MercerMersh Benefits

 

 

The top trends shaping employer-provided healthcare

 

MMB’s Health Trends global survey of 226 insurers across 56 countries identified five key themes driving costs and risks in employee health benefits

 


Five key trends

Top trends driving the future of employer-provided healthcare

 

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Per-person medical cost increases are back to pre-pandemic levels

68%

of insurers expect plan sponsors to prioritize design improvements despite forecasted double-digit medical trend rates in some markets.

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COVID-19 continues to impact claims experience

55%

of insurers report an increase in later-stage diagnosis of illness due to deferred care.

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Plan modernization has begun

1 in 2

insurers has changed or expects to change eligibility requirements and eligible expenses to make coverage more inclusive for those who identify as LGBTQ+.

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Mental health gaps persist

16%

of insurers report not providing plans that cover mental health services (versus 26% in 2022).

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Plan management requires greater rigor

More than 1 in 5

insurers in Asia are adjusting medical plan premiums based on COVID-19 vaccination status.

 

These trends are important for employers to consider as while many firms have latitude in designing their benefit plan to meet their needs, insurers play a key role in shaping the benefits landscape. They do this through their standard practices and policy language, their willingness to adopt new provisions, and their access to large pools of claims data. 



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A significant number of insurers are adding innovative features to medical products, such as digital health and self-care tools to ways of connecting individuals with better quality care.
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Global insurer survey report MMB Health Trends 2023 report cover 

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Get an in-depth look at the latest medical trends and learn how you can respond to them by downloading the full report.


Insurer innovation is one silver lining of COVID-19


COVID-19 has had significant short- and long-term impacts on people’s lives, health risks, costs and diagnosis. However, it has also driven insurer innovation and plan modernization.

 


Download the MMB Health Trends 2023

Find out the top trends driving the future of employer-provided healthcare.

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