Give leaves TIFIN’s plans on January 1
TIFIN is separating its companies. Give gets its own ownership and EIN, so it can’t stay on TIFIN’s Cigna plan, payroll or insurance.
What Give’s benefits cost per year
Not included: payroll, HR, workers’ comp and unemployment tax, which TIFIN covers today.
- Medical
- Cigna, 4 plans, on TIFIN’s level-funded plan. The company pays all of the HDHP.
- Dental and vision
- MetLife dental and Cigna vision. The company pays all of it.
- Payroll and HR
- TIFIN’s Rippling account. Paid on the 15th and the last day of the month.
- Who’s on the plan
- 6 of 7 employees at January 1: 2 families, 4 employee only.
Every plan today
Shown with the people expected on each plan at January 1. Out-of-pocket max is single / family.
| Cigna plan | Details | People | Monthly rate | Employee pays a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium | $0 deductibleOut-of-pocket max $3,000 / $7,500 | 2 families | $3,511 family | $334 |
| High | $500 deductible, then 20%Out-of-pocket max $4,000 / $8,000 | 1 | $1,076 | $76 |
| Middle | $2,000 deductible, then 20%Out-of-pocket max $8,150 / $16,300 | 1 | $989 | $53 |
| HDHP | $6,300 deductible, works with an HSAOut-of-pocket max $6,300 / $12,600 | 2 | $826 | $0 |
| Medical, dental and vision | Medical $128,869, dental $5,385, vision $797 | $135,051 a year |
LBMC approved Give. Three PEOs declined.
We took Give to five PEOs and the open market.
LBMC Employment Partners
- Medical: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee’s master plan, on the national Blue network.
- Service: a named HR Business Partner and Payroll Specialist. LBMC reports 350 clients and 92% staying each year.
Other quotes
- Prestige: declined. Failed the Gradient AI health risk pre-screen.
- Niural: declined. Gradient AI health risk score of 1.5, above its cutoff.
- CoAdvantage: declined to quote.
- Vensure: couldn’t quote. Another broker had already registered Give.
- Open market: our benefits partner is still pricing small-group plans.
Why the declines happened. Many PEOs run a new small group through Gradient AI, a model that predicts health claims from the census, and won’t quote above their cutoff. Give has no claims history of its own because its claims sit inside TIFIN’s plan, so the score was all they had. With 7 people, one or two people move it a lot. LBMC underwrites through its own carrier, and open-market plans can’t turn a group down for health.
Each Cigna plan next to its LBMC match
LBMC allows 3 plans for a group this size, so the Middle plan’s one member moves to PPO Plan 2. Monthly premium is the cost for the people on that plan.
See every LBMC plan side by side
Premium plan 2 families
| In network | CignaPremium | LBMCBCBS PPO Plan 1 |
|---|---|---|
| DeductibleSingle / family | None | $500 / $1,000 |
| Coinsurance | 0% | 20% |
| Out-of-pocket max | $3,000 / $7,500 | $2,000 / $4,000 |
| Specialist | $35 | $40 |
| Emergency room | $150 | $150 |
| PrescriptionsGeneric / brand | $10 / $35 | $10 / $35 |
| A month | $7,022 | $7,155$133 more |
High plan 1 employee
| In network | CignaHigh | LBMCBCBS PPO Plan 2 |
|---|---|---|
| DeductibleSingle / family | $500 / $1,000 | $1,000 / $2,000 |
| Coinsurance | 20% | 20% |
| Out-of-pocket max | $4,000 / $8,000 | $3,500 / $7,000 |
| Specialist | $40 | $50 |
| Emergency room | $400 | 20% after deductible |
| PrescriptionsGeneric / brand | $10 / $35 | $40 / $50 |
| A month | $1,076 | $1,095$19 more |
Middle plan 1 employee
| In network | CignaMiddle | LBMCBCBS PPO Plan 2 |
|---|---|---|
| DeductibleSingle / family | $2,000 / $4,000 | $1,000 / $2,000 |
| Coinsurance | 20% | 20% |
| Out-of-pocket max | $8,150 / $16,300 | $3,500 / $7,000 |
| Specialist | $95 | $50 |
| Emergency room | $400 | 20% after deductible |
| PrescriptionsGeneric / brand | $10 / $35 | $40 / $50 |
| A month | $989 | $1,095$106 more |
HDHP 2 employees
| In network | CignaHDHP with HSA | LBMCBCBS HDHP Plan 3 |
|---|---|---|
| DeductibleSingle / family | $6,300 / $12,600 | $4,000 / $8,000 |
| Coinsurance | 0% | 30% |
| Out-of-pocket max | $6,300 / $12,600 | $6,500 / $13,000 |
| Specialist | After deductible | After deductible |
| Emergency room | After deductible | After deductible |
| Prescriptions | After deductible, then $10 / $35 | After deductible, then 30% |
| A month | $1,652 | $1,283$369 less |
Medical for all six: $128,869 a year with Cigna today, $127,527 with LBMC. Out-of-pocket maxes drop on the PPO plans. Deductibles and generic drug copays go up, and LBMC has no $0-deductible plan.
All in, per year
Benefits come out about even. The new cost is running Give as its own employer, which TIFIN covers today.
| Per year | Details | Today, through TIFIN | LBMC 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical | Cigna to Blue Cross Blue Shield of TennesseeThe four matches above, same 6 people | $128,869 | $127,527 | $1,342 less |
| Dental and vision | MetLife High dental, LBMC High vision5 people on each. The company still pays all of it. | $6,182 | $7,837 | $1,655 more |
| Admin fee | Payroll, HR and compliance$1,200 a month minimum until Give has 10 people | TIFIN covers | $14,400 | New |
| Unemployment tax | North Carolina and New JerseyEstimate at LBMC’s lowered rates. Pennsylvania stays on Give’s own account, which that state requires, and isn’t included. | TIFIN covers | $5,524 | New |
| EPLI, cyber and life | Employment practices and cyber insurancePlus $10,000 company-paid life with an employee assistance program | TIFIN covers | $861 | New |
| Workers’ comp | Office staff in NC, NJ and PABack from LBMC soon | TIFIN covers | Coming | |
| Total | Plus $1,200 one-time setup | $135,051 | $156,149 | $21,098 more |
If employees keep today’s paycheck deductions, the company pays about $146,577 a year with LBMC, up from $125,479.
Try other plans and contribution strategies
Negotiated so far
- Unemployment tax rates lowered after we asked: about $5,524 a year, down from $6,819.
Still asking LBMC
- A lower New Jersey rate. It is most of the unemployment tax.
- Relief on the $1,200 minimum while Give is under 10 people.
What you’ve asked us
From our calls on October 20 and 21 and your email on October 29.
Keeping plans close to today
“We don’t want to disrupt anyone’s coverage.”
- LBMC approved all 6 people on medical.
- The Middle plan’s one member moves to PPO Plan 2 or the free HDHP.
- There is no $0-deductible plan. PPO Plan 1 is the nearest to Premium and has a lower out-of-pocket max.
The free plan
“The goal is to keep the cheapest plan free. It’s a draw.”
- LBMC’s HDHP Plan 3 is $642 a month, down from $826, so the company can keep paying all of it.
- PEOs require at least 50% of the cheapest plan. Give is well above that.
Workers’ comp
“We want workers’ comp through the PEO.”
- LBMC left it out of the first quote and agreed to write it when we asked.
- We sent your signed application and wages by state. It’s taking a little longer, but we should have it back soon.
Charlotte as home base
“Can Charlotte be primary, since no one at Give works in Colorado?”
- Yes. LBMC quoted Give as a North Carolina company.
- The legal address can move from Boulder later without changing this quote.
401(k), HSAs and the H-1B
“The Empower 401(k) and HSAs should continue, and one employee’s H-1B is in process with Envoy.”
- LBMC’s 401(k) runs on Empower. HSAs keep going.
- Give stays the employer on the H-1B. We’ll give LBMC a heads-up so it can work with Envoy.
The cut-off for January 1
“What is our actual cut-off to make a 1/1 effective date?”
- LBMC needs the signed agreement by November 16.
- Setup takes about 30 days, and we like to leave 45, so a decision next week keeps it comfortable.
Getting to January 1
- TodayReview LBMC
Pick the 3 medical plans.
- Next week · PillarFinal numbers
Workers’ comp and the open-market prices.
- Next week · With BlakeReview with Blake
The final numbers side by side, before you decide.
- By November 16Decide and sign
LBMC’s signed agreement locks in a January 1 start.
- January 1, 2027Give on its own
New plans start. First payroll January 15.