Health Benefit Practices From Employer Sponsored Health Plan Survey  

With this post, we at the blog are officially kicking off annual planning for 2018. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be offering advice and check lists for 2018, including some special to-do’s for prescription drugs and time-off benefits. We thought a good place to start this year is with a list of best practices. 

The list below contains 25 health benefit best practices from the Mercer National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans. Each year we compare the performance of employers that use the most of these best practices with those using the fewest (the top and bottom quartiles). And each year we find that those using the most best practices have lower average healthcare cost increases. (In 2016, the two groups had average increases of 3.8% and 4.8%, respectively.)

As you review the list, highlight the practices you have in place. Once complete, there are two ways to look at your results.  One way would be to look at all the things you are not doing and consider them as options for 2018. But if you already have many of these strategies or tactics in place, a better approach for your organization might be to carefully consider whether you are getting the results you expected. Is there opportunity to improve? Should you redirect funding to another program? 

We update the best practice list every year. Let us know if you have suggestions.

What's Working to Hold Down Cost Growth?

 Source: Mercer National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans 2016