PEO 90% chance of beating Fully Insured
$122,717
median five-year savings
+16% expected savings
5th−$51,95025th$66,996 75th$159,39195th$192,730
California Health-Plan Funding Guide
California 2026 funding analysis (archived)
Plan year 2026 · archived results View the California 2027 analysis
Compare your options based on what matters most: Year 1 cost, five-year savings, and the likelihood of outperforming Fully Insured.
10 Employees
CA 10-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with Benefitra's average client savings assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 California market rates.
Choose another size ↑Blackwell underwriter reviewed and validated
Chance of beating Fully Insured over five years
PEO90%
Level-Funded75%
Taft-Hartley100%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO $122,717
Level-Funded $100,356
Taft-Hartley $93,948
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
Level-Funded 75% chance of beating Fully Insured
$100,356
median five-year savings
+7% expected savings
5th−$268,55125th$1,813 75th$140,65295th$165,762
With additional cost containment: $149K to $267K more potential savings; win rate rises to ~93%.
Taft-Hartley 100% chance of beating Fully Insured
$93,948
median five-year savings
+14% expected savings
5th$65,14125th$82,534 75th$106,70495th$126,223
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$981 per employee/month is the baseline. Every savings figure above is measured against it.$0 saved
Day-one and five-year context
Lowest modeled day-one costPEO · ~28% cheaper
Highest modeled five-year medianPEO · $122,717
These are separate measures, not a recommendation or a single “best” pick. Probability, downside range, eligibility, administration, and risk tolerance also matter.
Cost containment: Reference-Based Pricing · Cash Pay · Centers of Excellence · Specialty Rx Management · Care Navigation · High-Cost Dialysis Carve-Out · Direct Primary Care. Most strategies do not affect employees’ provider access or care.
Illustrative profile: Average age (~42), average health, state-adjusted premium, and approximately 10 enrolled employees. Actual quotes and underwriting can materially change results.
30 Employees
CA 30-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with Benefitra's average client savings assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 California market rates.
Choose another size ↑Blackwell underwriter reviewed and validated
Chance of beating Fully Insured over five years
PEO90%
Level-Funded88%
Self-Funded Captive90%
Taft-Hartley100%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO $368,150
Level-Funded $481,723
Self-Funded Captive $421,613
Taft-Hartley $281,844
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
PEO 90% chance of beating Fully Insured
$368,150
median five-year savings
+16% expected savings
5th−$155,84925th$200,987 75th$478,17395th$578,190
Level-Funded 88% chance of beating Fully Insured
$481,723
median five-year savings
+19% expected savings
5th−$343,61725th$273,014 75th$572,70595th$647,696
With additional cost containment: $377K to $597K more potential savings; win rate rises to ~99%.
Self-Funded Captive 90% chance of beating Fully Insured
$421,613
median five-year savings
+18% expected savings
5th−$188,49225th$250,009 75th$523,74995th$617,052
With additional cost containment: $390K to $557K more potential savings; win rate rises to ~99%.
Taft-Hartley 100% chance of beating Fully Insured
$281,844
median five-year savings
+14% expected savings
5th$195,42225th$247,603 75th$320,11395th$378,669
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$981 per employee/month is the baseline. Every savings figure above is measured against it.$0 saved
Day-one and five-year context
Lowest modeled day-one costPEO · ~28% cheaper
Highest modeled five-year medianLevel-Funded · $481,723
These are separate measures, not a recommendation or a single “best” pick. Probability, downside range, eligibility, administration, and risk tolerance also matter.
Cost containment: Reference-Based Pricing · Cash Pay · Centers of Excellence · Specialty Rx Management · Care Navigation · High-Cost Dialysis Carve-Out · Direct Primary Care. Most strategies do not affect employees’ provider access or care.
Illustrative profile: Average age (~42), average health, state-adjusted premium, and approximately 30 enrolled employees. Actual quotes and underwriting can materially change results.
70 Employees
CA 70-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with conservative assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 California market rates.
Choose another size ↑Blackwell underwriter reviewed and validated
Chance of beating Fully Insured over five years
PEO37%
Level-Funded78%
Self-Funded Captive85%
Taft-Hartley100%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO −$161,643
Level-Funded $553,595
Self-Funded Captive $629,570
Taft-Hartley $657,635
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
PEO 37% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$161,643
median five-year savings
-8% expected savings
5th−$1,736,65125th−$642,588 75th$154,98995th$433,116
Level-Funded 78% chance of beating Fully Insured
$553,595
median five-year savings
+7% expected savings
5th−$1,372,37725th$106,061 75th$775,88795th$1,010,979
With additional cost containment: $1.03M to $1.51M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~96%.
Self-Funded Captive 85% chance of beating Fully Insured
$629,570
median five-year savings
+11% expected savings
5th−$620,21025th$265,315 75th$868,81095th$1,130,733
With additional cost containment: $999K to $1.32M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~99%.
Taft-Hartley 100% chance of beating Fully Insured
$657,635
median five-year savings
+14% expected savings
5th$455,98525th$577,741 75th$746,93095th$883,560
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$981 per employee/month is the baseline. Every savings figure above is measured against it.$0 saved
Day-one and five-year context
Lowest modeled day-one costSelf-Funded Captive · ~11% cheaper
Highest modeled five-year medianTaft-Hartley · $657,635
These are separate measures, not a recommendation or a single “best” pick. Probability, downside range, eligibility, administration, and risk tolerance also matter.
Cost containment: Reference-Based Pricing · Cash Pay · Centers of Excellence · Specialty Rx Management · Care Navigation · High-Cost Dialysis Carve-Out · Direct Primary Care. Most strategies do not affect employees’ provider access or care.
Illustrative profile: Average age (~42), average health, state-adjusted premium, and approximately 70 enrolled employees. Actual quotes and underwriting can materially change results.
150 Employees
CA 150-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with conservative assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 California market rates.
Choose another size ↑Blackwell underwriter reviewed and validated
Chance of beating Fully Insured over five years
PEO33%
Self-Funded96%
Self-Funded Captive100%
Taft-Hartley93%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO −$853,364
Self-Funded $1,382,944
Self-Funded Captive $1,371,353
Taft-Hartley $1,589,747
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
PEO 33% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$853,364
median five-year savings
-10% expected savings
5th−$4,567,57325th−$2,138,559 75th$491,48495th$3,659,529
Self-Funded 96% chance of beating Fully Insured
$1,382,944
median five-year savings
+15% expected savings
5th$180,72725th$966,655 75th$1,949,08695th$3,663,222
With additional cost containment: $2.15M to $3.28M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Self-Funded Captive 100% chance of beating Fully Insured
$1,371,353
median five-year savings
+16% expected savings
5th$687,55825th$1,004,534 75th$2,005,31695th$3,935,166
With additional cost containment: $2.16M to $2.87M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Taft-Hartley 93% chance of beating Fully Insured
$1,589,747
median five-year savings
+17% expected savings
5th−$115,92625th$736,573 75th$2,847,71095th$5,823,925
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$981 per employee/month is the baseline. Every savings figure above is measured against it.$0 saved
Day-one and five-year context
Lowest modeled day-one costSelf-Funded · ~12% cheaper
Highest modeled five-year medianTaft-Hartley · $1,589,747
These are separate measures, not a recommendation or a single “best” pick. Probability, downside range, eligibility, administration, and risk tolerance also matter.
Cost containment: Reference-Based Pricing · Cash Pay · Centers of Excellence · Specialty Rx Management · Care Navigation · High-Cost Dialysis Carve-Out · Direct Primary Care. Most strategies do not affect employees’ provider access or care.
Illustrative profile: Average age (~42), average health, state-adjusted premium, and approximately 150 enrolled employees. Actual quotes and underwriting can materially change results.
250 Employees
CA 250-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with conservative assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 California market rates.
Choose another size ↑Blackwell underwriter reviewed and validated
Chance of beating Fully Insured over five years
PEO27%
Self-Funded99%
Self-Funded Captive100%
Taft-Hartley92%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO −$2,193,861
Self-Funded $2,436,891
Self-Funded Captive $2,454,548
Taft-Hartley $2,686,977
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
PEO 27% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$2,193,861
median five-year savings
-15% expected savings
5th−$8,787,64225th−$4,490,392 75th$264,92895th$5,617,363
Self-Funded 99% chance of beating Fully Insured
$2,436,891
median five-year savings
+16% expected savings
5th$1,035,24825th$1,840,061 75th$3,409,99695th$5,934,297
With additional cost containment: $3.56M to $5.37M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Self-Funded Captive 100% chance of beating Fully Insured
$2,454,548
median five-year savings
+16% expected savings
5th$1,223,63225th$1,797,352 75th$3,587,83795th$6,638,741
With additional cost containment: $3.62M to $4.78M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Taft-Hartley 92% chance of beating Fully Insured
$2,686,977
median five-year savings
+18% expected savings
5th−$289,40125th$1,183,779 75th$4,932,60395th$10,151,244
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$981 per employee/month is the baseline. Every savings figure above is measured against it.$0 saved
Day-one and five-year context
Lowest modeled day-one costSelf-Funded · ~12% cheaper
Highest modeled five-year medianTaft-Hartley · $2,686,977
These are separate measures, not a recommendation or a single “best” pick. Probability, downside range, eligibility, administration, and risk tolerance also matter.
Cost containment: Reference-Based Pricing · Cash Pay · Centers of Excellence · Specialty Rx Management · Care Navigation · High-Cost Dialysis Carve-Out · Direct Primary Care. Most strategies do not affect employees’ provider access or care.
Illustrative profile: Average age (~42), average health, state-adjusted premium, and approximately 250 enrolled employees. Actual quotes and underwriting can materially change results.
500 Employees
CA 500-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with conservative assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 California market rates.
Choose another size ↑Blackwell underwriter reviewed and validated
Chance of beating Fully Insured over five years
PEO24%
Self-Funded100%
Self-Funded Captive100%
Taft-Hartley96%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO −$4,296,526
Self-Funded $4,712,194
Self-Funded Captive $4,655,131
Taft-Hartley $5,472,844
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
PEO 24% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$4,296,526
median five-year savings
-16% expected savings
5th−$17,511,35625th−$8,483,394 75th−$286,91895th$7,416,745
Self-Funded 100% chance of beating Fully Insured
$4,712,194
median five-year savings
+16% expected savings
5th$2,284,34825th$3,548,300 75th$6,633,62395th$11,614,035
With additional cost containment: $7.19M to $9.36M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Self-Funded Captive 100% chance of beating Fully Insured
$4,655,131
median five-year savings
+16% expected savings
5th$2,349,23325th$3,429,007 75th$6,613,64595th$11,938,878
With additional cost containment: $7.25M to $8.78M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Taft-Hartley 96% chance of beating Fully Insured
$5,472,844
median five-year savings
+17% expected savings
5th$355,35725th$2,865,162 75th$8,906,16095th$16,154,793
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$981 per employee/month is the baseline. Every savings figure above is measured against it.$0 saved
Day-one and five-year context
Lowest modeled day-one costSelf-Funded · ~12% cheaper
Highest modeled five-year medianTaft-Hartley · $5,472,844
These are separate measures, not a recommendation or a single “best” pick. Probability, downside range, eligibility, administration, and risk tolerance also matter.
Cost containment: Reference-Based Pricing · Cash Pay · Centers of Excellence · Specialty Rx Management · Care Navigation · High-Cost Dialysis Carve-Out · Direct Primary Care. Most strategies do not affect employees’ provider access or care.
Illustrative profile: Average age (~42), average health, state-adjusted premium, and approximately 500 enrolled employees. Actual quotes and underwriting can materially change results.
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