As U.S. businesses mull over what to put into their 2020
health-care benefit packages and struggle with how best to manage high-cost
claims and specialty pharmaceuticals, Mercer suggests drawing insights from its
survey of employer-sponsored health plans.
Its survey points to employees' increasing enrollment in
consumer directed health plans (CDHPs) and their interest in selecting from a
full range of lean-to-rich benefit options. It also underscores how employers
are taking steps to build a "culture of health" to attract, engage
and retain workers, growing telehealth offerings, giving more types of network
options at open enrollment, and encouraging employees' use of centers of
excellence and specialty pharmacies.
In a webcast, Tracy Watts, senior partner and national health
care reform leader at Mercer, described employers offering an expanded array of
network options at open enrollment as "a trend that we're just getting
started with."
During the webcast, Mercer consultants also noted that employers
are adding voluntary benefits to make high-deductible plans an easier choice
for workers. "Employers are seeing it works best when you bring added
voluntary benefits and core benefits together," said Sander Domaszewicz,
national practice leader for consumerism. In addition, employee turnover is
lower among employers doing the most, and using best practices, to promote
employees' well-being.
Managing benefit cost growth, rather than offering more
attractive benefits, is most employers' top priority over the next few years,
according to responses to a real-time question posed by Mercer during its
webcast.
From Health Plan Weekly
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