OneDigital's Vice President of Employee Benefits Strategy, Cassie Schlarb, Featured in L.A. Business First

The cost curve isn’t bending—it’s breaking budgets. Premiums are soaring past inflation and wage growth.

As healthcare costs continue to rise at unsustainable rates, employers are searching for smarter, more strategic solutions. In a recent feature in L.A. Business First, OneDigital's Vice President of Employee Benefits Strategy, Cassie Schlarb, shared timely insights on why more employers are turning to self-funding as a powerful tool to take back control of their healthcare spend.

OneDigital's study shows that fully-insured plans are typically 10%-15% more expensive than self-funded plans. This disparity contributes to the financial strain on both employers and employees, with many families facing out-of-pocket maximums exceeding their liquid assets, leaving them vulnerable to medical debt.

Employers are making every effort to control rising costs, but it often feels like an insurmountable challenge. In 2025, they will contribute nearly 12 times more to employee healthcare than they did in 2000. Despite this, many employees still struggle to afford healthcare, without a corresponding improvement in quality.
 
Cassie Schlarb, OneDigital's Vice President of Employee Benefits Strategy

The article highlights how self-funded plans can offer greater flexibility, transparency, and cost containment—allowing employers to design benefits that better serve their teams while protecting the bottom line. This reinforces a growing trend: forward-thinking organizations are no longer willing to absorb rising premiums without a plan. They’re getting proactive—and self-funding is leading the charge.

To read the full feature published in L.A. Business First, click here.