Behavioral and mental health providers in California
PlanOptica tracks 99 health and welfare plans sponsored by 87 behavioral and mental health providers in California, covering 66,621 participants and $3.3B in reported insurance premiums (plan year 2024 to 2025 filings). The median plan has 191 participants, and the most common size is 100 to 249 participants (38% of plans). The funding mix is split: 30% of plans are self-funded or mixed and the rest are mainly fully insured.
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc dominates premium with a 85% share, followed by Standard Insurance Company at 4%. Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc is the broker of record on 14 plans, more than any other firm, ahead of Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC (9). 83% of plans report broker compensation on Schedule A; the median brokered plan pays $119K a year, about 5.6% of premium. Oakland, San Francisco and San Diego have the most plans.
Funding mix
- Fully insured69 · 70%
- Mixed20 · 20%
- Self-funded10 · 10%
Plan size (participants)
- Under 10019 · 19%
- 100 to 24938 · 38%
- 250 to 49918 · 18%
- 500 to 99913 · 13%
- 1,000 or more11 · 11%
Median plan: 191 participants. Median broker comp: 5.6% of premium across 82 brokered plans.
Top carriers, behavioral health, California
- 1Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc$2.8B52 plans · 84.8%
- 2Standard Insurance Company$140M4 plans · 4.2%
- 3Metropolitan Life Insurance Company$87M24 plans · 2.6%
- 4Delta Dental of California$64M16 plans · 1.9%
- 5Blue Cross of California$48M19 plans · 1.4%
- 6Unitedhealthcare Insurance Company$25M4 plans · 0.7%
- 7Provident Life and Accident Insurance Company$22M16 plans · 0.7%
- 8Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company$18M13 plans · 0.5%
- 9United Healthcare Insurance Company$15M2 plans · 0.4%
- 10California Physicians Service$13M7 plans · 0.4%
Top brokers, behavioral health, California
- 1Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc14 plans$805K comp · 17.1%
- 2Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC9 plans$1.7M comp · 11.0%
- 3Acrisure of California LLC9 plans$612K comp · 11.0%
- 4Hub International Midwest Limited8 plans$1.0M comp · 9.8%
- 5Warner Pacific Insurance Services8 plans$137K comp · 9.8%
- 6First Person, Inc6 plans$98K comp · 7.3%
- 7Amwins Connect Insurance Services5 plans$148K comp · 6.1%
- 8The Partners Group4 plans$8.2M comp · 4.9%
- 9Edgewood Partners Insurance Center4 plans$598K comp · 4.9%
- 10Heffernan Insurance Brokers4 plans$495K comp · 4.9%
Largest behavioral and mental health providers in California
| Employer / plan | City | Funding | Participants | Premium | Primary carrier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Permanente Medical Group, Inc The Permanente Medical Group, Inc. Physicians' Welfare Benefit Plan for Active PhysiciansAll plans | Pleasanton | Mixed | 10,110 | $391M | Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc |
| Alternative Behavior Strategies, LLC Alternative Behavior Strategies, LLC Welfare Benefit PlanAll plans | Encino | Fully insured | 4,896 | $12M | Unitedhealthcare Insurance Company |
| Autism Learning Partners Autism Learning Partners Welfare Benefits PlanAll plans | Monrovia | Fully insured | 3,103 | $9.1M | United Healthcare Insurance Company |
| Crestwood Behavioral Health, Inc Crestwood Health and Welfare Benefit PlanAll plans | Stockton | Mixed | 2,710 | $22M | Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc |
| Pacific Clinics Uplift Family Services Severance Benefits PlanAll plans | Los Gatos | Self-funded | 2,401 | - | - |
| Stars Behavioral Health Group Stars Behavioral Health Group Welfare Benefits PlanAll plans | Oakland | Fully insured | 1,801 | $18M | Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc |
| Physicians for Healthy Hospitals, Inc Physicians for Healthy Hospitals, Inc. Health and Welfare PlanAll plans | Hemet | Mixed | 1,242 | $780K | Metropolitan Life Insurance Company |
| Clinicas De Salud Del Pueblo, Inc Clinicas De Salud Del Pueblo, Inc Employee Benefit PlanAll plans | El Centro | Fully insured | 828 | - | Principal Life Insurance Company |
| Doctor on Demand Professionals, P.C Doctor on Demand Professionals, P.C. Welfare Benefits PlanAll plans | San Francisco | Mixed | 782 | $1.7M | Metropolitan Life Insurance Company |
| Community Research Foundation Community Research Foundation Group Benefits PlanAll plans | San Diego | Fully insured | 752 | $6.4M | United Healthcare Insurance Company |
| Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group Inc Sharp Rees Stealy Medical Group Health and Welfare PlanAll plans | San Diego | Fully insured | 706 | $13M | Sharp Health Plan |
| Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services Group Medical, Dental, Vision, LifeAll plans | Culver City | Fully insured | 699 | $3.6M | Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc |
| Clinicas De Salud Del Pueblo, Inc Clinicas De Salud Del Pueblo, Inc Employee Benefit PlanAll plans | El Centro | Fully insured | 587 | - | Simnsa |
| Mental Health Systems, Inc Mental Health Systems, Inc. Welfare Benefit PlanAll plans | San Diego | Fully insured | 579 | $4.7M | Blue Cross of California |
| Center for Social Dynamics Inc Center for Social Dynamics Health and Welfare Benefits PlanAll plans | Concord | Fully insured | 552 | $3.6M | Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc |
Showing 15 of 87 employers. Filter the full list by size, funding, carrier and broker.
Plans by city in California
- Oakland12 plans · 1,941 participants
- San Francisco8 plans · 2,423 participants
- San Diego6 plans · 2,789 participants
- Los Angeles6 plans · 1,310 participants
- Pleasanton5 plans · 27,696 participants
- Sacramento5 plans · 1,528 participants
- El Centro3 plans · 1,848 participants
- Los Gatos2 plans · 4,676 participants
- Concord2 plans · 683 participants
- San Jose2 plans · 625 participants
- Carlsbad2 plans · 573 participants
- San Mateo2 plans · 462 participants
Frequently asked questions
How many behavioral and mental health providers in California offer an ERISA health plan?
99 health and welfare plans from 87 behavioral and mental health providers in California appear in plan year 2024 to 2025 filings on Form 5500, covering 66,621 participants. Plans with fewer than 100 participants that are fully insured do not have to file, so small practices are under-counted.
Which insurance carriers cover the most behavioral and mental health providers in California?
By Schedule A premium: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc (85% of premium, 52 plans), Standard Insurance Company (4% of premium, 4 plans) and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (3% of premium, 24 plans).
Which benefits brokers work with behavioral and mental health providers in California?
By number of client plans: Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc (14 plans), Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC (9 plans) and Acrisure of California LLC (9 plans). 83% of plans report a broker.
How much do brokers earn on behavioral and mental health providers health plans in California?
The median brokered plan reports $119K a year in broker commissions and fees, or 5.6% of premium. Figures come from Schedule A, Part I.
Are behavioral and mental health providers health plans in California self-funded or fully insured?
Fully insured 70%, mixed 20% and self-funded 10%. Self-funded and mixed plans together make up 30%.
Where does this data come from?
U.S. Department of Labor Form 5500 filings and their Schedule A insurance attachments, latest filing per plan. Psychiatrists (NAICS 621112), mental health practitioners (621330), outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers (621420), plus healthcare employers whose name says behavioral health, mental health or psychiatry.
Prospect behavioral and mental health providers in California
Open the welfare search with California and this sector prefilled. Narrow by participants, funding type, carrier, broker and broker compensation, then save the view or export it.
Behavioral health in nearby states
Other healthcare specialties in California
Source: U.S. Department of Labor Form 5500 and Schedule A, latest filing per plan (plan years 2024-2025). Psychiatrists (NAICS 621112), mental health practitioners (621330), outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers (621420), plus healthcare employers whose name says behavioral health, mental health or psychiatry. Location is the sponsor's filing address in California.