Directions for Mental Health, Inc.
Updated Filing received by DOL
Directions for Mental Health, Inc., a healthcare & social assistance employer in Clearwater, Florida, reported 167 participants in its health and welfare plan for plan year 2024. Its Form 5500 shows $1.3M in insurance premiums across 9 contracts and $78,111 in broker commissions and fees, 3.8% of medical premium against a national median of 3.8% among plans that paid commissions in plan year 2024. The plan is a mix of insured and self-funded coverage. The Department of Labor received the filing on December 17, 2025, before the deadline.
Who was paid on Directions for Mental Health, Inc.'s plan
Schedule A, Part I lists each broker or agent paid on each insurance contract and the amount. Totals below add every contract Directions for Mental Health, Inc. filed for 2024.
| Broker or agent | Commissions | Fees | Total | Contracts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Higginbotham · FT. Worth, TX | $64,014 | $0 | $64,014 | 8 |
| Stahl & Associates Insurance Inc. · ST. Petersburg, FL | $6,762 | $0 | $6,762 | 4 |
| Trust Management Group · Winter Park, FL | $0 | $5,410 | $5,410 | 4 |
| Stahl & Associates Ins Inc · ST Petersburg, FL | $1,268 | $0 | $1,268 | 2 |
| Stahl & Assoicates Insurance Inc. · ST. Petersburg, FL | $657 | $0 | $657 | 1 |
Source: DOL Form 5500 Schedule A, Part I (broker commissions and fees), plan year 2024, as published in EBSA's 2024 "Latest" dataset. Part I names whoever the carrier paid, which can be a firm or an individual agent; both are public record. Amounts exclude pay from carriers not tied to a listed contract.
Insurance contracts and carriers
Every insurance contract reported on Schedule A: carrier, what it covers, people covered at year end, earned premium, and broker compensation.
| Carrier · coverage | Covered | Premium | Broker pay | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health Optionshealth, prescription drug, HMO | 141 | $1.1M | $42,964 | 4.1% |
| Health Optionshealth, prescription drug, HMO | 148 | $204,048 | $4,976 | 2.4% |
| The Lincoln National Life Insurance Companylife | 126 | — | $648 | — |
| The Lincoln National Life Insurance Companylong-term disability | 43 | — | $6,849 | — |
| The Lincoln National Life Insurance Companylife | 69 | — | $5,045 | — |
| The Lincoln National Life Insurance Companyshort-term disability | 69 | — | $9,099 | — |
| Florida Combined Lifedental, HMO | 99 | — | $1,227 | — |
| Florida Combined Lifedental, PPO | 87 | — | $6,000 | — |
| The Lincoln National Life Insurance Companyvision | 120 | — | $1,303 | — |
Source: DOL Form 5500 Schedule A, plan year 2024. Self-funded medical coverage has no premium; amounts shown for it are stop-loss or administrative contracts.
How Directions for Mental Health, Inc. compares
Medians across employers for plan year 2024, the most recent complete year. Commission rates use fully insured medical contracts only; dollar medians use every employer that disclosed broker pay.
Premium per covered person on medical contracts: $4,344 a year (national median $7,274).
Source: BenefitsLedger benchmarks from 58,547 employer health plans with 100 or more participants, plan year 2024. Methodology.
Year over year
| 2023 | 2024 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | 117 | 167 | +42.7% |
| Premiums filed | $1,064,797 | $1,255,286 | +17.9% |
| Broker commissions + fees | $92,444 | $78,111 | −15.5% |
| Commission rate | 6.0% | 3.8% | −2.2 pts |
Source: DOL Form 5500 filings for plan years 2023 and 2024.
Filings and timeliness
Plans this employer filed under its EIN with a health benefit code. Large plans are due seven months after the plan year ends, or two and a half months later with an extension; amended filings carry the amendment date, so no timing is asserted for them.
| Plan | Plan year end | Received by DOL | Timing | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Directions for Mental Health, Inc Fringe Benefit Plan#502 · insurance, general assets | May 31, 2025 | December 17, 2025 | before deadline | 167 |
Source: DOL Form 5500 Part I and signature dates; "late" means received after the extended deadline (the 15th day of the tenth month after plan year end). What a late Form 5500 costs.
How much did Directions for Mental Health, Inc. pay in health insurance broker commissions in 2024?
Directions for Mental Health, Inc.'s 2024 Form 5500 reports $78,111 in broker commissions and fees across 9 insurance contracts ($72,701 in commissions, $5,410 in fees), with Higginbotham receiving the largest share.
Is Directions for Mental Health, Inc.'s health plan self-funded or fully insured?
The 2024 filing indicates the plan is a mix of insured and self-funded coverage. Medical coverage is written by Health Options.
How does Directions for Mental Health, Inc.'s broker compensation compare with similar employers?
Directions for Mental Health, Inc. paid 3.8% of medical premium in commissions and fees. The median for employers with 100-199 participants is 4.2%, and the median in Florida is 4.6%. Percentages are computed only on fully insured medical contracts with filed premiums.
Send the full findings to your inbox.
A specialist writes up every finding for Directions for Mental Health, Inc. with the methodology and public-source citations, in a form you can forward to your CFO or counsel. Tick the box if you also want a 15-minute walkthrough call.
We don't sell your email. By submitting, you agree that BenefitsLedger and its benefits advisory partner, WellthCare, may email or call you about these findings. Opt out anytime by replying. See our privacy policy.
Record built October 24, 2026 from U.S. Department of Labor, EBSA Form 5500 datasets (2025, 2024, 2023 plan years, 'Latest' files). Filings can run 7 to 10 months behind the plan year; always confirm against current plan documents. BenefitsLedger is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Labor. Open the DOL filing search.