What Are Defined Contribution Health Plans

What is a Defined Contribution Health Plan?

Rather than paying the costs to provide a specific group health plan benefit (a "defined benefit"), employers fix their costs on a monthly basis by establishing a Defined Contribution Health Plan.

The general concept of a Defined Contribution Health Plan is that a company gives each employee a fixed dollar amount (a "Defined Contribution") that the employees choose how to spend. Typically, employees are allowed to use their Defined Contribution allowance to reimburse themselves for individual health insurance costs.

Defined Contribution Health Plans are an affordable alternative to employer-sponsored group health insurance plans. Defined Contribution Health Plans by themselves are not health insurance plans.

Defined Contribution Health Plans are programs that allow employees to be more involved in their healthcare choices. With a Defined Contribution Health Plan, employees are responsible for selecting an individual health insurance plan and making payments out of their own finances.

The sections outlined on our navigation bar provide more information about Defined Contribution Health Plans.