The most common misconception about the Orion Health Insurance Pool is that UMR and/or UnitedHealthcare are the insurance carrier, which is not the case. Orion Health Insurance Pool is a self-insured employee benefit pool providing health benefits and services to its plan participants.
Because Orion Health Insurance Pool is self-insured, its Members assume the risk and retain the surplus. There are no shareholders to pay. In addition, The Pool has less administrative costs than the typical commercial insurer.