Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota 401(k) Review & Grade
Bcbsnd and Noridian Healthcare Solutions 401(k) Plan
Fargo, NDFinance & Insurance3,410 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$4,529Employer $ per active participant
$4,489Employee $ saved per active participant
0.08%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$500.3MNet plan assets, end of year
$128,339Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity25.5 / 5051th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost15.7 / 2563th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving1.0 / 157th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score52 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Finance & Insurance plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (199 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 51th |
| Lower admin cost | 63th |
| Employee saving | 7th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 66% |
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Red flags from the filing
No red flags were reported on this filing's compliance questions.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota put in about $4,529 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($4,489). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- 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 | $15,443,036 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $15,306,025 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,406,790 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $392,871 |
| Contract administrator fees | $209,455 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $63,827 |
| Benefits paid out | $35,026,487 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $437.4M / $500.3M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,963 / 3,856 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,898 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Eide Bailly |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Bell Bank | $329,044 reported compensation |
| Cardinal Investment Advisors LLC | $63,827 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250930125441NAL0005498547001, received 2025-09-30, EIN 45-0173185, plan #003, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.