Solutions
Fiduciary Oversight
Independent advisory oversight of your health plan, vendors, and fiduciary responsibilities.
Our Approach
Why Independent Oversight Matters
Sponsoring an employee health plan comes with more than financial responsibility; it comes with fiduciary obligations. Under ERISA, employers and plan fiduciaries are expected to act prudently, monitor service providers, and ensure plan decisions are made in the best interest of participants. Recent legislation, including the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), has increased expectations around fee transparency, vendor oversight, and fiduciary governance.
The Kirsch Group provides an independent review of your health plan, your service providers, and the processes used to manage them. Because we do not place your insurance coverage or receive commissions from your health plan, our advice is completely objective. Our only responsibility is helping you identify potential risks, improve governance, and strengthen your fiduciary oversight.
Reduce Fiduciary Risk
Identify potential governance and compliance gaps before they become larger issues.
Increase Transparency
Gain a clearer understanding of vendor relationships, fees, and plan performance through an objective review.
Support Better Decisions
Equip leadership with independent insights that strengthen oversight and improve long-term plan outcomes.
What We Review
Whether you’re preparing for an audit, reviewing vendor relationships, or simply looking for greater confidence in your benefits program, we provide practical recommendations that help you make informed decisions and demonstrate prudent plan management.
- Fiduciary governance and documentation
- Broker, carrier, and vendor fees for reasonableness
- Pharmacy (PBM) contract terms, rebates, and spread
- Stop loss terms and terminal liability
- CAA compliance, fee disclosures, and reporting
- Plan performance against benchmarks
Frequently Asked Questions
What is fiduciary oversight?
While there is no universal requirement, many organizations consider evaluating their broker every three to five years or when significant organizational changes occur, such as rapid growth, mergers, leadership transitions, or changes in benefit strategy.
Why do employers need an independent fiduciary review?
An independent review provides an objective assessment of your health plan without the influence of commissions or product sales. It helps identify governance gaps, improve documentation, and confirm that your organization is following a prudent fiduciary process.
Does this replace our benefits broker?
No. Your broker continues to serve as your benefits advisor and marketplace resource. Our role is different—we provide independent oversight of your plan, your vendors, and your governance processes to help support sound fiduciary decision-making.
What types of employers benefit from fiduciary oversight services?
Organizations of all sizes can benefit from periodically evaluating their broker relationship. Broker RFPs are especially valuable for employers experiencing growth, seeking improved service, preparing for leadership changes, addressing rising healthcare costs, or wanting to ensure they’re receiving competitive pricing and strategic guidance.
Does this guarantee compliance with ERISA or the CAA?
No review can guarantee compliance. However, an independent fiduciary assessment helps identify potential areas of concern, improve documentation, strengthen oversight practices, and demonstrate that your organization is taking its fiduciary responsibilities seriously.
Testimonials
What People Are Saying
"Cara is an exceptional leader in the employee benefits industry. She combines strong technical knowledge with a natural ability to make complex plans understandable for clients. Her ability to build trust and strongly advocate for her clients is what truly sets her apart from any other broker in this space. I am so excited to see her build her own firm."
"Where do I start with Cara?! When joining Flywheel I inherited a mediocre broker that had just completed a disappointing renewal process. We quickly brought Cara and her team in and were able to adjust our renewal, increase our benefits offering and have all of the data at our fingertips to make informed decisions. Cara was a phenomenal partner and I look forward to working with her again."
"Cara Kirsch is powerhouse when it comes to the employee benefits arena. Her extensive knowledge and insight are second to none. Cara can be trusted to keep the interests of her clients first. All that being said, Cara remains approachable and considerate in her delivery with clients."
“When we first started working with Cara, it was really a breath of fresh air because she came in, she really took the time to listen to us in regards to learning about the company, what we really value from our mission, our values, our culture with our employees, and identified areas that she could add value in the sense of benefit offerings.”
"Two words that immediately come to mind to describe her are accountable and driven. She is an expert in her field, and really brings some great insight and strategy to her clients’ accounts. She has an extensive network which allows her to easily and quickly come to solutions in record time! I have always been amazed by how she is able to navigate even the largest organizations. The way she conducts herself and her approach to business is something we should all aspire to achieve!"
"Cara is a focused professional who is particularly skilled at building her understanding of client needs and is tireless in working to find solutions that meet these needs. She has been a valued business partner to help us achieve our goals."
Contact Us
Ready to begin?
Set up a time to meet with us for a personalized benefits analysis. Together, we’ll turn complexity into clarity and help you make decisions that strengthen your organization.
Helping employers design and manage employer-sponsored health and benefits programs.