Federal Leaders Highlight CHOICE Arrangement Program in Cleveland

Last Friday, State Representative Meredith Craig (R-Smithville) participated in a roundtable meeting in Cleveland with business leaders and federal leaders, including Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, to discuss the federal healthcare CHOICE arrangements, formerly known as Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs). 

CHOICE (Custom Health Option and Individual Care Expense) arrangements provide employers and workers with flexibility when deciding on health insurance. Instead of choosing and sponsoring a traditional group health plan for all workers, an employer provides a tax-free, defined-dollar contribution that eligible employees use to buy their own individual health insurance policies on the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

Representative Craig is leading the way to encourage and implement CHOICE arrangements in Ohio. Craig’s bill, House Bill 133, would authorize a non-refundable tax credit for small employers who offer CHOICE arrangements to their employees. The legislation works to encourage small businesses to offer health insurance benefits, helping to reduce the uninsured population, lower healthcare costs for employers, improve employee satisfaction, and expand healthcare choice and accessibility across Ohio.

“It’s exciting to see CMS and the U.S. Small Business Administration traveling the country to showcase the potential CHOICE arrangements have for our business community. For small businesses with 2 to 50 employees, this is a creative, affordable way to offer health insurance options and, most importantly, help get more people insured who may not have coverage today,” said Craig. “I’m proud to champion this approach in Ohio, and I’m encouraged to see the momentum building nationally.”

House Bill 133 was passed by the Ohio House unanimously in June 2025 and is now under consideration in the Ohio Senate.