BOISE, Idaho, Sept. 14, 2026 – NAIA colleges and universities participating in the THRIVE employee health captive can now implement a new strategy for reducing healthcare costs while improving employee benefits. Through a partnership with Health2Business, participating institutions can implement direct contracts with local healthcare providers rather than relying solely on traditional insurance networks.
When employers switch to the Health2Business direct partnership plan model, they typically see average premium savings of 24% in the first year, along with a 90% reduction in employee out-of-pocket costs.
Colleges and universities continue to face rising healthcare costs that place pressure on operating budgets. Smaller private institutions can face an especially difficult balancing act as they compete for faculty and staff while operating with fewer resources than larger universities. Self-funded employers are increasingly exploring alternatives to traditional carrier networks, including direct contracting arrangements designed to improve transparency and better align incentives between employers and healthcare providers.
Developed in partnership with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), THRIVE is a group captive health insurance program specifically designed for small to midsize colleges and universities. The program gives participating institutions access to high-performance healthcare tools and services that have traditionally been more accessible to large employers.
Rather than purchasing a fully insured health plan from a carrier, THRIVE member organizations retain responsibility for predictable claims, share volatility with peer institutions with similar risk profiles and transfer catastrophic exposure to stop-loss carriers. This approach gives participating institutions greater transparency and control over their healthcare spending while helping reduce claims volatility.
“Self-funded employers nationwide are increasingly moving to direct contracting arrangements to improve transparency and create aligned incentives that lower costs between employers and healthcare providers,” said Jeff Mitchell, executive director of programs and innovation for THRIVE. “The ability to contract directly with healthcare providers is a foundational pillar for creating high-performing health plans.”
Through the partnership, THRIVE members will have access to Health2Business’ direct contracting model. Health2Business facilitates direct healthcare contracts between employers and community healthcare providers, creating an alternative to networks designed by traditional insurance carriers.
“Healthcare costs have become one of the fastest-growing expenses for higher education institutions,” said Doug Hetherington, CEO of Health2Business. “Direct contracting gives schools a practical way to regain control over costs while improving access to care for employees.”
The partnership expands the cost-control strategies available to THRIVE members as the captive prepares for its January 2027 launch. Four institutions are already committed to participate.
About THRIVE
THRIVE is a group captive health insurance program developed in partnership with the NAIA and Berkley Accident and Health to help private higher education institutions take a more disciplined and structured approach to employee healthcare finance. Berkley provides the purchasing power of more than 40 captive verticals representing 1,400 employers and 250,000 member participants. The more than 230 members of the NAIA represent more than 50,000 health plan members, creating collective scale.
Rather than treating benefits as an annual renewal event, THRIVE positions healthcare as a long-term financial strategy. Participating institutions retain responsibility for predictable claims, share volatility with peer institutions with similar risk profiles and transfer catastrophic exposure to stop-loss carriers. The result is greater transparency, increased control over healthcare spending and the opportunity for surplus to remain with the group rather than the carrier.
About Health2Business
Headquartered in Boise, Idaho, Health2Business collaborates with employers, providers, TPAs and wrap partners to facilitate direct care partnerships that deliver high-quality care at significant cost savings. Happier, healthier teams lead to better employee benefits return on investment. Learn more at health2business.com.
