Lehigh Valley Health Network, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Lehigh Valley Health Network, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan
Allentown, PAHealth Care & Social Assistance2,755 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$511Employer $ per active participant
$1,961Employee $ saved per active participant
0.15%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$198.7MNet plan assets, end of year
$56,913Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity21.9 / 5044th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost10.6 / 2543th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving6.3 / 1542th 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 2,500–9,999 active participants (312 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 44th |
| Lower admin cost | 43th |
| Employee saving | 42th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 38% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $4,259 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Lehigh Valley Health Network put in about $511 per active participant, below the typical peer ($800). 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 | $1,407,024 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $5,403,209 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $204,659 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $297,159 |
| Contract administrator fees | $297,159 |
| Benefits paid out | $17,510,387 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $185.0M / $198.7M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,656 / 2,854 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,491 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Valic Retirement Services Company | $297,159 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250916132457NAL0001998065002, received 2025-09-16, EIN 22-2458317, plan #004, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.