PEO 87% chance of beating Fully Insured
$74,434
median five-year savings
+13% expected savings
5th−$52,75225th$34,297 75th$101,32595th$125,173
Iowa Health-Plan Funding Guide
Iowa 2026 funding analysis (archived)
Plan year 2026 · archived results View the Iowa 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
IA 10-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with Benefitra's average client savings assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 Iowa market rates.
Choose another size ↑Blackwell underwriter reviewed and validated
Chance of beating Fully Insured over five years
PEO87%
Level-Funded73%
Taft-Hartley0%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO $74,434
Level-Funded $61,798
Taft-Hartley −$97,313
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
Level-Funded 73% chance of beating Fully Insured
$61,798
median five-year savings
+5% expected savings
5th−$204,72725th−$9,124 75th$90,64695th$108,968
With additional cost containment: $108K to $192K more potential savings; win rate rises to ~92%.
Taft-Hartley 0% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$97,313
median five-year savings
-21% expected savings
5th−$117,86925th−$105,404 75th−$88,02095th−$73,867
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$715 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 · $74,434
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
IA 30-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with Benefitra's average client savings assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 Iowa market rates.
Choose another size ↑Blackwell underwriter reviewed and validated
Chance of beating Fully Insured over five years
PEO87%
Level-Funded87%
Self-Funded Captive89%
Taft-Hartley0%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO $223,303
Level-Funded $316,258
Self-Funded Captive $288,550
Taft-Hartley −$291,940
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
PEO 87% chance of beating Fully Insured
$223,303
median five-year savings
+13% expected savings
5th−$158,25525th$102,890 75th$303,97495th$375,520
Level-Funded 87% chance of beating Fully Insured
$316,258
median five-year savings
+17% expected savings
5th−$279,26325th$166,104 75th$381,74195th$435,603
With additional cost containment: $273K to $431K more potential savings; win rate rises to ~98%.
Self-Funded Captive 89% chance of beating Fully Insured
$288,550
median five-year savings
+17% expected savings
5th−$153,86325th$163,706 75th$361,37795th$428,963
With additional cost containment: $278K to $399K more potential savings; win rate rises to ~99%.
Taft-Hartley 0% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$291,940
median five-year savings
-21% expected savings
5th−$353,60725th−$316,212 75th−$264,05995th−$221,602
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$715 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 · $316,258
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
IA 70-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with conservative assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 Iowa market rates.
Choose another size ↑Blackwell underwriter reviewed and validated
Chance of beating Fully Insured over five years
PEO38%
Level-Funded93%
Self-Funded Captive100%
Taft-Hartley17%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO −$177,840
Level-Funded $313,174
Self-Funded Captive $455,590
Taft-Hartley −$586,409
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
PEO 38% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$177,840
median five-year savings
-7% expected savings
5th−$1,332,86125th−$556,352 75th$236,54295th$1,098,078
Level-Funded 93% chance of beating Fully Insured
$313,174
median five-year savings
+11% expected savings
5th−$82,65025th$202,941 75th$508,58095th$1,132,203
With additional cost containment: $738K to $1.09M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Self-Funded Captive 100% chance of beating Fully Insured
$455,590
median five-year savings
+16% expected savings
5th$236,26825th$340,854 75th$654,15495th$1,276,391
With additional cost containment: $713K to $947K more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Taft-Hartley 17% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$586,409
median five-year savings
-15% expected savings
5th−$1,028,92825th−$817,461 75th−$209,46195th$673,343
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$715 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 medianSelf-Funded Captive · $455,590
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
IA 150-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with conservative assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 Iowa market rates.
Choose another size ↑Blackwell underwriter reviewed and validated
Chance of beating Fully Insured over five years
PEO31%
Self-Funded97%
Self-Funded Captive100%
Taft-Hartley20%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO −$679,903
Self-Funded $1,014,786
Self-Funded Captive $1,077,800
Taft-Hartley −$1,181,743
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
PEO 31% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$679,903
median five-year savings
-11% expected savings
5th−$3,384,99625th−$1,610,068 75th$272,78295th$2,469,429
Self-Funded 97% chance of beating Fully Insured
$1,014,786
median five-year savings
+15% expected savings
5th$189,69725th$729,242 75th$1,388,60495th$2,509,032
With additional cost containment: $1.55M to $2.37M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Self-Funded Captive 100% chance of beating Fully Insured
$1,077,800
median five-year savings
+17% expected savings
5th$614,03525th$829,784 75th$1,498,89795th$2,804,560
With additional cost containment: $1.54M to $2.05M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Taft-Hartley 20% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$1,181,743
median five-year savings
-14% expected savings
5th−$2,385,89225th−$1,774,127 75th−$292,68795th$1,819,044
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$715 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 medianSelf-Funded Captive · $1,077,800
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
IA 250-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with conservative assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 Iowa market rates.
Choose another size ↑Blackwell underwriter reviewed and validated
Chance of beating Fully Insured over five years
PEO26%
Self-Funded99%
Self-Funded Captive100%
Taft-Hartley22%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO −$1,692,090
Self-Funded $1,778,077
Self-Funded Captive $1,910,885
Taft-Hartley −$1,921,395
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
PEO 26% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$1,692,090
median five-year savings
-16% expected savings
5th−$6,498,32725th−$3,346,931 75th$51,34295th$3,901,955
Self-Funded 99% chance of beating Fully Insured
$1,778,077
median five-year savings
+16% expected savings
5th$830,26125th$1,382,132 75th$2,425,25095th$4,081,094
With additional cost containment: $2.57M to $3.87M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Self-Funded Captive 100% chance of beating Fully Insured
$1,910,885
median five-year savings
+17% expected savings
5th$1,079,10925th$1,460,104 75th$2,676,25295th$4,689,458
With additional cost containment: $2.58M to $3.42M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Taft-Hartley 22% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$1,921,395
median five-year savings
-14% expected savings
5th−$4,031,59525th−$2,980,775 75th−$321,35595th$3,277,743
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$715 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 medianSelf-Funded Captive · $1,910,885
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
IA 500-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with conservative assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 Iowa market rates.
Choose another size ↑Blackwell underwriter reviewed and validated
Chance of beating Fully Insured over five years
PEO22%
Self-Funded100%
Self-Funded Captive100%
Taft-Hartley17%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO −$3,333,382
Self-Funded $3,451,089
Self-Funded Captive $3,647,718
Taft-Hartley −$3,757,540
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
PEO 22% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$3,333,382
median five-year savings
-17% expected savings
5th−$12,921,20325th−$6,420,338 75th−$459,93695th$5,044,890
Self-Funded 100% chance of beating Fully Insured
$3,451,089
median five-year savings
+16% expected savings
5th$1,820,12925th$2,673,529 75th$4,721,50995th$7,981,400
With additional cost containment: $5.19M to $6.75M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Self-Funded Captive 100% chance of beating Fully Insured
$3,647,718
median five-year savings
+17% expected savings
5th$2,082,41325th$2,816,837 75th$4,993,74595th$8,483,248
With additional cost containment: $5.17M to $6.27M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Taft-Hartley 17% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$3,757,540
median five-year savings
-14% expected savings
5th−$7,408,22325th−$5,604,666 75th−$1,336,14995th$3,531,126
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$715 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 medianSelf-Funded Captive · $3,647,718
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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