Lower recurring payroll cost
Reduce the taxable wage base for qualifying participating employees.
Employer payroll efficiency + preventive care benefits
Reduce payroll costs. Strengthen employee benefits.
GoRhoades helps employers evaluate a payroll-based preventive care benefits strategy designed to reduce employer FICA exposure while delivering meaningful healthcare benefits to employees and their families.
GoRhoades is your advisor and relationship point. IronGate Business Advisors administers the program and provides the implementation infrastructure.
Up to $1,186Potential annual employer FICA savings per qualifying employee.
Every payrollSavings are created through payroll, not as a one-time tax credit.
Employee + 7Core virtual-care benefits can extend to up to 7 additional enrolled household members.
$0 added outlay*Benefits are designed to be funded through the tax-efficient structure.
30+ W-2Typical starting point for employer participation.
The employer opportunity
Benefit costs keep rising. Payroll taxes keep adding up. Smart strategy finds leverage where others simply see expense.
The strategy does not change the employer FICA rate. It changes the qualifying taxable wage base the rate is applied to, creating recurring savings while helping fund employee benefits.
Add usable benefits
Give employees access to care they can use throughout the year.
Know the numbers first
Review eligible headcount and projected savings before implementation.
How it works
A smarter benefits strategy built around your existing payroll.
The mechanics are straightforward: qualifying pre-tax payroll treatment lowers taxable wages, a non-taxable medical reimbursement restores pay, and the resulting tax efficiency helps fund the benefits.
1
Pre-tax payroll deduction
A fixed qualifying pre-tax deduction lowers the employee's taxable wages and the employer's FICA wage base.
2
Medical reimbursement restores pay
A separate non-taxable medical-care reimbursement is used within the program structure to restore the qualifying amount.
3
Tax efficiency helps fund benefits
The resulting tax savings support preventive care, prescriptions, mental health, MEC and other program benefits.
The program in detail
A closer look at how the strategy is structured.
SIMRP combines established benefit-plan rules, payroll mechanics and employee healthcare benefits into one coordinated strategy. GoRhoades helps the employer evaluate the opportunity; IronGate provides the administration and technical infrastructure when the program moves forward.
Plan framework
Built around established benefit-plan provisions
The structure coordinates IRC §125 pre-tax treatment with §105(b) medical reimbursement and qualifying-medical-care rules under §213(d), together with related employer health-plan provisions.
Official IRS reference
IRS Publication 15-B — Cafeteria Plans
Review Compliance & Program Structure
Payroll mechanics
Savings are created through payroll — not through a tax credit
For qualifying participants, pre-tax payroll treatment lowers taxable wages. Because employer FICA is applied to a lower qualifying wage base, employer payroll-tax expense may be reduced each payroll cycle.
Key point: the FICA rate itself does not change; the qualifying taxable wage base does.
Where the efficiency goes
The tax efficiency helps support the benefits
The structure helps fund healthcare benefits, program administration and applicable supplemental benefits without simply adding another employer benefits expense.
Review Employee & Household BenefitsIronGate administration
A managed implementation — not a do-it-yourself payroll change
IronGate coordinates eligibility review, plan documentation, payroll integration, employee onboarding, reconciliation and ongoing program administration.
See the Implementation ProcessOptional family life coverage
An additional option for the employee's family
Where the employee whole-life benefit applies, current program materials also describe an option for the employee to purchase additional whole-life coverage for a spouse, children or grandchildren through payroll deduction. Coverage amounts, eligibility, carrier terms and availability are subject to the applicable policy and program documents.
Preventive care experience
Benefits employees can actually use.
The program provides centralized access to preventive and early-intervention services that complement an employer's existing benefits strategy.
Employee access at a glance
Useful care. Clear access. Broader household value.
The enrolled employee receives the full program package. Core virtual care and prescription benefits extend to the employee plus up to 7 additional enrolled household members.
EMPLOYEE + HOUSEHOLD
UNLIMITED
Virtual primary care
EMPLOYEE + HOUSEHOLD
24 / 7
Virtual urgent care access
EMPLOYEE + HOUSEHOLD
UNLIMITED
Mental-health counseling
EMPLOYEE + HOUSEHOLD
1,000+
Core generic prescriptions at $0 copay through the platform
EMPLOYEE ONLY
3 / YEAR
In-person primary care at $0 copay
EMPLOYEE ONLY
3,500+
Additional MEC prescriptions
Who may be a fit
Built for W-2 workforces where scale matters.
A quick qualification view of the employer and employee characteristics typically reviewed before moving into payroll analysis and discovery.
Employer fit
Where the economics may make sense.
✓Typically 30+ qualified W-2 employees.
✓Greater eligible headcount can create greater economic impact.
✓Can complement existing major medical coverage or operate with built-in MEC where appropriate.
✓Private, nonprofit and public-sector workforces may be considered, subject to review.
Employee fit
Who generally qualifies.
✓Average 30+ hours per week.
✓Approximately $26,000+ in annual W-2 wages.
✓Not currently enrolled in Medicaid.
✓Final eligibility and participation are confirmed through employer-specific review.
Potential employer savings may also be available for qualifying part-time employees. This can be reviewed and discussed during the Discovery Call.
These are preliminary screening indicators, not guarantees. Employer and employee eligibility, projected savings and benefit availability are confirmed through program-specific review.
Who benefits
Better economics for the employer. More usable benefits for employees.
Estimate your employer savings
See the potential impact on your payroll costs.
Adjust the number of qualifying W-2 employees to estimate potential annual employer FICA savings.
Enter number of qualifying employees
Estimated annual employer savings
$118,600
Monthly equivalent
$9,883
*IronGate program illustration based on up to $1,186 in potential annual employer FICA savings per qualifying employee. Actual savings depend on employee eligibility, payroll, participation and final program implementation.
PCBP Paycheck Comparison
Illustrative example: same gross pay, potentially lower applicable taxable wages.
This sample bi-weekly earnings statement illustrates how enrolling in the PCBP program may affect a paycheck.
Gross Pay
$2,137.10
Same in both examples
Taxable Wages
$1,784.98 →
$1,188.22 Lower with PCBP
$1,188.22 Lower with PCBP
Total Taxes
$524.99 →
$349.47 Illustrative reduction
$349.47 Illustrative reduction
BEFORE (Current Paystub)
Net Pay
$1,183.44
Taxable wages: $1,784.98
Total taxes: $524.99
→
AFTER (With PCBP Program)
Net Pay
$1,220.81
Taxable wages: $1,188.22
Total taxes: $349.47
Illustrated take-home increase
+$37.37
per paycheck
Illustrated take-home increase
+$971.62
annualized illustration (26 pay periods)
* Excluded from federal taxable wages. This paycheck comparison is an illustration, not a guaranteed employee result. It reflects a hypothetical employee working in Glenview, Illinois. Actual results vary based on location, tax rates, wages, payroll circumstances, benefit elections and eligibility.
Who you're working with
Clear roles. One coordinated employer experience.
Your GoRhoades Relationship
GoRhoades serves as the employer's point of contact from initial evaluation through implementation—helping employers understand the opportunity, coordinating the appropriate decision-makers and working alongside IronGate throughout the review and implementation process.
Program Administration
IronGate Business Advisors provides the program infrastructure, technical review, eligibility analysis, documentation, payroll coordination, provider coordination, employee onboarding and ongoing administration.
Built for a real employer decision
The right information for every decision-maker.
Choose the perspective most relevant to your review. Each page organizes the questions, supporting program information and verification points for that role.
Ownership
Review potential employer value, workforce fit and the questions leadership should resolve before moving forward.
Ownership review → CFO / FinanceExamine projected savings, the qualifying wage base, employee paycheck effects and financial validation.
Finance review → HR / BenefitsUnderstand benefit access, employee eligibility, household participation, communication and enrollment.
HR and benefits review → PayrollReview payroll entries, taxable wages, reimbursement mechanics, testing and recurring responsibilities.
Payroll review → CPAEvaluate the cited federal tax framework against the actual plan documents, payroll entries and administration.
CPA compliance review → Legal CounselReview governing documents, employer responsibilities, regulatory considerations and adviser diligence.
Legal compliance review →
View all decision-maker guidance
IRS references explain general tax rules and do not constitute approval or endorsement of this program.
Resource center
Review the core materials before discovery.
Review the program, employee benefits, payroll mechanics, implementation process and compliance framework before a discovery conversation.
PCBP Program Overview
Benefits, employee eligibility and employer savings.
Review the overview →Employee FAQ
Common questions about pay, coverage, household access, prescriptions, enrollment and using benefits.
Read employee answers →MEC Coverage — Enrolled Employee
Employee-only MEC coverage, 3 in-person primary-care visits a year at $0 copay, expanded prescription access and hospital bill advocacy.
Review MEC coverage →SIMERP Pay-Stub Comparison
An illustrative before-and-after paycheck with qualifying context.
View the comparison →Client Process Overview
Discovery through first payroll and implementation timing.
Review the process →Compliance & Program Structure
Statutory framework, administration and employer diligence considerations.
Review compliance →Discovery
Bring your decision-makers. We’ll bring the program.
Start with a short employer conversation. If there is a fit, GoRhoades will coordinate IronGate and the next steps needed to quantify the opportunity.
Professional relationships
GoRhoades provides employers access to the program through its affiliation with IronGate Business Advisors. Professional and insurance relationships are subject to their respective roles and agreements.