Amwins Connect provides insightful articles that cover various topics as resources to brokers and agencies of all sizes within the Group Benefits industry. As a General Agency, Amwins Connect is always working hard to provide product knowledge and relevant health insurance information. This recap includes topics ranging from increasing employer health care costs and the influence of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) on well-being programs to seven crucial trends in group health insurance.
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August 2022
Employer Health Care Costs to Increase 6.5%
Average costs for U.S. employers that pay for their employees' health care will increase 6.5% in 2023 to more than $13,800 per employee. That’s up from $13,020 in 2022, according to Aon.
How Health Plans Are Improving Mental Health Care
Health plans are making mental health support more accessible and affordable, according to a survey by AHIP.
A Small Window to Address Steeper Health Insurance Costs
Employers expect health benefit costs to rise an average of 5.6% per employee in 2023, according to a Mercer survey. “Employers have a small window to get out in front of sharper increases coming in 2024 from the cumulative effect of current inflationary pressures,” says Sunit Patel, Mercer’s Chief Actuary for Health and Benefits.
Workers Want More Help Choosing Health Insurance
Many working Americans don’t know where to turn for health insurance questions, so 62% stay with the same plan every year, according to a survey by The Harris Poll. They often misunderstand basic facts about health insurance, such as deductibles, HSAs, and FSAs. This confusion could undermine the employers’ efforts to add new plans or offer coverage at new price points.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) Influence Well-Being Programs
Eighty-one percent of large and mid-sized employers say their DE&I strategy influences their well-being program, according to a survey by the Business Group on Health. Also, 82% say they communicate with their employees about the relationship between DE&I and well-being.
Employers Expand Flexible Benefits for a Diverse Workforce
Employers are changing benefits to appeal to a diverse workforce. Versatile medical and voluntary benefits, in addition to compensation, are helping them retain and attract talent, according to a survey by Gallagher.
5 California Health Plans Sign Advanced Primary Care Agreement
Aetna, Blue Shield of California, Health Net, Oscar, and UnitedHealthcare signed an agreement to increase investment and access to advanced primary care. The initiative is a first-of-its-kind to standardize the way payers finance, support, and measure the delivery of advanced primary care.
7 Crucial Trends in Group Health Insurance
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality released a comprehensive survey of employer-sponsored health insurance including offer rates, enrollments, deductibles, and premiums. While many factors remained stable from year to year, premiums in small and large firms increased significantly for single, employee-plus-one, and family coverage.
