Design Risk Review Checklist
Help users check whether a proposed design is explainable, administrable, sustainable, locally viable, and aligned with employee understanding.
Purpose
Help users check whether a proposed design is explainable, administrable, sustainable, locally viable, and aligned with employee understanding.
When to use
Use before final recommendation, launch approval, renewal decision, class change, or contribution update.
Who should use this
Advisor, design owner, employer sponsor, HR, finance owner, compliance reviewer, or implementation lead.
Review boundary
This checklist identifies design risk. It does not approve or disapprove a plan design.
Resource sections
Explainability
- Design can be explained in plain language.
- Complex terms or exceptions are identified.
- Employee-facing support needs are captured.
HR/admin capacity
- Employer capacity for notices, files, payroll, reimbursement, support, and evidence is realistic.
- Vendor handoffs are known.
- Owner gaps are flagged.
Renewal budget pressure
- Renewal budget pressure is considered.
- Indexing or cap method is identified.
- Future contribution review trigger is documented.
Local market fit
- Market-fit concerns are reviewed.
- Geography, carrier, network, provider, and drug issues are noted.
- Employee disruption is considered.
Contribution mismatch risk
- Contribution levels are compared with local premium reality.
- Employee affordability/value risks are noted.
- Finance or compliance review needs are flagged.
Employee understanding
- Education needs are identified.
- High-emotion or high-confusion moments are routed to human support.
- Communication evidence path is known.
Compliance/review triggers
- Legal, tax, affordability, class, nondiscrimination, COBRA, Medicare, or payroll triggers are listed.
- Reviewer is named.
- Stopping condition is documented.
Support and escalation needs
- Support lane and escalation path are clear.
- Vendor/platform coverage gaps are noted.
- Evidence and follow-up expectations are defined.
Evidence location
- Design risk checklist, market-fit notes, contribution comparison, communication notes, review triggers, and final design decision are retained.
- Export or print is stored.
- Related tool outputs are linked.
Evidence to retain
- Design risk checklist - Retain with the audit file, evidence map, or review record as applicable.
- Market-fit notes - Retain with the audit file, evidence map, or review record as applicable.
- Contribution comparison - Retain with the audit file, evidence map, or review record as applicable.
- Communication notes - Retain with the audit file, evidence map, or review record as applicable.
- Review triggers - Retain with the audit file, evidence map, or review record as applicable.
- Final design decision - Retain with the audit file, evidence map, or review record as applicable.
Evidence is not saved in this static version. Assign an owner, repeat the process consistently, review exceptions, explain the rationale, and retain copies in the employer file or local project record.
Print, Copy, or Export This Resource
No database records or server-side files are created. Use these browser-only actions to retain a local copy.
This checklist identifies design risk. It does not approve or disapprove a plan design.