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With nearly 2,600 employers participating in 2019, our annual health benefits survey is the largest of its kind. It is conducted using a national probability sample and results are weighted to represent all US employer health plan sponsors with 10+ employees.
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This year’s results highlight important trends in employer health program management: balancing affordability and choice, empowering employees to improve their health through tech-enabled solutions, and addressing high-cost claims.
In 2019, amid concerns about health care affordability for lower-paid workers, most large and mid-sized employers hit pause on cost-shifting. And some employers that had offered an account-based high-deductible plan as the only medical plan available to employees reversed course and added a traditional PPO or HMO as an option.
The new focus on choice and personalization extends beyond the choice of health plans, the survey found. Employers added tech-enabled programs addressing specific health needs, such as mental health counseling, musculoskeletal conditions, and insomnia.
Managing high-cost claims is a top priority for 80% of large employers over the next five years, and for good reason: The incidence of high-cost claims is rising, along with the average size of these claims. For serious medical issues, care quality is critical to achieve better outcomes and lower cost.
Read further detail on the 2019 survey findings and top stories in the press release.
Mercer’s National Leader for US Health Policy
Director of Research for Health and Benefits
Designed to collect strategic, forward-thinking data throughout the year, Mercer’s 10-Minute surveys is a series of surveys on topical healthcare issues. Get the latest report here.
See ReportsBenchmark data can tell you how your program stacks up against organizations of your size, in your industry, and in your geographic region.
Read MoreResults from Mercer’s National Survey of Employer- Sponsored Health Plans 2018
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