Self-Insured Health Plans Covered Nearly 60% Of Private Sector Employees With Health Benefits In 2011

In 2011, 58.5% of private sector employees with health benefits received them through a self-insured health plan operated by their employer. The percentage of employees covered by a self-insured health plan has increased by 18 percentage points since 1998, when self-insured plans covered 40.9% of workers with health benefits. In a self-insured plan, an employer assumes the financial risk associated with health care coverage for its workers rather than contracting with an insurance company to provide health benefits. The findings were reported in “Self-Insured Health Plans: State Variation and Recent Trends By Firm . . .