BJC Health System 401(k) Review & Grade
BJC 401(k) Plan
ST. Louis, MOHealth Care & Social Assistance32,060 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,350Employer $ per active participant
$5,232Employee $ saved per active participant
0.11%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$2.3BNet plan assets, end of year
$54,075Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity20.2 / 5040th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost9.5 / 2538th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving9.3 / 1562th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score46 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Health Care & Social Assistance plans with 10,000+ active participants (115 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 40th |
| Lower admin cost | 38th |
| Employee saving | 62th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 52% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $9,979 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- BJC Health System put in about $1,350 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,086). Any match is still an instant return, so contribute enough to get all of it.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $43,271,967 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $167,733,718 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $24,709,844 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $2,467,582 |
| Other admin expenses | $2,467,582 |
| Benefits paid out | $295,976,684 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $2.0B / $2.3B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 32,042 / 32,079 |
| Participants with account balances | 41,929 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Ernst Young LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $350,142 reported compensation |
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $220,059 reported compensation |
| Captrust | $105,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251012112215NAL0000656306001, received 2025-10-12, EIN 43-1617558, plan #003, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.