PEO 88% chance of beating Fully Insured
$85,662
median five-year savings
+14% expected savings
5th−$47,61025th$43,466 75th$113,82495th$138,938
South Dakota Health-Plan Funding Guide
South Dakota 2026 funding analysis (archived)
Plan year 2026 · archived results View the South Dakota 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
SD 10-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with Benefitra's average client savings assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 South Dakota market rates.
Choose another size ↑Blackwell underwriter reviewed and validated
Chance of beating Fully Insured over five years
PEO88%
Level-Funded75%
Taft-Hartley0%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO $85,662
Level-Funded $72,508
Taft-Hartley −$68,217
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
Level-Funded 75% chance of beating Fully Insured
$72,508
median five-year savings
+6% expected savings
5th−$206,05625th−$1,865 75th$102,76695th$121,709
With additional cost containment: $113K to $201K more potential savings; win rate rises to ~93%.
Taft-Hartley 0% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$68,217
median five-year savings
-14% expected savings
5th−$89,94525th−$76,805 75th−$58,39895th−$43,515
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$748 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 · $85,662
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
SD 30-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with Benefitra's average client savings assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 South Dakota market rates.
Choose another size ↑Blackwell underwriter reviewed and validated
Chance of beating Fully Insured over five years
PEO88%
Level-Funded88%
Self-Funded Captive90%
Taft-Hartley0%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO $256,986
Level-Funded $354,011
Self-Funded Captive $322,109
Taft-Hartley −$204,652
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
PEO 88% chance of beating Fully Insured
$256,986
median five-year savings
+14% expected savings
5th−$142,83025th$130,397 75th$341,47295th$416,813
Level-Funded 88% chance of beating Fully Insured
$354,011
median five-year savings
+18% expected savings
5th−$269,01025th$197,314 75th$422,65295th$479,313
With additional cost containment: $286K to $451K more potential savings; win rate rises to ~99%.
Self-Funded Captive 90% chance of beating Fully Insured
$322,109
median five-year savings
+18% expected savings
5th−$140,12125th$192,469 75th$399,12895th$469,646
With additional cost containment: $292K to $418K more potential savings; win rate rises to ~99%.
Taft-Hartley 0% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$204,652
median five-year savings
-14% expected savings
5th−$269,83625th−$230,416 75th−$175,19595th−$130,544
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$748 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 · $354,011
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
SD 70-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with conservative assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 South Dakota 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-Hartley23%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO −$186,112
Level-Funded $327,740
Self-Funded Captive $470,919
Taft-Hartley −$431,515
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
PEO 38% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$186,112
median five-year savings
-7% expected savings
5th−$1,394,85525th−$582,229 75th$247,54495th$1,149,151
Level-Funded 93% chance of beating Fully Insured
$327,740
median five-year savings
+11% expected savings
5th−$86,49525th$212,381 75th$532,23595th$1,184,864
With additional cost containment: $772K to $1.14M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Self-Funded Captive 100% chance of beating Fully Insured
$470,919
median five-year savings
+16% expected savings
5th$241,39725th$350,847 75th$678,71995th$1,329,897
With additional cost containment: $748K to $993K more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Taft-Hartley 23% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$431,515
median five-year savings
-10% expected savings
5th−$897,00425th−$673,876 75th−$38,96695th$886,756
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$748 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 · $470,919
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
SD 150-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with conservative assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 South Dakota 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-Hartley27%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO −$711,527
Self-Funded $1,061,985
Self-Funded Captive $1,115,372
Taft-Hartley −$849,553
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
PEO 31% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$711,527
median five-year savings
-11% expected savings
5th−$3,542,43725th−$1,684,955 75th$285,46995th$2,584,287
Self-Funded 97% chance of beating Fully Insured
$1,061,985
median five-year savings
+15% expected savings
5th$198,52025th$763,160 75th$1,453,19195th$2,625,731
With additional cost containment: $1.62M to $2.48M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Self-Funded Captive 100% chance of beating Fully Insured
$1,115,372
median five-year savings
+17% expected savings
5th$630,03725th$855,821 75th$1,556,05695th$2,922,446
With additional cost containment: $1.62M to $2.15M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Taft-Hartley 27% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$849,553
median five-year savings
-9% expected savings
5th−$2,109,62925th−$1,467,046 75th$80,96795th$2,291,124
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$748 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 · $1,115,372
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
SD 250-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with conservative assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 South Dakota 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-Hartley28%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO −$1,770,792
Self-Funded $1,860,778
Self-Funded Captive $1,978,833
Taft-Hartley −$1,365,608
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
PEO 26% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$1,770,792
median five-year savings
-16% expected savings
5th−$6,800,57525th−$3,502,602 75th$53,73095th$4,083,441
Self-Funded 99% chance of beating Fully Insured
$1,860,778
median five-year savings
+16% expected savings
5th$868,87825th$1,446,418 75th$2,538,05295th$4,270,913
With additional cost containment: $2.69M to $4.05M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Self-Funded Captive 100% chance of beating Fully Insured
$1,978,833
median five-year savings
+17% expected savings
5th$1,108,36925th$1,507,086 75th$2,779,79995th$4,886,642
With additional cost containment: $2.71M to $3.58M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Taft-Hartley 28% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$1,365,608
median five-year savings
-9% expected savings
5th−$3,573,59725th−$2,471,374 75th$309,74895th$4,079,438
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$748 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 · $1,978,833
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
SD 500-employee health plan funding analysis · 2026
Modeled with conservative assumptions, 2,000 Monte Carlo runs, and 2026 South Dakota 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-Hartley24%
Five-year median and percentile savings vs staying Fully Insured
PEO −$3,488,423
Self-Funded $3,611,605
Self-Funded Captive $3,775,519
Taft-Hartley −$2,638,954
5th to 95th percentile 25th to 75th Median
PEO 22% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$3,488,423
median five-year savings
-17% expected savings
5th−$13,522,18925th−$6,718,959 75th−$481,32995th$5,279,536
Self-Funded 100% chance of beating Fully Insured
$3,611,605
median five-year savings
+16% expected savings
5th$1,904,78625th$2,797,879 75th$4,941,11495th$8,352,628
With additional cost containment: $5.44M to $7.06M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Self-Funded Captive 100% chance of beating Fully Insured
$3,775,519
median five-year savings
+16% expected savings
5th$2,137,40925th$2,905,992 75th$5,184,15295th$8,835,958
With additional cost containment: $5.42M to $6.57M more potential savings; win rate rises to ~100%.
Taft-Hartley 24% chance of beating Fully Insured
−$2,638,954
median five-year savings
-9% expected savings
5th−$6,454,56525th−$4,570,898 75th−$98,92195th$4,974,595
Fixed · nationwide · transparent pricing Get your Taft-Hartley rate →
Fully Insured today: ~$748 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 · $3,775,519
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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