October 6, 2021
Payers
  • Willis Towers Watson reported that health benefit costs are expected to increase by more than 5 percent in both 2021 and 2022. The firm’s survey of 378 U.S. companies employing 5.9 million workers found achieving affordable costs for the organization was a key priority for 90 percent of respondents and achieving affordable costs for employees was a top priority for 86 percent. Twenty-two percent of employers currently structure employee contributions based on pay levels or job grades. Nearly 30 percent of employers are planning or considering offering a narrow network of higher-quality and/or lower-cost providers. (Survey here; Article here)