6 open enrollment trends to expect among large employers

Employees of many large organizations can look forward to more options within their health plans this open enrollment season, according to data from two surveys conducted by the National Business Group on Health.

“While most large employers are not planning major changes to their plan design, they continue to increase efforts to improve quality, access and convenience by providing workers more plan choices and greater access to virtual care solutions and mental health services,” says Brian Marcotte, NBGH’s president and CEO. “Additionally, more employers are providing decision-support tools and technology to simplify their employees’ experience and help them navigate the health care system.”

Related: Turning open enrollment into a marketing plan

Using data from its annual Large Employer Health Care Strategy and Plan Design Survey, NBGH identified six open enrollment trends for employees of large organizations.

1. Costs will rise modestly, albeit more than wage growth and overall economic growth. The total cost of health benefits — including premiums and out-of-pocket costs — covering employees and their dependents will rise by 5 percent in 2020, to an average of $15,375. However, most large employers will continue to cover nearly 70 percent of the costs.
2. Due to popular demand, many large employers are again offering multiple health plans, particularly PPO plans. In 2018, high-deductible plans were the only option for workers at 39 percent of large organizations – in 2020, the percentage of employers with this sole option will drop to 25 percent.
3. To help improve access and enhance the employee experience, large employers are adding more virtual care services. A significant majority (82 percent) will provide mental health services to employees virtually, and 60 percent will provide weight management programs virtually. Over the next several years more large employers will add virtual care services for musculoskeletal care management, prenatal care and coaching, sleep management, diabetes management, prenatal care, and cardiac care management.
4.  A majority (78 percent) of large employers plan to offer medical decision support tools and second-opinion services, while 73 percent will offer virtual solutions to help with claims assistance. To further help employees navigate the health-care system, roughly 60 percent of large employers will offer full-service, high-touch concierge programs.
5. Employees will have access to expanded mental health benefits. Nearly half of large employers will conduct campaigns next year to reduce the stigma that exists around mental health conditions and treatment. More employers will offer online resources (69 percent); manager training to help recognize mental health issues and direct employees to appropriate services (47 percent); onsite mental health counselors (33 percent); and digital cognitive behavioral therapy for mental health issues (28 percent).
6. Large employers will continue to focus more on health care quality and value with the use of Centers of Excellence, high performance networks and advanced primary care strategies. More than a quarter (27 percent) will expand their COE offerings in 2020 to address additional conditions or procedures, including orthopedics, with nearly half implementing COEs for musculoskeletal conditions. Moreover, a growing number of employers are opting for COE models for fertility and maternity programs. Many employers are expanding the use of incentives to boost employee use of COEs.

Read more: 

• Expanding and simplifying benefits packages to increase engagement
• What happens when you let employees design their benefits package?
• 10 industries with the best benefits packages