing policy support — at zero cost to them.
Tax-free dollars, better coverage. Workers apply their Benepicks ICHRA allowance toward chosen Medicare premiums, routinely unlocking lower deductibles and richer coverage.
Real cost savings. Organizations eliminate HR administrative headaches and average a 15% reduction in healthcare spending, according to recent data.