Title: Benefits 101: Health Plan Terms Explained Source: https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101 Publisher: Ethos Benefits Summary: Plain-English answers to the questions employers ask about health plans: ERISA, ACA reporting, self-funding, stop-loss, PBMs, compliance and fiduciary duty. 1. [Home](https://ethosbenefits.com/) 2. Benefits 101 # Benefits 101. The answers, in plain English. 53 guides to the rules and the money behind an employer health plan. Each starts with the short answer, then the detail and the source. ## All guides [A to Z glossary](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/glossary) · [Insights](https://ethosbenefits.com/insights) - [Oct 30 2026 **Broker of record letter** Fiduciary duty and advisor pay _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/broker-of-record-letter) - [Oct 29 2026 **The summary of benefits and coverage** Compliance rules and deadlines _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/summary-of-benefits-and-coverage) - [Oct 26 2026 **The health plan fiduciary committee** Fiduciary duty and advisor pay _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/health-plan-fiduciary-committee) - [Oct 20 2026 **The gag clause attestation** Compliance rules and deadlines _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/gag-clause-attestation) - [Oct 16 2026 **The year-end health plan compliance checklist** Compliance rules and deadlines _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/year-end-health-plan-compliance-checklist) - [Sep 17 2026 **Medicare Part D creditable coverage** Compliance rules and deadlines _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/medicare-part-d-creditable-coverage) - [Jul 23 2026 **The ACA affordability safe harbor** ACA reporting _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/aca-affordability-safe-harbor) - [Jul 17 2026 **PBM spread pricing** Pharmacy and PBMs _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/pbm-spread-pricing) - [Jul 9 2026 **The Form 5500 deadline and extension** ERISA and plan documents _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/form-5500-deadline) - [Jul 8 2026 **The employee wellness program** Benefits strategy and administration _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/employee-wellness-program) - [Jun 11 2026 **Voluntary benefits and fiduciary duty** Fiduciary duty and advisor pay _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/voluntary-benefits-fiduciary-duty) - [Mar 26 2026 **Employee benefits administration** Benefits strategy and administration _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/employee-benefits-administration) - [Mar 16 2026 **The summary plan description** ERISA and plan documents _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/summary-plan-description) - [Mar 11 2026 **Broker compensation disclosure** Fiduciary duty and advisor pay _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/broker-compensation-disclosure) - [Mar 9 2026 **Section 105(h) nondiscrimination testing** Compliance rules and deadlines _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/section-105h-nondiscrimination-testing) - [Mar 4 2026 **NQTLs and mental health parity** Compliance rules and deadlines _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/mental-health-parity-nqtl) - [Mar 2 2026 **ACA reporting software** ACA reporting _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/aca-reporting-software) - [Feb 24 2026 **Third party administrator** Benefits strategy and administration _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/third-party-administrator) - [Feb 19 2026 **ACA reporting requirements** ACA reporting _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/aca-reporting) - [Feb 18 2026 **Form 1095-B vs. 1095-C** ACA reporting _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/1095-b-vs-1095-c) - [Feb 17 2026 **What is Form 1095-C?** ACA reporting _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/form-1095-c) - [Feb 16 2026 **What is Form 1095-B?** ACA reporting _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/form-1095-b) - [Feb 13 2026 **Form 1095-A vs. 1095-C** ACA reporting _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/1095-a-vs-1095-c) - [Feb 12 2026 **RxDC reporting** Compliance rules and deadlines _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/rxdc-reporting) - [Feb 10 2026 **How to choose a PBM** Pharmacy and PBMs _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/how-to-choose-a-pbm) - [Jan 29 2026 **ERISA wrap documents** ERISA and plan documents _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/erisa-wrap-document) - [Jan 24 2026 **The PCORI fee** Compliance rules and deadlines _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/pcori-fee) - [Jan 21 2026 **ERISA bond cost** ERISA and plan documents _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/erisa-bond-cost) - [Dec 21 2025 **Employee benefits management** Benefits strategy and administration _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/employee-benefits-management) - [Dec 18 2025 **What are voluntary benefits?** Benefits strategy and administration _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/voluntary-benefits) - [Dec 15 2025 **Stop-loss captives explained** Stop-loss insurance _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/stop-loss-captive) - [Dec 13 2025 **What is reference-based pricing?** Plan financing _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/reference-based-pricing) - [Dec 5 2025 **Medical vs. pharmacy benefits** Pharmacy and PBMs _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/medical-vs-pharmacy-benefits) - [Nov 30 2025 **Pharmacy benefits administrator** Pharmacy and PBMs _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/pharmacy-benefits-administrator) - [Nov 7 2025 **What is aggregate stop-loss insurance?** Stop-loss insurance _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/aggregate-stop-loss) - [Oct 31 2025 **Self funded vs. fully insured** Plan financing _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/self-funded-vs-fully-insured) - [Aug 1 2025 **Level funded vs. fully insured** Plan financing _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/level-funded-vs-fully-insured) - [Aug 1 2025 **What is level-funded health insurance?** Plan financing _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/level-funded-health-insurance) - [Jul 3 2025 **How does stop-loss insurance work?** Stop-loss insurance _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/stop-loss-insurance) - [Jul 3 2025 **How much does stop-loss insurance cost?** Stop-loss insurance _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/stop-loss-insurance-cost) - [Jul 3 2025 **Stop-loss health insurance examples** Stop-loss insurance _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/stop-loss-examples) - [Jun 3 2025 **ERISA bond requirements** ERISA and plan documents _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/erisa-bond) - [Jun 3 2025 **ERISA vs. non-ERISA** ERISA and plan documents _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/erisa-vs-non-erisa) - [Jun 3 2025 **How does self-funded health insurance work?** Plan financing _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/self-funded-health-insurance) - [Jun 3 2025 **Who is subject to ERISA?** ERISA and plan documents _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/who-is-subject-to-erisa) - [Jun 2 2025 **Level funded vs. self-funded** Plan financing _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/level-funded-vs-self-funded) - [May 30 2025 **Self-funded health insurance pros and cons** Plan financing _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/self-funded-health-insurance-pros-and-cons) - [May 30 2025 **The ERISA compliance checklist** ERISA and plan documents _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/erisa-compliance-checklist) - [May 28 2025 **The employee benefits strategy** Benefits strategy and administration _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/employee-benefits-strategy) - [May 16 2025 **The employee benefit plan audit** ERISA and plan documents _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/employee-benefit-plan-audit) - [Apr 9 2025 **Employee benefits survey questions** Benefits strategy and administration _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/employee-benefits-survey-questions) - [Apr 2 2025 **Self-funded healthcare trusts** Plan financing _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/self-funded-healthcare-trusts) - [Sep 21 2023 **Medical loss ratio rebates** Compliance rules and deadlines _Guide_](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/mlr-rebates) ## Browse by topic - [**ERISA and plan documents** 9 guides](https://ethosbenefits.com/topics/erisa) - [**ACA reporting** 7 guides](https://ethosbenefits.com/topics/aca-reporting) - [**Compliance rules and deadlines** 9 guides](https://ethosbenefits.com/topics/compliance) - [**Plan financing** 8 guides](https://ethosbenefits.com/topics/plan-financing) - [**Stop-loss insurance** 5 guides](https://ethosbenefits.com/topics/stop-loss) - [**Pharmacy and PBMs** 4 guides](https://ethosbenefits.com/topics/pharmacy) - [**Fiduciary duty and advisor pay** 4 guides](https://ethosbenefits.com/topics/fiduciary-duty) - [**Benefits strategy and administration** 7 guides](https://ethosbenefits.com/topics/benefits-strategy) [Glossary, A to Z](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/glossary) · [Everything in Learn](https://ethosbenefits.com/learn) ## Next deadline - December 31, 2026 [Gag clause attestation](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/gag-clause-attestation) - March 2, 2027 [Forms 1095-B and 1095-C to employees](https://ethosbenefits.com/benefits-101/aca-reporting) ## Watch and listen [Documentaries](https://ethosbenefits.com/documentaries) · [Podcast](https://ethosbenefits.com/podcast) · [Events and webinars](https://ethosbenefits.com/events) ## See what your plan is really costing you. A Strategic Analysis starts with your plan documents and your broker agreement, then shows you what your plan costs, where the risk sits, and what a committee would decide with the full picture. [Request a Strategic Analysis](https://ethosbenefits.com/strategic-analysis) [Call (407) 803-4710](tel:+14078034710)