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What is Self-Funded Insurance? A Quick Guide to Help You Understand It
Posted By ManagedHealth | Mar 23, 2023
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When it comes to health insurance, most people are familiar with the concept of fully-insured insurance, where an employer or individual pays a premium to an insurance company in exchange for coverage.

However, there’s another option available: self-funded insurance. Self-funded insurance is a type of health insurance where employers pay for the medical claims of their employees instead of paying premiums to an insurance company. In this article, we’ll dive into the world of self-funded insurance, exploring what it is, how it works, and its benefits and drawbacks.

Insurance policy depciting self-funded insurance

Understanding Self-Funded Insurance

Self-funded insurance is a type of health insurance plan where an employer agrees to pay for the healthcare claims of their employees out of pocket, rather than paying premiums to an insurance company. Self-funded insurance is also known as self-insured insurance or self-administered insurance.

Key Feature of Self-Funded Insurance

A major feature of self-funded insurance, which has been mentioned earlier, is that the employer is responsible for paying for the healthcare claims of their employees. This means that the employer is responsible for all of the costs associated with their employees’ healthcare, including medical procedures, prescriptions, and hospital stays. Another key feature of self-funded insurance is that the employer has the flexibility to design a plan that meets the specific needs of their employees.

How Does a Self-Funded Insurance Work

Self-funded insurance works by allowing the employer to assume the financial risk of paying for their employees’ healthcare claims. This means that the employer sets aside money to pay for their employees’ healthcare costs and administers the plan themselves.

Funding Options and Requirements

Employers have several options when it comes to funding their self-funded insurance plan. They can choose to fund the plan entirely on their own, or they can choose to purchase stop-loss insurance to protect themselves from catastrophic healthcare claims.

There are also minimum funding requirements that employers must meet when setting up a self-funded insurance plan. These requirements vary by state and are designed to ensure that employers have enough money set aside to pay for their employees’ healthcare claims.

Risk Management Strategies

One of the key aspects of self-funded insurance is managing risk. Employers can use a variety of risk management strategies to mitigate the financial risk associated with self-funded insurance. One strategy is to set up a reserve fund to pay for unexpected healthcare claims. Another strategy is to implement wellness programs to help employees stay healthy and reduce the likelihood of large healthcare claims.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Self-Funded Insurance

As with any type of insurance plan, there are benefits and drawbacks to self-funded insurance:

Benefits of Self-Funded Insurance

Cost Savings: One of the main benefits of self-funded insurance is cost savings. By assuming the financial risk of paying for their employees’ healthcare claims, employers can save money on premiums and administrative costs associated with fully-insured insurance plans.

Flexibility: Self-funded insurance plans offer employers more flexibility in designing a plan that meets the specific needs of their employees. Employers can tailor the plan to include the benefits that their employees need most, such as dental, vision, or mental health coverage.

Control: Employers have more control over the plan and can make changes to the plan as needed. They can also see firsthand how the plan is being used and make adjustments to the plan to ensure that the employees don’t get the short hand of the stick.

Drawbacks of Self-Funded Insurance

Financial Risk: The main drawback of self-funded insurance is assuming the financial risk of paying for employees’ healthcare claims. If an employer underestimates the cost of healthcare claims or experiences a large healthcare claim, they could be responsible for paying a significant amount of money out of pocket.

Administrative Burden: Self-funded insurance requires more administrative work than fully-insured insurance plans. Employers must manage the plan themselves, which includes setting up the plan, administering the plan, and handling claims.

Regulatory Compliance: Employers must comply with a variety of state and federal regulations when setting up and administering a self-funded insurance plan. This includes meeting minimum funding requirements, providing certain benefits, and reporting on the plan’s performance.

woman thinking about self-funded vs fully insured

Differences Between Self-Funded and Fully-Insured Insurance

Who Assumes the Risk?

The main difference between self-funded and fully-insured insurance is who assumes the financial risk. In fully-insured insurance, the insurance company assumes the financial risk of paying for the healthcare claims of the insured.

In self-funded insurance, the employer assumes the financial risk of paying for the healthcare claims of their employees. They are responsible for setting up the plan, determining the benefits that will be offered, and paying for the healthcare claims of their employees. Employees are responsible for using the plan and making healthcare claims.

The Monthly Costs

Another significant difference between self-funded insurance and fully insured plans is the monthly cost. In a fully insured plan, the employer pays a fixed premium each month to the insurance company. The premium is determined based on the number of employees, the age and health of the employees, and other factors.

In contrast, with self-funded insurance, the employer pays for the actual healthcare claims incurred by their employees. While this can result in significant cost savings, it also means that employers assume the financial risk of paying for large claims or unexpected medical expenses.

Claims Payment

In fully insured plans, the insurance company is responsible for paying all healthcare claims. The employer does not have to worry about the financial risk associated with large claims or unexpected medical expenses. In a self-funded plan, however, the employer will have to take responsibility for paying all healthcare claims.

Money Back

For fully insured plans, if the employer pays more in premiums than the insurance company pays out in claims, the employer does not receive any money back. In a self-funded plan, however, if the employer pays less in claims than they expected, they may receive a refund or credit towards future premiums.

Flexibility

Self-funded insurance plans offer employers more flexibility in designing a plan that meets the specific needs of their employees. Fully insured plans, on the other hand, offer less flexibility, as the benefits and coverage are determined by the insurance company.

In summary, self-funded insurance and fully insured plans differ across several key factors, including monthly cost, claims payment, money back, regulations, and flexibility. While self-funded insurance can offer significant cost savings and more flexibility, it also comes with additional financial risk and administrative burden. Employers must carefully weigh the pros and cons of each option before deciding which type of insurance plan is right for their business.

Alternatives to Self-Funded Insurance

Fully Insured Plans

Fully insured plans are the most common type of health insurance offered by employers. With fully insured plans, the employer pays a fixed premium each month to an insurance company, which assumes the financial risk of paying for all healthcare claims incurred by the employees. This can be a good option for employers who want to minimize their financial risk and want a predictable monthly cost.

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Plans

HMO plans are a type of managed care plan that typically offer lower out-of-pocket costs and more comprehensive coverage than traditional insurance plans. HMOs require employees to select a primary care physician who coordinates all of their healthcare needs, and generally only covers services provided by doctors and hospitals within their network. This can be a good option for employers who want to offer their employees a comprehensive plan with lower out-of-pocket costs.

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Plans

PPO plans are a type of managed care plan that offers more flexibility than HMOs. PPOs generally have a larger network of doctors and hospitals than HMOs and allow employees to see providers both within and outside of their network. However, PPO plans generally come with higher out-of-pocket costs than HMOs.

Point of Service (POS) Plans

POS plans are a hybrid of HMO and PPO plans. Like HMOs, POS plans require employees to select a primary care physician, but they also allow employees to see providers outside of their network for an additional cost. POS plans generally have higher out-of-pocket costs than HMOs but offer more flexibility than traditional HMO plans.

Health Savings Account (HSA) Plans

HSA plans are a type of high-deductible health plan that allows employees to set aside pre-tax dollars in a savings account to pay for healthcare expenses. Employers can contribute to the HSA on behalf of their employees, and employees can use the funds in the HSA to pay for qualified medical expenses. HSA plans can be a good option for employers who want to offer their employees a low-cost, high-deductible plan with tax advantages.

If you want other options, you could check out other customized health plans so that you’ll get what you really need.

Self-Funded Insurance and Healthcare Reform

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has had a significant impact on self-funded insurance plans. The ACA established minimum essential health benefits that must be included in all insurance plans, including self-funded plans. Employers must also comply with other ACA regulations, such as the employer mandate, which requires employers with 50 or more employees to provide health insurance to their employees.

Should You Get a Self-Funded Insurance?

Self-funded insurance is expected to continue to grow in popularity, particularly among large employers. As healthcare costs continue to rise, self-funded insurance offers employers a way to control costs and design a plan that meets the specific needs of their employees.

Self-funded insurance is a type of health insurance where employers assume the financial risk of paying for their employees’ healthcare claims. This type of insurance offers employers cost savings, flexibility, and control over the plan, but also comes with financial risk, administrative burden, and regulatory compliance requirements. With healthcare costs continuing to rise, self-funded insurance is expected to continue to grow in popularity as employers look for ways to control costs and design plans that meet the specific needs of their employees.