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","articleTag":"Engagement","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/content-images/latinamerica/latam/la-2021-social-media-offset_673977.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/whats-at-the-heart-of-the-employer-employee-bond.html","kickerTitle":"By the Numbers","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Sep 16 2021","description":"Employees who feel their employers have provided good support during the pandemic are more likely to stay at their jobs as a result.","otherTagsId":[]},{"title":"Employers Need to Start Preparing for Vaccine Mandates Now","articleTag":"Coronavirus","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/brandimages/GettyImages-1226005970-1200x630.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/employers-need-to-start-preparing-for-vaccine-mandates-now.html","kickerTitle":"Health Law and Policy","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Sep 09 2021","description":"With President Biden’s new vaccine mandate, the question of whether to require worker vaccinations has been settled, giving way to a long list of questions about how to do it. 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","otherTagsId":[]},{"title":"New Survey: Do Employees Support Vaccine Mandates?","articleTag":"Coronavirus","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/content-images/north-america/united-states/us-2021-GettyImages-1276395298-1200x630.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/new-survey-do-employees-support-vaccine-mandates.html","kickerTitle":"By the numbers","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Aug 26 2021","description":"A majority of workers would welcome a mandate","otherTagsId":[]},{"title":"Survey Shows Companies Reconsidering Vaccine Mandates as Delta Surges","articleTag":"Coronavirus","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/brandimages/GettyImages-1226005970-1200x630.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/survey-shows-companies-reconsidering-vaccine-mandates-as-delta-surges.html","kickerTitle":"By the Numbers","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Aug 12 2021","description":"Fourteen percent require (or plan to require) all employees returning to their worksites to be vaccinated, with another 15% requiring vaccinations for certain job functions.","otherTagsId":[]},{"title":"The Apt Comparison: Are You Using the Right Benchmark Data?","articleTag":"Surveys \u0026 Analytics","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/brandimages/AdobeStock_168230526-1200x630.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/the-apt-comparison-are-you-using-the-right-benchmark-data.html","kickerTitle":"By the numbers","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Apr 22 2021","description":"There’s enormous variation among employer plans that’s hidden in national results, and benchmark data brings it to the surface.","otherTagsId":[]},{"title":"Time to Refresh Your Approach to Employee Well-being? 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","otherTagsId":[]},{"title":"Double Whammy for Women","articleTag":"Healthcare Cost \u0026 Quality","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/social-media/639001428-social-media-1200x630.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/double-whammy-for-women.html","kickerTitle":"Coronavirus","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Feb 04 2021","description":"Mercer President and CEO, Martine Ferland, speaks about the impact of the pandemic on women in the workplace.","otherTagsId":[]},{"title":"How Well-Being Practices are Evolving: HERO Scorecard Analysis","articleTag":"Well-being \u0026 Lifestyle Benefits","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/brandimages/GettyImages-605378813-1200x630.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/changing-health-and-wellbeing-an-analysis-of-hero-scorecard-responses.html","kickerTitle":"Wellbeing","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Jan 21 2021","description":"The HERO Scorecard Progress Report shows a growing consensus around the business case for well-being initiatives, an evolution in incentive strategies for employers, and best practices that are most often connected with optimal outcomes.","otherTagsId":[]},{"title":"Leading Through the Surge: Using What We’ve Learned","articleTag":"Coronavirus","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/brandimages/GettyImages-1191975380-1200x630.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/leading-through-the-surge-using-what-we-learned.html","kickerTitle":"Coronavirus","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Dec 17 2020","description":"Using hard-won knowledge gained over the course of the year, employers can be more proactive in 2021 – while remaining ready to adjust as conditions change. ","otherTagsId":[]},{"title":"Mercer Survey: With 2020 Health Costs Below Budget, Employers Invest in More Employee Support ","articleTag":"Surveys \u0026 Analytics","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/brandimages/offset_801016-1200x630.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/mercer-survey-with-2020-health-costs-below-budget-employers-invest-in-more-employee-support.html","kickerTitle":"Healthcare Costs","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Dec 10 2020","description":"While the overall healthcare cost increase is in line with past years, large employers (those with 500 or more employees) reported that cost would rise by just 1.9% -- the lowest increase in since 1997.","otherTagsId":[]},{"title":"Facing the COVID Resurgence: Advice for Employers","articleTag":"Coronavirus","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/brandimages/GettyImages-1209025695-1200x630.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/facing-the-covid-resurgence-advice-for-employers.html","kickerTitle":"Coronavirus","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Nov 06 2020","description":"With coronavirus cases surging in much of the US, we’re back in response mode. 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Their innovative strategies to manage cost are working and having a positive impact on cost growth nationally. ","otherTagsId":[]},{"title":"Look, Ma, No Deductible! JPM \u0026 Amazon Try Out New Health Plans from Haven","articleTag":"Benefit Flexibility","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/brandimages/AdobeStock_178926935-1200x630.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/look-ma-no-deductible-jpm-amazon-try-out-new-health-plans-from-haven.html","kickerTitle":"Healthcare Costs","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Nov 07 2019","description":"The new Haven health plan that JPM just rolled out has no deductible requirement at all, a marked change from nearly all other health plans in the US. ","otherTagsId":["Beth Umland"]},{"title":"Look, Ma: No Deductible! The First Haven Health Plan from the Amazon Venture Appears","articleTag":"Innovation","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/brandimages/AdobeStock_178926935-1200x630.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/look-ma-no-deductible-the-first-haven-health-plan-from-the-amazon-venture-appears.html","kickerTitle":"Healthcare Costs","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Nov 07 2019","description":"The new Haven health plan that JP Morgan just rolled out has no deductible requirement at all, a marked change from their existing health plan and from nearly all other health plans in the US. ","otherTagsId":["Beth Umland"]},{"title":"Employers Shift Tactics in 2019 to Address Health Care Affordability","articleTag":"Healthcare Cost \u0026 Quality","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/brandimages/AdobeStock_163928482-1200x630.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/employers-shift-tactics-in-2019-to-address-health-care-affordability.html","kickerTitle":"By the Numbers","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Oct 31 2019","description":"Concerns about healthcare affordability have made employers increasingly reluctant to use the tried-and-true tactics. ","otherTagsId":["Beth Umland"]},{"title":"The Path Towards Higher Quality Healthcare","articleTag":"Healthcare Cost \u0026 Quality","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/social-media/1062188098-social-media-1200x630.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/the-path-towards-higher-quality-healthcare.html","kickerTitle":"Healthcare Quality","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Oct 24 2019","description":"Not only was this Monday National Nut Day (true!), it also marked the beginning of National Healthcare Quality Week. 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Consider Your EAP","articleTag":"Benefit Flexibility","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/social-media/547016589-social-media-1200x630.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/looking-to-improve-access-to-behavioral-health-care-consider-your-eap.html","kickerTitle":"By The Numbers","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Aug 22 2019","description":"Is your company’s EAP more of a “check the box” benefit than a true partner in addressing workforce behavioral health issues? In today’s challenging environment, you may need to ask more of your EAP. Recent survey results show EAPs are extending their reach with video or text-based counseling. Mercer’s Alisa Trugerman and Beth Umland discuss new EAP service models and the importance of a comprehensive approach to behavioral health care. 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What’s Up with That?","articleTag":"Healthcare Cost \u0026 Quality","imageURL":"/content-images/north-america/united-states/us-2019-health-insights-506513452-1200x630.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/average-hmo-cost-has-dipped-below-ppo-cost-whats-up-with-that.html","kickerTitle":"Healthcare Costs","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Aug 08 2019","description":"HMOs provide richer coverage than PPOs and traditionally have been more expensive. Over the past two decades, that fact has led employers in many parts of the country to drop HMO options from their medical plan offerings. 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It brings together employers, payers, providers, pharma and the rest of the health ecosystem under one roof, working collaboratively towards the same goal – to create a better future for healthcare. 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","otherTagsId":["Beth Umland"]},{"title":"Employers Weigh in on Drug Rebates","articleTag":"Prescription Drugs","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/content-images/north-america/united-states/us-2017-health-benefits-medicine-bottles-health-and-benefits-solutions-0-photo.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/employers-weigh-in-on-drug-rebates.html","kickerTitle":"By the Numbers","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Apr 11 2019","description":"Pharmaceutical rebates remain a hot topic in the drug pricing debate.","otherTagsId":["Beth Umland"]},{"title":"Beyond Autism Awareness: Making ASD Acceptance Part of Your Well-being Program","articleTag":"Well-being \u0026 Lifestyle Benefits","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/social-media/497323193-social-media-1200x630.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/beyond-autism-awareness-making-asd-acceptance-part-of-your-well-being-program.html","kickerTitle":"By the Numbers","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Apr 04 2019","description":"Coverage for Autism Spectrum Disorder, affinity autism services and ASD specialty healthcare is becoming more common in employer packages.","otherTagsId":["Beth Umland"]},{"title":"New Mercer Survey: Employers Overwhelmingly Support Preserving Coverage for Pre-existing Conditions ","articleTag":"Surveys \u0026 Analytics","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/social-media/gl-2016-us-election-impact-on-business.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/new-mercer-survey-employers-overwhelmingly-support-preserving-coverage-for-pre-existing-conditions.html","kickerTitle":"By the Numbers","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Mar 27 2019","description":"According to a new Mercer survey, employers believe it’s important that Congress preserve coverage for ACA pre-existing conditions.","otherTagsId":["Beth Umland"]},{"title":"When it Comes to Hospital Quality, Penalties Speak Louder than Words","articleTag":"Healthcare Cost \u0026 Quality","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/social-media/gl-2016-us-election-impact-on-business.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/when-it-comes-to-hospital-quality-penalties-speak-louder-than-words.html","kickerTitle":"Healthcare Quality","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Mar 21 2019","description":"The ACA’s Hospital Acquired Conditions Reduction Program places more emphasis on hospital safety programs and quality programs to avoid hospital penalties.","otherTagsId":["Beth Umland"]},{"title":"On International Women’s Day, See How Your Benefits Compare to ‘the Best’","articleTag":"Benefit Flexibility","imageURL":"/content/dam/mercer/assets/content-images/north-america/united-states/us-healthcare-news/us-2019-health-163024108-1200x630.jpg","pageUrl":"/content/mercer/north-america/us/en/our-thinking/healthcare/on-international-womens-day-see-how-your-benefits-compare-to-the-best.html","kickerTitle":"By the Numbers","authorTagId":["Beth Umland"],"publishDate":"Mar 07 2019","description":"The business case for supporting working mothers is to keep women in the workforce. 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